July 3rd, 2003
Kyoko's fingers danced across the keyboard; the lab illuminated by the glow of her monitor. She only had a little bit more work, just a little bit more and she would be done for the night. Or was it morning? She wasn't sure anymore. Work had nearly consumed every part of her life. Second Impact had nearly damned the world and Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu refused to let it happen again. For her, it would all be worth it in the end.
Suddenly the lab's door swung open, light pouring in. Kyoko spun around, shielding her eyes from the door. Yui walked through, coffee cups in hand.
"Early start?" she asked.
"Late finish actually," Kyoko mumbled as she returned to her work.
"Again?" Yui asked, "That's the fifth time this month."
"I know," Kyoko rubbed her forehead, "I just got caught up in the work again that's all. This needs to be perfect."
"And it will be, but depriving yourself of any sleep won't help anyone," Yui said as she handed her friend one of the cups and took a seat. She tilted her head, "When was the last time you stayed home with Asuka?"
Kyoko sighed, "I don't know, maybe a week ago"
"Has your husband been watching over her then?"
Kyoko's eyes shifted away from Yui. "No."
Color drained from Yui's face. "Who's watching her then!?"
Kyoko rushed from her chair, placed her palm on Yui's mouth and pointed at a nearby couch. Yui could make out the sleeping form of a small child.
"Are you kidding me?" Yui hissed, "This is a laboratory, unless there's some event she should not be here."
"I know, I know, but I just couldn't leave her behind again," Kyoko responded, "I can't force David to raise her by himself."
"This isn't raising her," Yui reasoned, "Asuka doesn't deserve to be sleeping in a laboratory, she needs a home."
"I know!" Kyoko fell back into the chair, "I know. I just can't bear the thought of her growing up in a world like this."
"And she won't," Yui placed a comforting arm on her shoulder. "What we do today will secure their futures."
"And what if we're not part of those futures?"
"Kyoko, look at me," Yui placed a hand under Kyoko's chin. "Even if we're not there, we can at least give them the best chance at a happier life. Do you understand me?"
Kyoko straightened herself. "I understand,"
"Good," Yui smiled, "Now next time you plan to stay late, tell me."
"Why?"
"So, I can stay with you," Yui replied, "We're in this together remember?"
"And what about Asuka?"
"She can stay at my place," Yui offered. "She likes playing with Shinji, and I can make sure Gendo watches over them."
Kyoko stared at the floor as she considered the offer.
"It'll be okay Kyoko," Yui reassured, "I'll make sure of it."
"You know Yui," Kyoko turned to her friend and smirked, "You'd make a great mother-in-law to Asuka one day."
Yui giggled, "Maybe one day."
"You'll be fine," Kyoko countered, "Like you always say: all will be right in the end."
"As long as the Sun, the Moon, and the Earth exist," Yui began.
"Everything will be alright," the two finished in unison.
Present Day
Kaji sighed as he pulled the covers over Misato. He pulled out his mobile phone to double check Asuka's location. Confirming her location within the Geofront, Kaji swapped over to the messaging application. Hundreds of messages filled his screen as they loaded in. He could barely keep up with them. Kaji rubbed his forehead as he exited the room and stepped out onto the balcony. From what he could tell, SEELE was kicking up a storm with the return of Yui Ikari.
"And so, the mighty fall," he whispered to himself.
Dozens of intelligence agencies across the globe had activated whatever assets they had in Japan as SEELE tried to find out what was going on. Kaji smiled as he watched the slow unfolding of the old men's grand plan. Unfortunately, this smile soon faded as Kaji received a message from SEELE themselves. Apparently, they still had a use for him. His eyes narrowed as he read the message. He rubbed his eyes as he pushed the mobile phone back into his pocket. He swore this job would be the death of him. Pursing his lips for a second, Kaji quickly sent several messages to some old army contacts. If SEELE was so interested in Yui Ikari, it was for the best that he finds out first. Satisfied with his messages, Kaji slowly he walked back into Misato's room and slid into the bed beside her. He wrapped his arms around. The mission would come later, for now he just wanted to live.
"I'm sorry, but I think you have me confused with someone else," Yui responded.
"But- But you look like her," Asuka exclaimed as she entered the room, "Why do you look like her!?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Yui responded as she cocked her head to the side, "Who's Wonder Girl?"
"Rei, you look like Rei Ayanami."
Yui raised an eyebrow, "Ayanami was my mother's name."
Asuka's brain nearly stopped at the confirmation. If this woman wasn't Rei and she certainly wasn't Shinji, then that left only one other option. But that couldn't be true. There was no way.
"Who- who are you then?"
Red hair. Blue eyes. An energy that one could never truly describe. Yui had known only two people in her life like that.
"Soryu?"
Asuka froze at the mention of her surname, "How do you know my name?"
"You don't remember me?" Yui began to slowly walk towards Asuka.
"Who- who are you!?" Asuka pointed an accusing finger at Yui,
"It's me Yui Ikari. I was friends with your mother, Kyoko."
"How do you know Mama?!"
"We worked together at Gehirn. We designed the Evas together"
Asuka staggered back as Yui began to approach her. The mention of her mother only served to further Asuka's unease. Time slowed for Asuka as memories of her mother rushed forth.
A hospital bed being rushed away from a crying girl.
Yui lowered herself to Asuka's height.
A mother caressing a doll within her hands.
Yui reached out her hand to Asuka.
A mother dangling from the ceiling
A hand was placed against her shoulder.
That same doll, hanging beside the mother.
"Die with me."
"Asuka?"
Asuka snapped out of her trance and tore the hand off her shoulder. She stumbled back as she tried to put as much distance between her and this mystery woman.
"Who- Who are you?"
"I told you, I'm Yui Ikari, Shinji's mother.
"Then you should know where he is, right?"
"I'm not entirely sure," Yui replied, "I… felt him and now I'm here."
Asuka fell to her knees, her hair obscuring her face, "Where. Is. Shinji."
"I told you, I don't know Asuka," Yui kneeled beside her, "I wish I knew."
"Then you're no help to me."
In a flash, Asuka was on her feet and sprinting out of the room.
"Asuka wait!"
Yui received only retreating footsteps in response.
Ritsuko's hands shook as she checked the equipment tray. Of all the things that could have happened, never once did she consider a scenario where Yui Ikari returned. Her mother's notes often talked with distaste of the woman and nothing more. Outside of the room, she took a moment to collect herself. Her return would change nothing; the commander would still be hers in the end. It didn't matter that Yui was his wife. It didn't matter that he still whispered her name when they slept together. It would not matter in the end; she would make sure of that. And if their most recent argument was anything to go off, most of the work had been done for her.
Ritsuko opened the door to Yui's room. "Mrs. Ikari?"
Yui was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring out the window. The light casting a glow around the woman. Yui turned to look at the doctor.
"Yes?"
"I'd like to run a couple of tests if that's okay with you," Ritsuko held up the tray.
"Oh," Yui looked to the side. "Okay."
Walking to the other side of the bed, Ritsuko wrapped a plastic band around Yui's arm. She connected a datapad to the band as she placed a notepad on the bedside table. Yui's eyes read the text that filled the display.
"No needles?"
Ritsuko shook her head, "Not unless absolutely needed," she jotted down something in the notebook.
"This medical recorder gives enough info to tell us if blood work is needed. This is a fourth-generation model, developed them myself," she said as she looked over her notes.
"That's amazing! How does it work?"
"Same tech as the interface headsets for the Evas."
"Interesting, Mari always did tout the medical applications of the headsets. Said it would save thousands."
Ritsuko looked up from the pad, "Come again?"
"Oh sorry," Yui returned to staring out the window, "Just reminiscing about the past."
"Mhm," Ritsuko tapped at the pad, "I understand that you were brought onto Project E prior to NERV's founding."
"That would be correct yes," Yui nodded.
Ritsuko paused for a second before speaking. It was no secret to her that Yui Ikari had built Project E from the ground up, but it never hurt to ask.
"So, what exactly did you work on?"
Yui chuckled as she looked out the window. "I think it be easier if I listed all the things I didn't work on. I was the project lead after all."
"How interesting," Ritsuko clenched the tablet ever so slightly.
"Interesting would be an understatement," Yui added, "We were pushing the boundaries of science. What we did back then would change the lives of generations."
"Hm," Ritsuko responded, "You seem quite proud of your work."
"Well of course. I am a scientist after all. To be fair I think my family takes up most of my pride."
"Your family?" Ritsuko stared in surprise. "You're prouder of your family then you are of your own work?"
"Yes, yes I am," Yui paused for a moment, "I never got your name doctor."
"Akagi, Doctor Akagi."
"Doctor Akagi," Yui whispered to herself, "Oh! You're Naoko's child!"
Ritsuko's jaw clenched at the mention of her mother, "That would be correct yes."
"I don't remember blonde hair ever running in the family."
"I dyed it," Ritsuko replied.
"I like it," Yui cocked her head to the side. "It suits you."
Ritsuko stared at Yui for a second. Unsure if she was being sincere or not. Not once had anyone ever complemented her on her hair. Perhaps Yui Ikari was not the woman her mother had described, nor was it the woman she had imagined.
"You okay Doctor?"
Ritsuko shook her head as her focus returned.
"I'm- I'm okay," Ritsuko took a moment to recollect her thoughts. "Thank you though, for the compliment."
"No problem."
"Well, that should be everything," Ritsuko said as she removed the medical band, "You have a nice day Mrs. Ikari."
"The same to you." Yui smiled.
Ritsuko stood up and walked over to the door. A faint smile on her lips. She placed her hand on the doorknob when Yui's voice interrupted her.
"If you don't mind me asking Doctor," Yui asked, "Who exactly is the head of Project E now?"
Ritsuko turned around and replied, "That would be me."
"Well," Yui pursed her lips and Ritsuko held her breath. "It's good to know that Project E is in good hands. You seem more then capable Doctor."
Ritsuko's faint smile turned into a fully-fledged one at the compliment.
She nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Ikari."
Yui smiled in return.
After closing the door, Ritsuko could only stare at the floor. On one hand Yui Ikari's presence was a threat to her own goals regarding Gendo. On the other hand, she wasn't entirely sure if she wanted to compete against such a woman, not that she would be able to win in the first place. The way she smiled and talked came almost as a shock the doctor. She had looked to any traces of deceit in her words and found none. Having grown use to the commander's apathy and Fuyutski's reserved responses, finally being able interact with such a person like Yui was almost unbelievable to her. For most of her early life, Ritsuko was raised by a woman who cared more for work then she did her own family. After her mother's death, she had focused her efforts on pining for the affections of a man most believed could never love. Yet now Ritsuko had met a woman with a tone and demeanor so genuine it quite honestly confounded her. She clenched her jaw at the thought of competing with her. Despite her early convictions about the woman, Ritsuko found herself unsure about Yui, in fact she found herself unsure about a lot of things.
Asuka walked alone down the street. Her feet barely dragged themselves along as exhaustion began to hit her. Her lack of sleep over the past month had drained the girl and the sudden news of Shinji's death had only compounded the issue. Asuka wanted to be angry. She wanted to scream and rip apart whatever item that was unfortunate enough to be near her. But no matter what she wanted to feel, she couldn't. Whatever anger or fear Asuka had was whittled away with the day's events. Another person lost to her. Someone dear to her. Asuka had come to realize that, only after it was too late. She felt every bit a fourteen-year-old now, just like she felt every bit at a four-year-old when her mother died. It was so confusing to Asuka, to not understand her own feelings. Surely something as integral as emotions could be wrangled by the Great Asuka Langley Soryu, and yet she couldn't.
She shuffled down the street. With sullen eyes, Asuka looked to her left, expecting to see him walking right beside her like he always did.
"Why did you go?"
She ground her teeth in frustration as she remembered his smile.
"It's your fault for taking so long."
Her fists clenched at the thought of him cooking for her.
"You shouldn't have fought on your own."
Looking up Asuka found herself staring up at the apartment. For a place she had slowly come to call home in recent months, Asuka felt rather unwelcome as she entered. Walking into the apartment she found no one to greet her. Sliding open the door to Misato's room, Asuka found her and Kaji lying beside each other. Familiar anger filled her mind before receding as fast as it came. It just wasn't worth it anymore. Shuffling over to the kitchen Asuka grabbed a ramen packet and a pot. She closed her eyes as she recalled his voice.
What do you want for dinner?
Asuka smiled at the memory. He always cooked for her. At first the idea of relying on someone else to cook to for her was almost repulsive. While in Germany, Asuka only let others cook for her whether it be the NERV Euro cafeteria or when she went to restaurants with Kaji. But in Tokyo-03, she had grown to enjoy his cooking. It was nice to have someone cook for her again like Mama did. He always put his best into every dish and the taste reflected it. As Asuka boiled the water she could almost make him out in the corner of her eye, grabbing drinks from the fridge.
What would you like drink?
Once upon a time Shinji had handed her a drink without her input. After nearly raising hell over this, Shinji always made a point to ask specifically what she wanted to drink. It wasn't the most pleasant memory she had of him, but it wasn't terrible either. She never did thank him.
Asuka sat alone at the table as she ate her noodles. The noodles grew cold as she stared at the empty spot in front of her, wishing it was the opposite. She dumped the empty pot into the sink, reminding herself that he wasn't there to do the dishes anymore. She never helped him.
Walking back to her room, Asuka found herself standing before Shinji's room. No sounds came from it. Asuka slid open the door and walked inside. Each step taken felt thunderous to Asuka as the outside world fell away. After a whole month of constant inquiries into where he had gone and her own confusion with her feelings over the matter, Asuka was just tired. There was no more anger left to give. No more biting remarks or hateful comments, just tired. Her eyes locked onto the ground as she took in the room.
The room still held his scent and she still held onto her memories of him.
"I miss you."
The words sounded like a roar to the girl as the silence was broken.
Asuka still stared at the floor as she faced her fear of losing him.
Her knees gave way as she slowly realized the possibility of never seeing Shinji again.
She whispered to herself as her arms squeezed around herself.
"We could have beaten it together."
Author's Note: This chapter was revised and reuploaded as of 12/4/21