Chapter 15 – Fear Of The Unknown
Shinji stood in the briefing room beside his fellow pilots as Ritsuko began her presentation. Lt. Ibuki stood beside the doctor and Shinji stood opposite them with Rei to his right and Asuka to his left. No matter how many times he was called for an emergency brief it would never fail to put him on edge. The day so far had been somewhat pleasant even though he'd been unable to participate in swimming. When Rei and Asuka had tired from the water they'd lent him a bit of help with his studies for which he was quite grateful. Now the day was taking quite an inconvenient turn...
Ritsuko activated the projection screen on the table before them. On the screen was a black figure that looked quite a bit like a warped, distorted human embryo. Surrounding it appeared to be some kind of shell. It was truly an... unsettling image. "Is that an Angel?" he asked.
"Yes," Ritsuko replied. "It's some sort of juvenile stage that precedes the adult stage that we're familiar with. This operation's primary objective is to capture this Angel. We must capture it alive and as close to it's original state as possible."
"And if we fail?" Asuka inquired.
"Then you must destroy it immediately," the faux blonde scientist returned. "Understood?"
"Roger!" he and Asuka replied instantly. Rei remained silent.
Ritsuko looked over at the blue haired girl beside him, her eyebrows knitting up in a look of slight concern. "Understood?" She asked.
"A- a- affirmative..." Rei stammered softly.
Shinji glanced over at his closest friend. Though she seemed to be trying to conceal it, from the look in her eyes she appeared clearly disturbed. Her complexion appeared paler than usual as well. He couldn't help but be just a bit unsettled himself. He'd never in the entire time he'd known her seen her look so afraid. What was the cause? The Angel? He'd always seen her so composed in the face of them before, what was different now? "Are you alright, Rei?" he asked.
Rei looked back at him and nodded. "I will be fine," she replied... but her eyes said otherwise. The look in her eyes reminded him of stories told about solders with the thousand meter stare...
"Sure about that, Wonder-girl?" Asuka butted in sounding concerned. "You look a little... off."
"It is nothing..." Rei returned, looking back at the enlarged photo of the juvenile Angel while a frown formed on her lips. "I am... tired from swimming..."
"Well then it's a good thing you're on reserve duty," Ritsuko stated, her expression snapping back to her usual one of professional stoicism.
Rei nodded, her eyes remaining locked in on the image of the Angel. "Understood..." she murmured. Shinji couldn't help but sense there was more to how she was acting that simple fatigue but he couldn't discern the cause. Hopefully she really was alright...
"So who's going to be spearheading the attack?" Asuka asked.
"Actually you are," Ritsuko replied. "You'll be diving into the magma chamber in Unit 02 while carrying a special cage to attempt the capture.
Asuka smirked and pumped her fist. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "I love diving! This is gonna be a breeze!"
"Shinji, you and Unit 01 will provide backup at the surface," Ritsuko stated.
He nodded. "Roger," he affirmed.
Lt. Ibuki spoke up. "The operation will require use of non-standard equipment," she stated. "Therefore all other units beside Unit 02 will remain at the surface."
"Now that an A17 has been ordered we've got to roll out immediately," Ritsuko added.
"Roger," Shinji replied in unison with his two fellow pilots.
Rei couldn't believe what she'd seen in the briefing room. During the entire briefing it had been a struggle to remain composed but now that she was alone in changing rooms she couldn't keep herself from shaking. As soon as Asuka had left she'd nearly collapsed. First the Dummy Plug tests occurring earlier than they should have and now a new Angel that had not existed before... the terror she felt threatened to overwhelm her. It shouldn't be possible that there were more Angels than in the prior timeline! It raised all sorts of fearful questions and inquiries that she had no answer to. How many Angels were there now? Would the one's she remembered come in the same order as before or not at all? How much more different was this reality in which she was living compared to the one she'd known?
She sat on the bench in the locker room wearing her plug suit, holding her sides and staring at the floor. None of the questions she was asking herself were ones that she could answer. It was... upsetting to know that and that knowledge only added to her anxiety and horror. All she could do was face whatever threat was to come and do her best to survive it.
This brought on a whole new level of fear. All the trials that she had faced previously since receiving Yui Ikari's gift had been ones she'd faced before. Because of that they had not been cause for much worry. They had worried her, but in the back of her mind she'd known at least a guideline for what was going to happen. Then the Jet Alone had run amok, and then she'd had to meet Asuka on the carrier, and the Seventh Angel had been fought differently... things were truly and completely diverging beyond her recollection of events. It was scary to think that most people didn't have a grasp of what the future held for them. It was scary to think that she had no good concept of what would befall her in future anymore...
She shakily stood from where she sat and shambled to the exit from the locker room. One way or another she would overcome the trials that would come in future. She had to do so, otherwise there would be no future for anyone not just herself. She couldn't help but think about Shinji in regards to that... carrying the weight of the world on one's shoulders was a heavy burden to bear. It was her burden too and she would have to continue carrying it until Third Impact was averted...
Rei slowly opened the door and stepped out into the hall. Every ounce of her being wanted to just... run, but she couldn't. Once again she thought about how Shinji must have felt all the times he'd gone into battle in the face of the unknown... She had so much respect for that attribute of his. How did he keep himself from running away? What strength of will he had to return to the cockpit time and again in the face of the unknown trials before him... No, she wouldn't run. She would follow his lead and persevere because that was all she could do. She would fight and make the future she strove for a reality... if only she could keep her body from shaking and prevent her knees from giving out. What if I fail? What if I can't do it? Those questions lingered in her mind.
She rounded the corner and Shinji was there learning against the wall presumably to wait for her. He turned to face her, the same look of concern he had at the briefing on his face. "Hey, we need to report to Ritsuko in a few minutes," he said softly. "Are you okay?"
Rei stared at the ground. Once again her mind wandered to that familiar place of guilt over her continued deception. There was no way that she could tell him about what was really on her mind as much as she wanted to. It was getting harder and harder to not say anything about it but she knew the cost of telling the truth would be dire. "I... I just have a lot on my mind," she replied softly. "I know you can understand..."
Shinji's face morphed into a somber expression. "I do..." he returned. "Can you... tell me about it?"
She wanted to, oh how she wanted to... "There's nothing you can do to help," she replied. At least that wasn't a total lie. "I'll be fine."
"Are you worried about the mission?" Shinji asked.
Rei could only nod her head. It was the truth that she was very worried about the operation. The infinite unknown possibilities were so very worrisome...
Shinji stepped a bit closer to her. "I'm a bit worried too," he confessed. "I'm always worried about what might happen every time I get in the Eva but that doesn't matter. I... won't run away no matter how much it hurts. I promised that I'd help you carry the burden of piloting Eva... Do you remember that?"
Rei suddenly felt warmth rushing to her face. She lifted her gaze to meet his with wide eyes of surprise. The smile he was displaying only made the warmth intensify. It was an understatement that she had not been expecting that type of response from him. Indeed she remembered the promise he'd made her after the Fifth Angel's destruction and even thinking about that stirred pleasant feelings... "Y- you flatter me," she stammered in reply, looking away.
Shinji scratched his head awkwardly. "It's the truth..." he mumbled, looking away. "So don't worry too much, okay?"
Rei nodded. She couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't worry unnecessarily but she would do her best. Even though the fear of the unknown still gripped her she would refuse to let it dominate her. She couldn't help but find new admiration for Shinji after he'd said his piece. He... had no idea what the future held and yet he still persevered despite that. Not knowing what could or would befall oneself was how every normal human being faced tomorrow... Now she would face it the same way. As overwhelmingly terrifying as the events of the day had been so far there was a slight hint of beauty in what those thoughts unveiled...
Rei met Shinji's gaze. "Only if you promise to do the same," she countered.
He snickered softly, his grin becoming a little lopsided. "It's a promise," he replied. He glanced down the hallway. "Come on... Ritsuko is probably waiting for us."
Rei fell in step beside him as they made their way there together. His words had given her strength, her knees didn't feel like they were going to give out anymore and her hands had stopped shaking. Still, some of the anxiety remained. For some reason she thought of the times when he'd sat and held her hand. Part of her truly wished he would have offered her that in her moment of emotional distress. Part of her wished she had the courage to reach out and grasp his as they walked for whatever unknown reason that she couldn't place...
Asuka had been just a little bit annoyed when upon reaching the staging area within NERV she'd been asked by Dr. Akagi to change once again. Apparently she was required to wear some kind of special plug suit for the mission. She'd had to go back to the changing rooms to get the new suit on and for the life of her she couldn't tell the difference between what she now had on and what she'd had been wearing moments ago. Apparently it was heat resistant or whatever but there was no discernible external difference what so ever. She turned to the faux blonde doctor who was reading from a clipboard a few feet away. "This thing doesn't seem any different than a regular plug suit," she voiced. "What gives?"
Dr. Akagi raised her hand and gestured with a pencil, her eyes never leaving the clipboard she was looking at. "Press the button on your right wrist," she replied without missing a beat.
"Okay," Asuka replied and did as instructed. The results were as shocking as they were instantaneous. Her suit began to expand until she appeared grotesquely rotund. Her appearance reminded her of the blueberry girl from the old Willy Wonka movie she'd enjoyed as a kid. The embarrassment threatened to overwhelm her. "Jesu Gott in Himmel!" she exclaimed.
"Unit 02 should be finished by now," Dr. Akagi added, lowering her clipboard with a sympathetic expression.
Asuka was seething. Whoever designed this awful suit was truly the lowest. "What is the meaning of this!?" she wailed. "Why is this plug suit making me look like this!?"
"It's the easiest way to keep your body insulated from excessive nerve feedback under the extreme pressure and heat the Eva will be experiencing," she replied while turning to walk toward where her Eva was being prepared. "Please follow me."
Just because it might be the easiest doesn't mean it's the correct way to do things... Asuka thought to herself, her embarrassment turning to annoyance as she followed the faux blonde. That annoyance evaporated when she saw Unit 02, replaced with total shock...
Unit 02 looked just as bad as she did if not worse! It was no encased in what looked like an armored diving suit that was a hideous white and gray color. Her Eva looked more like a kids toy robot than a formidable weapon of war. How could she go into battle looking so ridiculous? To do so would be a humiliation! It wasn't fair! It was an insult to her pride! "No!" she whined. "Why? How could you make it look so bad!?"
Dr. Akagi turned around to face her. "Type D equipment is for combat under extreme environmental conditions, fashion has no bearing," she replied. "This exosuit is designed to protect you and your Eva."
Regardless of that fact, the embarrassment she felt was overpowering any sense of reason. The sight of her poor, precious Eva looking as it did infuriated her. There was no way in hell that she was going to go into battle looking like this! "I can't go and fight looking like this!" she complained.
"Unfortunately you don't have a choice in the matter," Dr. Akagi replied.
Asuka turned to her side and laid eyes on her two fellow pilots who both were looking at her with sympathetic expressions. "Can't one of them do it instead?"
"I'm so disappointed!" a familiar suave voice called from up above on one of the catwalks in the Eva cages. "I was looking forward to seeing you in action!"
Immediately her attention snapped to the source of the voice and instantly her cheeks flushed red. This was the icing on the cake that Kaji could see her in her ridiculous attire! How could she let the man of her dreams see her looking like a giant inflatable cherry? She did the only thing she could think of dashed away to the hallway where he couldn't see her. How could this day get any worse? "Verdammt! Dr. Akagi I can't let Kaji see me like this!" she whined.
"I can pilot it..." Shinji voiced meekly. "If it's not a problem..."
Asuka hadn't expected to hear that... She looked over at the Third Child in surprise. Was he seriously volunteering to take her place? He looked nervous but determined. Then she noticed Rei's expression... She was looking at Shinji with wide eyes filled with worry. Asuka sighed. She'd been assigned the mission, she couldn't let her friend worry about that moron by passing the buck, could she? She scowled as she made her decision. Rei seriously owed her for this one... At least Kaji would bet to see her in action. "I'll do it..." she grumbled.
Misato stood with her arms crossed in the improvised command station. Things were going well but the mood was tense. This sort of operation posed a number of difficulties that had not yet been seen in prior deployments. There was also the lingering thought in the back of her mind that the last time there had been an attempt to make contact with an Angel when it was dormant was what caused the Second Impact... She'd been there that day when the world had shattered. She'd seen first hand that destructive power, when the Angels had taken... everything from her. She closed her eyes for a moment and pushed that thought out of her mind. She had a job to do, no use thinking about the past...
The preparation for going into the volcano was an intensive process. They'd put in place a laser mounted to a crane to soften up the path to the target and getting enough power to run it had been an effort. It was small scale compared to what they'd had to put in place during the Fifth Angel's attack but it had been a process none the less. Thankfully the Eva's had been transported to their standby zones with ample time to make any final adjustments and inspections for their equipment. Despite this, the stress level of all the staff was rather high. Should they screw up the U.N. would be standing by to blast the Angel back to hell with N2 weapons and NERV's forces along with it...
"Reposition the laser bore and stand ready to reposition the crane if necessary," she ordered to Hyuga. It wouldn't be much longer and they'd get order to start the music...
"Roger that," the young lieutenant replied. "Hopefully this goes smoothly..." he added after a few minutes.
"It will," she replied, half for herself and half for him. No matter how many times she had to send those kids into battle she would never stop worrying about their chances of success and their well being for that matter. She knew how hard it was on then, especially on Shinji. At least Asuka was the one heading up this mission. She had much more training and a much higher confidence in matters of combat.
"Hey," Asuka's voice came over the radio channel. "Is Kaji here yet?"
Her mood instantly soured. She didn't want to even think about that rakish man at a time like this! That was a whole different can of worms that she'd have to deal with at a later date... Misato reached over to the console and opened a communication window. "God's gift to men won't be joining us," she spat. "He's got no business here."
"No? But I wanted him to see me in my greatest triumph to date..." Asuka whined.
Misato wrinkled her nose and cut the communication feed. She didn't understand why Asuka had such an infatuation with that jerk. Then again... she'd at one point fallen for his debonair and suave facade.
At least if everything worked out she'd get a chance to relax at the hot springs nearby...
Ryouji Kaji sat in a cable car on his way out of the geofront. In the lift with him sat a woman who was one of his Public Security Intelligence Agency contacts. He'd been careful in pretended he had no knowledge of who this person was until they were high in the air and away from any prying eyes or ears. SEELE and NERV had both of those everywhere.
He'd been requested to report to the government due to the A17 emergency deployment that had been ordered. It was understandable considering how grave that situation was. NERV going on the offensive required them to have jurisdiction over matters of security normally reserved for the government. In effect, an A17 was martial law except with NERV in control. Needless to say, there were many people in high places who were quite angry and eager for answers...
"An A17 has been ordered," his contact spoke. "This will include a freeze of all assets..."
"So that means some people will be in trouble," Kaji replied calmly.
"Why didn't you stop them?" his contact asked.
Kaji knew this question was coming but it was still a ridiculous one. How on earth did one lowly field operative have the means to go against the will of the commander and SEELE? "I had no way of stopping them," he replied. "This order was an official one, you know."
"But you must know that if NERV fails at this the entire world will perish," his contact returned.
It was true but he had faith. Misato was at the head of the operation so it was unlikely to fail. She also had Asuka, Rei Ayanami, and the famous Shinji Ikari who'd defeated an Angel the first time he'd ever sat in an Eva to ensure it would be a success. He smirked. "Don't worry," he replied. "Not even they would be arrogant enough to leave things to chance."
"I hope you're right," his contact muttered.
Kaji couldn't help but snicker.
Shinji sat in the cockpit of his Eva as the final preparation for the capture mission were being completed. He was thankful that he wasn't the one to have to go into the volcano, that he wasn't the one on point for once. It was nice to get just a little bit of a break, an easy detail as it were... As he sat there he thought back to his conversation with Rei, how she seemed more nervous than usual about the deployment. That was never a good sign, Rei was the most cool and collected person he knew. For her to be so anxious drove the reality of the threat home. It made him more anxious than he would otherwise be. It made him have to confront his own anxieties about piloting the Eva.
Even though it was easier now it still was job where his life was on the line. That part of piloting would never get easier to reconcile. He's nearly run away after his second fight because of his fears and anxieties over that not to mention his guilt over Touji's sister being hurt. Despite truly wanting to leave Tokyo 3 he couldn't bring himself to do it. Because of Rei he couldn't do it. If he'd left then she would have had to do it on her own. Later on when they'd fought that diamond Angel with the positron cannon he'd promised he'd stay and support her and he wasn't about to go back on that promise. Seeing Rei so clearly upset... hurt. She... really did mean a lot to him. Her friendship meant a lot to him. So... when he saw her clearly distressed due to what he could have only assumed were the same type of anxieties he suffered with he'd tried his best to comfort her and remind her of that promise he'd made. He set his jaw. He would never run away from doing the right thing or standing beside his comrades...
A formation of twinkling objects in the sky soared overhead glistening in the sunlight too distant to discern the shape. Despite the seemingly routine nature of things so far it was clear that something was... off. Ritsuko had mentioned something about an A17 or whatever at the briefing which she didn't explain. Maybe Rei knew something about that considering she was probably familiar with the inner workings of NERV due to being his father's ward... "What are those?" he asked over the radio. "Fighter jets?"
"Yes," Ritsuko responded over the channel. "The U.N. and the Air Force will be standing by during this operation."
"Until this mission is over anyway," Lt. Ibuki asked.
"Are they here to help us?" Asuka chimed in.
"No," Ritsuko replied. "They're here to clean things up just in case we fail."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Asuka asked.
"In case we fail, they'll use N2 depth charges to destroy the Angel and us along with it," Ritsuko returned flatly.
"What!?" Asuka shouted. "This sucks!"
Shinji felt his anger rising. "What kind of jerk would order something like that?" he spat.
"Commander Ikari," Ritsuko replied.
Shinji felt his breath catch in his throat. Of course his father would be okay with something like that... He gripped his control sticks tighter and glowered angrily. Of course his father would give an order like that. His father didn't care about anything other than defeating the Angels even if it meant losing his subordinates, his ward, and his own son. Victory at any cost, that was how his father looked at things. Perhaps that was another reason for Rei reacting as she had, maybe she'd had a feeling his father would give such an order... "Of course he would order something like that..." he muttered to himself.
Rei stood beside Dr. Akagi and Misato within the command center at the bottom of Mt. Asuma. She felt lucky that she'd been allowed to leave the geofront so she could witness the operation. Both Dr. Akagi and Misato had initially denied her request to come along due to Unit 00 remaining at NERV headquarters. That said, she'd reminded them that her unit was not finished with its combat upgrades and therefore nearly unusable until that was finished and therefore it was pointless for her to remain with it. Besides, she wanted to witness the battle. Even though she couldn't do anything she wanted to be... there. Just in case something awful happened she wanted to be close to her friends and to Shinji...
The last of the preparations were being put in place. The laser bore that would soften the path for Unit 02 was sliding into place above the target zone. Despite her confidence in Asuka's abilities she remained nervous. Her hands were trembling again and so she crossed her arms tightly to steady them. It wouldn't be much longer now...
Misato leaned in over the console to check something. While the captain was doing that Dr. Akagi spoke to her. "You seem anxious," she said. "Are you alright?"
So even the doctor had noticed her elevated emotional state... "I am worried," she admitted softly. "But I will be fine when the mission is over."
"The mission will be accomplished as planned," the doctor stated flatly. "The Magi have calculated a statistical probability of success. Your... friends, will be fine."
Rei glanced up at the blonde scientist who appeared stern and uncaring with the exception of her eyes. Her eyes were filled with sympathy. Rei nodded. "I hope that they will be," she replied before turning back to the view of the crane that would soon deposit Unit 02 into the volcano.
Misato stepped back from the console and took a commanding stance. "Alright, let's do this," she spoke. "Make the final corrections to the laser bore and commence operation," she commanded Lt. Hyuga.
"Roger," the technician replied.
The laser device mounted on the crane slid into place and fired for half a second. "Laser operation complete," one of the technicians stated.
"Bore path secured," notified another.
"The type D equipment is functioning normally," the first technician stated as Unit 02 was positioned over the volcanic vent. When it stopped moving, ready to plunge into the abyss Lt. Hyuga spoke again. "Unit 02 is ready and in position," he informed the captain.
"Understood," Misato replied before keying the radio. "Asuka, are you ready?"
"Ready when you are," Unit 02's pilot replied in a chipper voice.
"Let's do it," Misato commanded.
Slowly Unit 02 began to descend into the mouth of the volcano. Just as she was about to hit the surface of the lava, Asuka called out over the radio. "Man, even with the protective gear it's still hot as hell," she grumbled.
"Just bear with it," Misato replied. "We get this done fast and we'll all be able to get on out of here in no time."
"Copy that," Asuka returned.
Rei bit the inside of her lip. This was it, all she could do was sit on the sidelines and wait for the conclusion, whatever it would end up being. No matter how she looked at it, she could not suppress her worry. Her heart thumped in her chest as she watched the screens on the consoles...
"Current depth fifty five meters. Rate of descent seven. No problems detected. Visibility is zero," Asuka updated the command center. "Switching to CT monitor."
So far so good... Thing were going to plan even though she couldn't see a thing, even when changing the visual sensor interface. Then again, she was immersed completely in red hot molten rock, what was she to expect? At the very least it made more more interesting stories than diving off the coast of Okinawa on the class trip she'd been forced to miss. Who else could say they'd gone diving in a volcano? She could only hope she'd reach the target depth soon. As confident as Asuka was in her abilities, descending nearly blind was still a potential hazard. "I still can't see a thing..." she muttered to herself.
In silence she listened to Lt. Ibuki's updates on depth... "We're over the maximum safety depth," the aforementioned technician informed.
Asuka gripped her controls tighter. Those words brought home just how serious the situation really was. Time to get down to business and keep on her toes just in case something were to happen...
Her descent was halted, her Eva coming to rest with a soft jolt as her Eva's tether became taut. Once more the radio crackled to life. "Depth is approximately four hundred meters," Lt. Ibuki stated. "Unit 02 has reached estimated target depth."
"Asuka, what do you see?" Misato asked.
"Not a thing," Asuka replied, scanning the area all around her Eva. "Nothing on the sensors either. It's not here."
After a moment she felt the sensation of being lowered on the line once again. So they were taking her lower despite already being below the safe operating depth... typical. When Misato set her mind to do something she was going to do it at all costs, regardless of the risks. She scowled. It was her duty... she didn't have the right to complain. It was moments like this where she would just shut up do her job that distinguished her as the best Eva pilot in the world...
There was a sickening metallic groan followed by a cracking sound coming from above and behind her head. "A crack has occurred in the second coolant pipe," Lt. Ibuki stated. Asuka winced. If she lost coolant at this depth and pressure she was done for...
No. No time to think about that. She was going to show everyone why she was the best, why she deserved her status as an Evangelion pilot. No matter what happened she was going to face it and not let any stupid fears get in the way!
Misato stood watching the readings on the screen in front of her intently. She knew full well that they were far outside of the safety parameters for the mission but she wasn't about to stop it. In a life and death situation such as dealing with the Angels safety was of no concern. If NERV and humanity didn't press their advantage when they could then precautions wouldn't matter as everyone would be dead anyway.
"We've exceeded the maximum allowable depth," Lt. Ibuki stated.
Misato scowled. "But we haven't made contact with the target yet, keep going," she snapped in reply before keying the mic to Unit 02's cockpit. "How are you holding up, Asuka?"
"Nice and toasty," the redhead replied. "I just want to get this over with and take a bath."
"There's a nice hot spring near here," Misato returned. "We'll go there once this is finished. Just hang in there a little longer."
"Maximum allowed depth plus forty," Lt. Ibuki stated.
"Schiesse!" Asuka suddenly exclaimed.
"Eva Unit 02 has lost it's progressive knife," one of the technicians in the room spoke up.
"Maximum allowed depth plus sixty," Lt. Ibuki called out, a hint of nervousness slipping into her voice.
Hyuga whipped around in his seat. "Captain Katsuragi you've got to stop this!" he urged emphatically. "Have you forgotten that there's a human being in there?"
Of course she understood that, how could she not? She cared quite a bit about Asuka but the mission was more important. It was her job to weigh those kinds of things and do what it took to succeed... Misato glared at the displays taking careful note of the pressure readings. "I will manage this operation as I see fit," she replied. "Continue to descend."
"Captain..." came a voice just above a whisper from behind her. "If something goes wrong will we be able to abort without losing the pilot?"
Misato turned to see Rei looking at her looking quite concerned. She felt a pang of sympathy for the girl, she was clearly concerned for her friend. The question the blue haired girl had asked was certainly a poignant one. If she was being honest with herself she wasn't sure if they'd be able to successfully recover Unit 02 should a mishap occur. Despite this she forced a smile and nodded. "I'm certain of it," she replied softly.
"Depth five hundred forty meters," Lt. Ibuki called out with the latest update. "Unit 02 has reached the corrected target depth."
Asuka peered out into the molten hell around her, scanning the abyss for the target. She dreaded the thought she might have to go lower still into the volcano but she was in luck. The target faded into view just a few dozen meters away. The egg-like entity appeared as a dark shadow in the murk of the magma. "I see it..." she murmured over the radio channel.
"Prepare for capture," Misato ordered.
Asuka did as instructed and readied the special cage that her Eva held in its hands. With swift movements the pieces clicked into place ready to capture the Angel.
"Alright, because of the convection current that's moving both you and the target you'll have just one chance to make contact," Dr. Akagi stated.
"Understood," Asuka replied. "Just leave it to me."
"Thirty meters to contact," Lt. Hyuga called out.
Asuka deftly maneuvered with delicate movements into position. "Relative position two point two on the axis," she responded as the cage slid around the ovoid object that was the embryonic Angel's shell. She activated the electromagnetic field of the capture cage and the signal in her head's up display showed all signs were good. A capture notice flashed with an audible ding. "The electromagnetic field has been spread. No problems detected. The target is secured."
"Nicely done, Asuka," Misato commended.
Asuka sighed and slid down in her seat. Finally... the worst was over with. Now all she had to do was wait until they pulled her back up to the surface. She smiled to herself. Though the setup had been a bit tense it wasn't all that bad... The thought of getting to enjoy a nice bath at a hot spring as soon as everything was wrapped up certainly made it worth it. "The operation is complete," she stated. "Bring me on up."
Slowly but surely the cables attached to her Eva's back began to lift her upwards towards the surface of the expanse of molten rock and fire. Soon enough it would be over and she could get some proper relaxation in before returning to Tokyo 3...
Waiting at the surface had been simultaneously the most boring and the most suspenseful thing in the universe. Shinji had sat in his cockpit listening to the radio transmissions between field command and Asuka intently ever since she disappeared below the surface of the lava. He could only imagine how stressful it was down below. Listening to the radio chatter was nerve wracking enough as it was...
When he'd heard that Asuka had lost her progressive knife he'd become rather concerned for the success of the operation and for his fellow pilot's safety. Should the Angel somehow become active then she would have no way to defend herself against it. As she'd descended down to the target depth he'd barely breathed, listening to the updates as they came over the radio. He thanked whatever powers existed that the capture had been successful. As soon as he'd heard that Asuka had deployed the cage he breathed a sigh of relief. He keyed his mic as soon as he saw the cables begin to retract, pulling his friend and fellow pilot to the surface. "Asuka, are you alright?" he asked.
"Of course I am," came Asuka's confident reply. "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," she replied.
He smiled. It was certainly a relief to hear her remain so confident about things. It was something he was beginning to admire about her.
Rei breathed a sigh on relief and relaxed her hands at her side. Though the existential dread of more Angels existing than in her prior life still weighed heavy she was quite thankful that things had gone to the captain's plan. She was very much relieved that Asuka was going to be alright and that Shinji had not been sent to go into harm's way. As the tension evaporated it was almost a woozy, light headed feeling. It was disorienting but not entirely unpleasant, balanced out by the elation she was also experiencing. Perhaps it was due to how much she'd come to care for her friends? It would certainly be a high probability of that being the case...
"Seems like all the tension just evaporated in here," Dr. Akagi commented, turning to Misato.
"Yeah," the captain replied.
"Were you scared about the mission?" the blonde scientist asked, glancing in her direction with a hint of a grin. "Rei definitely was and I'll admit it that I was a bit nervous myself."
"Yeah..." Misato replied. "If something had gone wrong we could have lost Asuka or worse..."
Dr. Akagi nodded, a grave expression working its way across her features. "Yes, another Second Impact type event all over again..." she murmured.
Rei's eyes widened and it felt like her stomach did a flip. That thought had not occurred to her. Could that have been true? No, an Eva made from Adam like Unit 02 making contact with an Angel in stasis wouldn't cause something like that... Even as that notion faded from her mind her anxiety remained high. The new awareness of an unknown number of Angels previously unseen by her returned to her mind. If she and her fellow pilots failed to defeat those monsters then everything would be for nothing... Then, should things be similar to her past lives, there would still be the one that violated Asuka's mind, the one that caused her second death, and Kaworu who had broken Shinji... She fought to keep herself from trembling where she stood. The anxiety was back and it would not abate...
Then, as if the universe sought to tell a sick joke, the general alarm klaxon began to sound.
Rei's eyes darted to central display screen as she heard Asuka's frantic cries over the radio. "It's going crazy!" she yelled.
"No!" Dr. Akagi shouted. "Its hatching earlier than we predicted!"
"The cage won't hold it!" Lt. Hyuga cried.
"Then jettison it!" Misato barked. "Abort the capture!"
Rei stepped backwards until her back rested against the wall. This couldn't be happening... This shouldn't be happening... She said a silent prayer to any power that would listen that her friend would be alright, her eyes locked on the display screen. She clenched the fabric of her skirt like a vice grip and grit her teeth. It was all she could do the cope with the all encompassing fear and worry.
Asuka watched as serpentine arms burst from the Angel's egg as it fell away from her, her heart pounding in her chest. Her excursion into the depths of the earth had really taken a turn for the worse. Still... it was a bit exciting! This was the kind of thing she had always looked forward to as an Eva pilot: combat. She eagerly awaited the order to engage as the Angel broke free of its prison with a mix of fear and anticipation
"We're changing the mission objective!" Misato cried. "Asuka you're clear to engage, destroy the Angel!"
Asuka grinned. "You've got it!" she replied. This was her time to shine!
She reached for her progressive knife and grasped at nothing. Instantly her heart sank. In the heat of the moment she'd forgotten that that vital piece of equipment had been lost. "Dammit!" she snarled. "I can't believe I forgot I dropped it!"
Through the displays in her cockpit she could see that the Angel was approaching fast. With no way to counter it all she could do was evade it. Just before the bastard made contact with her she released the ballast belt around Unit 02's waist. She shot upwards a few dozen meters with a jolt and the Angel whipped by below her fast enough that it's wake in the magma caused her Eva to shake. "Damn this thing is fast..." she thought aloud.
Asuka hated this feeling of helplessness. She watched as the sea scorpion looking monster circle around to her front with incredible speed and disappear in the distance. She had no way to pursue it or fight it and her chances of avoiding it were slim. With her slow ascent via her tether to the surface it was a grim situation indeed... Couldn't the stupid crane pull her up any faster? She was beginning to worry that there was no way for her to win...
"This sucks! I've lost it thanks to the crummy visibility down here!" Asuka called out over the radio. "And if that wasn't the worst of it, it's too friggin' hot and I'm covered in sweat beneath this stupid balloon suit!"
"We're going to drop you Unit 01's progressive knife," Misato replied. "Be at the ready, Asuka!"
"Roger that!" Asuka stated firmly, trying to maintain a semblance of confidence. A proximity alert sounded in the cockpit and she could see the Angel fading into view. All pretense of composure that she was feigning evaporated. "Shit! Throw it, Shinji!" she cried.
"Here it comes!" Shinji's voice sounded over the radio.
"Forty seconds until knife arrival," Lt. Ibuki stated.
"The Angel is approaching rapidly!" Lt. Hyuga called out.
Asuka began to panic. She didn't want to die down in a molten hellhole from some weird sea scorpion Angel! All she could do was stare at the ugly creature as it shot toward her and could do absolutely nothing until Shinji's knife arrived. She hated this! She wanted to be back at the surface and done with this crap already! "No! Go away!" she screamed at it, reaching impotently upwards. "Come on! Come on! Can't this thing get here any faster!"
It was an agonizing couple more seconds until the knife reached her. She reached up and caught it just as the Angel fell upon her Eva. It ensnared her with its tendril like arms as she brought the ultrasonic blade down on the creature's head. It had no effect, simply vibrating harmlessly on the Angel's armored shell and causing cavitation bubbles in the magma around it. As if things couldn't get any worse... "What the hell!" Asuka shouted. "Why doesn't it work!?"
Her eyes went wide when the Angel opened its mouth and chomped down on her Eva's protective diving helmet. She was staring directly down the damn thing's throat via her cockpit displays. She could barely think straight. All Asuka could do was continue trying to force the knife into the Angel's flesh.
A pain shot through her lower leg as the Eva's diving suit began to be breached. Coolant began to spill out of the her suit. "Left leg has taken damage!" Lt. Ibuki called out over the radio.
As if I don't know that! Asuka thought to herself in frustration. "And my suit's integrity is compromised too," she hissed, stabbing at the Angel repeatedly in frustration. "Die! Die! Die, goddamn you!" she wailed. The Angel remained completely unharmed.
Dr. Akagi's voice sounded over the radio. "Asuka, the Angel must have adapted its molecular structure to be resistant to extreme heat and pressure. The knife won't work against it!"
"Well then what the hell do I do!?" she screamed in frustration.
Asuka was quite surprised when Shinji spoke up. "I have an idea!" he declared. "My schoolwork had something about temperature causing changes in states of matter-"
"What's your point!?" she cut him off. "I don't have much time! Get to your point!"
"The coolant!" Shinji shouted.
It all clicked into place. She could use the coolant to make the Angel's exterior brittle enough to damage it. A part of her was a bit frustrated that she hadn't thought of it sooner but another part of her was equally thankful that Shinji had been catching up on his school work. "That's it!" she declared, her famed confidence returning with a rush. She knew she could win this battle now...
In a flash, Asuka cut one of her coolant lines and jammed the leaking end into the Angel's mouth. "Transfer all of the available coolant to line three, do it!" she shouted.
"Roger that!" Misato confirmed.
The line began dumping coolant into the beast's maw like a flash flood. It flailed around trying break free of Asuka's hold on it but she was not about to let it get free. With a desperate battle cry she brought the progressive knife down on the monster's head once again and this time it pierced the Angel's flesh and began eroding its core. After a few seconds the Angel stopped struggling and began to fall away from her but not before its arm slashed out and damaged the cables tethering her Eva to the surface. After that, the Angel completely disintegrated, melting in the lake of magma in which they were both submerged.
Asuka didn't have time to celebrate her victory as her Eva's pressure suit began to implode. The temperature in the plug began to rise as the flow of coolant to her Eva reached zero and her cockpit camera displays began to fizzle out one by one. Her heart sank as the cruel reality of her situation set in. "I've done it but... looks like it doesn't matter," she murmured. "I'm done for anyway..."
It was such a strange feeling... remaining afraid of death but having to come to terms with it. Asuka knew that nothing short of a miracle would save her from that fate but still she hoped for some kind of salvation. She looked up at her shredded tether to the surface as it came loose and shut her eyes with a gasp. Please, someone help me! Mother, help me! she screamed internally, biting down hard on her lip. Asuka knew it wouldn't be much longer until herself and Unit 02 would succumb to the heat and pressure...
And then she felt a jolt and she stopped falling...
Her eyes snapped upwards and her mouth fell open in surprise as what she saw. Unit 01 was there, clutching the tether to the crane with one hand and grabbing her Eva's own hand with its other. "Shinji!" she exclaimed.
"Hold on tight!" he shouted over the radio. "Misato! Pull us up!"
"On it!" Misato replied.
Asuka was baffled. How had Shinji managed to get down to her depth without his Eva burning up? Did it have something to do with his unit's A.T. Field? She decided that none of that mattered as relief washed over her. She was going to live! Her heart swelled in her chest. She'd never expected Shinji to do something like that for her... or anyone for that matter. Such bravery... Maybe he really was a man instead of a boy... She felt her cheeks getting hot and it wasn't from the sweltering heat of the entry plug. "Idiot... don't be such a show off..." she murmured.
As soon as the two Evas reached the surface Rei felt a huge wave of relief. When Shinji had jumped into the volcano after Asuka her heart had been pounding so hard she thought she might die. Seeing them safely back on the surface she'd nearly collapsed as the adrenaline which had been coursing through her veins left her system. She'd followed Dr. Akagi and Misao to go see the pair as soon as they exited their cockpits. It had taken a herculean effort on her part to move her shaky legs and get to the medical tent that Asuka and Shinji had both been moved to.
When she entered the tent she saw the both of them sitting on cots, already being examined by the medical staff. Asuka was the first to react to the pretense of the doctor, the captain, and herself. "Oh hey Misato, Rei, Dr. Akagi," she greeted with a grin. "That fight was quite something, huh?"
Indeed it was quite something, but Rei couldn't bring herself to speak. She was so... happy that neither of them looked to be hurt. Shinji looked in her direction and smiled meekly. She could only do the same.
"You both did great down there," Misato stated. "That was a serious close call."
"Indeed," Dr. Akagi added, turning her attention to Shinji with a stern look. "The fact that you managed to rescue Asuka without any serious damage to your Eva due to the heat and pressure is incredible. What were you thinking?"
Shinji scratched his head nervously and looked away from them. "I don't know," he replied. "I just dove in there because there was no other way... I wasn't really thinking about what I was doing, it just seemed like the right thing to do."
"Well good thing you did," Misato spoke. "Because if you didn't Asuka would have been toast."
"Yeah," Asuka added softly, turning to Shinji. "Thanks for that..."
Shinji looked away. "It was nothing..." he replied.
Rei couldn't help but smile. He was so humble even when he did something undeniably heroic. It was one of the things that she truly admired about him. Just as she was about to commend him though, Misato spoke up again. "Well if you're both feeling alright then we should head to debriefing," she stated.
Shinji and Asuka stood up. "Yes Ma'am," they replied in unison.
The group began to head back to the command station. Dr. Akagi formed up beside her and spoke softly. "Hey Rei, are you alright?" she asked.
Rei looked up at the blonde haired woman with wide eyes. Was she really asking her how she was? Dr. Akagi never had asked her about her state of being in a genuine way before... but her words sounded genuine. "I am fine..." she murmured softly.
Dr. Akagi nodded. "I could tell you were worried about them," she said. "Anyone in the command center could tell."
Rei looked down at the ground. It was dangerous that she was becoming so transparent, becoming less and less able to contain her emotions... but she couldn't help it. "I was..." she murmured.
Dr. Akagi nodded once again. "It's understandable," she replied. "Just... don't let it get in the way of your duties. You're Eva is almost finished with its combat upgrades. Next battle you'll be joining the two of them."
Rei nodded. So that was why she was showing concern... Well, it was better than her being dismissive as usual she supposed... "Understood," she returned softly.
Gendo had paid close attention as the reports came in. Dr. Akagi had phoned him before the final debriefing of the pilots and told him about the engagement. A part of him had bristled when he'd heard what his son had done with Unit 01, diving into the volcano to save his fellow pilot. This was because of how... precious Unit 01 was to his end goal, that it contained Yui's soul... Even so, a part of him had been quite impressed with his son's bravery. He was shaping up to be quite the Eva pilot indeed.
Rei's words from earlier in the day still weighed heavy in his mind. Perhaps she was correct in her statement that a father and son should be closer. Perhaps if they were it would help him attain his final goal easier. Perhaps... it would ease any ill will that Yui might have for him when he rescued her from her prison within the Eva. After a few moments of hesitation he decided on what he would do.
Slowly, he picked up the phone on his desk and dialed the command center on Mt. Asuma. The line rang twice before Captain Katsuragi answered it. "Katsuragi speaking," she said.
"Put me on speaker," Gendo ordered tersely. He did not want to mince around with pleasantries.
The captain clearly recognized exactly who was calling by the tone of her response. "Yes sir," she replied.
There was a soft clicking sound on the line and Gendo spoke again. "I understand that the operation to capture the Angel was unsuccessful and we for forced to destroy it, correct?" he asked.
"Yes sir, that is correct," Katsuragi replied.
Gendo continued speaking. "I also understand that Unit 01 descended into the magma chamber to rescue Unit 02 before it was destroyed, is that also correct?" he pressed.
"Yes sir," Katsuragi returned.
"And what of the damage to Unit 01?" he inquired.
"Nothing substantial, amazingly," Dr. Akagi stated over the line. "The outer three layers of armor melted due to the heat but other than that the Evangelion suffered no major damage."
Well it was now or never... Gendo found himself choosing his next words very carefully. It was such a hard thing, stepping outside his cold and comfortable comfort zone... "I wish to speak directly to the pilot of Unit 01," he stated, careful to keep his tone as cold and level as ever if only for his own sake.
"Y- yes, father?" his son stuttered on the other end of the line.
Gendo paused for a moment as he thought of what best to say. "Shinji..." he spoke hesitantly, as if possessed by the same nervous feeling mentality that always gripped his son. Hell... that mentality was his before it was his son's... "What you did today was very brave. Good job, Shinji... Keep up the good work."
"Th- thank you... father..." Shinji replied with a stammer.
Gendo instantly turned his attention back to the operation at hand. "I trust that the movement of our assets from Mt. Asuma will be completed by the end of the day?" he asked.
"We should be finished getting all assets in route to headquarters within two hours," Captain Katsuragi replied. "The Evangelions are being prepared for extraction as we speak."
"I see," he replied. "I'll leave the rest in your capable hands, captain."
"Yes sir," Katsuragi replied. "Thank you, sir."
Gendo hung up the phone after that and slumped back in his office chair. It wasn't much but it was something, a small attempt to make good on his promise to take Rei's words into consideration, to reconnect with his son... Perhaps something would come of it, perhaps not... whatever happened it was the gesture that counted. If anything, Shinji would be encouraged to continue performing admirably in his duties. That was the most important thing after all...
Once he'd succeeded in his goal the world would be a better place then they would forgive him for his sins. His son, and Yui would be able to understand. Until then, he would heed his ward's advice to and try to connect with his son as best he could. Besides... it would be advantageous to him, a way to better keep the boy in line and serving his ends. If his son thought their relationship could improve it would motivate him to continue piloting and piloting well.
At least that was what Gendo kept telling himself...
Rei had been speechless during the debriefing. She had not expected the commander to do what he'd done in praising Shinji for his actions. The whole day had been one of total surprises and that one was the proverbial icing on the cake. No matter how she analyzed it, it was a good sign that his father had reached out to him like that. It meant that her plans were making progress...
After the conclusion of all operations, Misato had driven them to a hot spring near the volcano. Despite everything she still could not muster the words to speak to Shinji after all that had happened. It was only after they'd made it to the hot springs and gotten settled in that she'd had a chance to speak with him.
Asuka and Misato had rushed off to get in the baths but she'd stayed behind with Shinji as to have a chance to speak with him. It was strange, she didn't want to speak the things she was thinking around others for whatever reason, so she waited for Asuka and Misato to leave before talking directly with him. "Shinji..." she murmured.
He turned to her with a placid look. "Yeah, Rei?" he replied.
She looked down at the floor, emotion from the day welling up and forming a lump in her throat. She was... so very glad that he was okay after doing what he'd done. "I'm- I'm glad you're alright," she stammered, unable to put all she was feeling into a coherent sentence. "Your father was right... what you did today was indeed valorous..."
He shuffled his feet nervously. "I just... did what I thought was right, that's all," he replied.
She couldn't take it anymore. Every ounce of emotion that she'd been experiencing throughout the day came spilling out with one hasty action. Without thinking she reached out and grabbed at his hand. She'd... missed the warmth of his hand in hers. "Y- you scared me..." she muttered softly, unable to meet his gaze. "Please... don't risk yourself like that again..."
Rei half expected Shinji to pull his hand away from hers but he didn't. Instead, he just left it there, letting his warmth radiate into her. She couldn't tell whether it was his hand trembling or hers... "I- I'll try not to..." he replied softly.
His kind words stirred some unknown feeling in her. She knew that he couldn't keep to those words as much as she wanted him to but the sentiment still warmed her soul. Standing there with his hand in hers was causing her heart to beat faster... She wanted to continue speaking but words failed her. Though she wanted to say something, anything, she couldn't bring herself to say anything. So she just stared down at the floor, tightening her grip on his hand.
"Rei... are you okay?" Shinji asked, his face flushed and red.
She smiled and looked into his eyes. The concern he showed for her filled her with such warmth that she couldn't get enough of it. She didn't know what caused this feeling but she enjoyed every moment of it. "I will be fine..." she replied softly. "Because you are fine."
The front door to the hot spring complex opened. Shinji pulled his hand away from her in a reactionary way and she frowned. In stepped a delivery man of some kind. "Hey, are the people from NERV here?" he asked.
"We're from NERV," Shinji stated politely.
"Here, this is for you then," the deliveryman said, thrusting a package into his hands. Without another word the courier turned on his heel and left the inn.
Shinji looked the box over with a puzzled look. "Someone named Kaji sent this," he stated. "Do you know who that is?"
Rei nodded. Indeed she did know who Kaji was. It was strange to think that Shinji had not met the scruffy spy as of yet... "He is someone who was once very close to Misato-san or so I believe," she replied.
Shinji displayed a confused expression and looked back down at the box in his hands. "Oh, I see..." he murmured, setting the box down and peeling to tape off the lid. "Wonder what he sent her..."
There was an explosion of flapping and feathers as the lid came off the box. It appeared that the spy had shipped the captain's pet penguin to he hot spring. Rei found herself blinking in disbelief at the sight. However Kaji managed to pack the penguin into a box was quite a mystery. The entire day had been one ridiculous occurrence after another...
"Oh, hey there, Pen-Pen," Shinji muttered as the bird swiveled it's head around as if trying to get it's bearings. "Surprised to see you here..."
Rei felt a strange feeling in the back of her throat, something like a tickling sensation that she'd never experienced before. Perhaps it was due to the absurdity of the whole situation but there was something... funny about Shinji's reaction to the bird in the box. A sound escaped her lips that she'd never made before. She caught herself, blinking in surprise, stifling the noise as quickly as it had escaped. Had she just... laughed? It was something she realized she'd never done before...
Shinji turned to her with a grin as Pen-Pen waddled away down the hall. "It is pretty funny, isn't it?" he asked with a chuckle.
Indeed it was. A little dose of humor was definitely a wonderful distraction from all the unpleasant events of the day. She nodded, staring off at the bird as he tried to gain entry into one of the rooms down the hall. "Indeed it is," she replied with a smile.
Shinji bit his lower lip. "Um... well... I'm gonna go and enjoy the hot spring," he said. "I'll see you in a little bit, okay?"
Rei nodded. "I'll join Misato-san and Asuka then," she replied. He seemed tense. What could be causing him to feel anxious? "Is everything alright?"
He nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "I... think so."
Rei couldn't help but want to reach out to him again. She very much disliked seeing him in mental distress and therefore she would not stand for it... "Would... you tell me if it wasn't?" she asked softly.
He nodded, a ghost of a smile returning to his features. "Yeah," he replied. "I would."
Rei smiled back at him. She didn't quite understand why his smile made her mirror his expression without thinking but... she didn't mind it. "I'm glad," she replied.
Shinji's cheeks reddened a little and he turned away. "I'm gonna go now..." he murmured. "See you later..."
Rei's smile fell away. The tender moment was over... "See you later," she responded quietly.
Shinji stepped off down the hall, scooping up the penguin when he reached him. Rei made her way to the women's changing room to undress. She had to admit that as soon as she'd heard about going to the springs she'd been looking forward to it. A relaxing hot bath would certainly help in lessening the stress from the day's events...
Misato and Asuka were already in the bath when she entered. "Oh yeah!" Misato declared. "Three's a party! Come on in, Rei, the water is the perfect temperature."
Rei did as she was asked and exhaled deeply as the water washed over her. Indeed, being in the mineral rich water of the spring was the pinnacle of relaxation.
"So what took you so long?" Asuka asked with a smug smile. "Talking with Shinji?"
"I was," Rei replied.
Asuka leaned back against the edge of the spring's basin, her arms resting behind her head. "Y'know... he's definitely got some talent as a pilot," she mused.
Rei nodded. "Agreed," she replied. "Are you feeling well, all things regarding the mission considered?"
Asuka chuckled. "Of course I am," she replied. "I'm not one to let a brush with death psych me out, y'know."
There was a time that Rei would have said the same but that was no longer the case... "Understood..." she replied softly.
Shinji sat in the men's side of the hot spring as the sole occupant excluding Pen-Pen who was happily swimming laps in the water. He stared up at the orange hued sky of the evening deep in thought over the days events for it had certainly been a day he would remember for a long time...
The entire time he'd had to wait at the surface of the volcano he'd felt nervous and then completely powerless when the Angel had woken up. The seconds had passed agonizingly slow to hear his friend and comrade struggle over the radio and be unable to do anything. Even hours later he still didn't quite understand what courage or impulse that had possessed him and made him dive into the lava without any protective gear to save Asuka. Rationally he knew it was a stupid thing to do, that it could very easily have gotten both of them killed, but he'd done it anyway. Perhaps he really did have a heroic streak deep down...
In the end though, his actions were not important. What was important was what had happened because of them, what had transpired in the immediate aftermath. Asuka had been quite thankful he could tell, even if she'd relayed that to him in a backhanded manner. Misato and Ritsuko were also quite pleased which certainly lifted his spirits, and of course Rei was relieved that both he and Asuka had survived in one piece. That was easy to process.
Unlike what his father had said...
His father's words had truly taken him completely off guard. It was the first time his father had ever given him praise... Even hours later he could still hear his father's words ringing in his ears... What you did today was very brave. Good job, Shinji... Keep up the good work. He kept playing them over and over again. It ignited a new hope deep down in his heart that maybe, just maybe... he could mend his relationship with his father, that they might not always be so distant. I made him believe that deep down, maybe, just maybe his father actually... wanted him. For his father to actually want a relationship with him, that was truly an exhilarating thought but also a little frightening. How he would take the next step, if there could be a next step puzzled him... At the very least he wanted there to be a next step to take. He hoped there was a chance there...
He sighed. He was spinning in circles over that line of thinking... Why was it that such difficult things to think about found him in the bath? Wasn't a trip to a hot spring supposed to be relaxing? He glanced over at Pen-Pen who was happily swimming back and forth. "Wish I could be as carefree as you..." he muttered.
There were also the conversations he'd had with Rei that weight heavy in his mind. He really appreciated how she could always seem to... sense when he had something on his mind. He liked how he could talk with her about the serious things if he so chose. When she'd seemed nervous, scared even, after the briefing Ritsuko had given them he'd tried his best to reassure her. He'd meant what he said about how he would continue to help her bear the burden that was Eva. He found it ironic, and he had to admit, he was a bit disappointed in himself when he couldn't admit to her how his father's words had effected him, how they stirred discomfort and hope in equal measure. Then, just a little earlier before he'd gotten in the bath, hearing her laugh had... well... it stirred and entirely different feeling that he couldn't quite put his finger on.
"Hey Shinji!" Asuka called from the other side of the wooden fence that separated the baths, shaking him from his thoughts. "Can you toss me the shampoo?"
He grabbed the plastic bottle that was next to him and lobbed it over the fence without looking. He heard a splash and then a yelp. "Hey!" Asuka shouted. "You almost hit my chest! Watch where you're aiming!"
His eyebrows wrinkled in a mixture of confusion and frustration. "How am I supposed to aim?" he huffed. "I can't see you?"
"Shinji has a point, Asuka," he heard Rei voice.
"Would you like to see us, Shinji-kun?" Misato piped up in a teasing voice.
His eyes went wide, certain... imagery conjuring up in his mind's eye. "N- n- no!" he sputtered.
"Jesus!" he heard Asuka snarl. "Why are you so perverted, Misato?"
Misato guffawed playfully. "You two are just too easy to mess with!" she choked out gleefully.
Shinji just frowned and sunk lower in the bath. "I can never catch a break no matter what I do..." he muttered to himself.
Asuka sat in the comfortable warm water watching the sunset. All in all it had been a pretty satisfying day even if she'd had to be rescued by Shinji. She'd killed an Angel, gotten to go diving in a strange sort of way, and now she got to enjoy a real Japanese hot spring so... definitely a winner of an afternoon. Despite this, there was something that had been bugging her ever since Shinji had dived down to rescue her...
She'd genuinely wanted to thank him in a real way for saving her life but it was really hard for her to do that. It would mean that she had to admit he was an... equal as a pilot and that was still something she was unwilling to do, so... she'd given him just a terse thanks and told him to try not to get burned next time, that and not to be such a showoff. A part of her genuinely felt bad about doing that but how else was she supposed to keep her pride as the best Eva pilot in the world? Still... that didn't change the fact that his action had made her... feel something down there in that lake of molten rock.
It would have been easy to have just push the incident aside had Rei not told her she had stayed back to talk with him before getting in the bath with her and Misato. It was really stupid and it pissed her off to think that she was actually just a little jealous of her friend for how close she was to Shinji. She despised what the implication of that could be. There was no way she would allow herself to have a crush on Shinji Ikari of all people...
Asuka scooted over to Rei and put her arm around her friend. Maybe teasing the blue haired girl would get her mind off of things. "So, are you glad you tagged along?" she asked with a smirk. "First you get to relax and watch an Angel fight from the sidelines and then you get to relax in this awesome bath? Talk about a good day, right?"
Rei nodded. "The bath is rather enjoyable, yes," she replied flatly. "It was... stressful watching you fight however."
Asuka let go of her friend and her smirk intensified. "Come on, you can't say you were that worried can you?" she teased. "Don't you have confidence in your fellow pilots?"
Rei looked downward and folded her hands in her lap. "I do..." she returned. "But still I worry about you both."
Asuka's smirk evaporated. Well... this was turning out different than she expected it to but she couldn't fault her friend. There had been a moment where things had gone a bit off the rails after all. "Ugh..." she muttered. "You really need to learn how to relax..."
"And relax while you can," Misato said with a cheerful grin. "Who knows when the next Angel will show up."
Asuka glanced over at her guardian who was looking off toward the sunset with a far away gaze. Her eyes drifted to the woman's torso and the large scar that ran across her stomach just beneath her breasts. It was very obviously from a very traumatic wound. She couldn't help but wonder exactly what was the cause of that injury.
Misato noticed where her eyes had drifted. "Oh?" she spoke. "Are you wondering about the scar?" she asked.
Asuka nodded.
Misato smiled. "It's something that happened during the Second Impact," she stated flatly, devoid of any negative emotion.
Asuka looked away. Second Impact had caused so much harm for so many, had set the world in motion for the war she was now fighting with her Eva. It was the whole reason for the creation of the Evangelions. It was the creation of the Evas that led to her mother becoming... no she didn't want to think about that. Anything was better than thinking about that. But... something compelled her to ask if Misato knew about it. "You know about my past... right?" she asked.
Misato nodded and returned to staring off at the sunset. "I've read your file so... yeah, I do," she replied. "But we should try not to think about those things and try to move on."
"I agree," Rei spoke softly. "The past is something to be... overcome."
Asuka frowned. "That's easier said than done..." she muttered.
"Indeed," Misato replied. "But we have to keep trying."
As much of a drunken slob as Misato could be, she was right. One way or another, Asuka wouldn't rest until she'd buried her past and overcame it. One day, she'd be able to tell herself that what she'd done and who she'd become was simply... enough.
She looked off at the sunset in deep contemplation, pondering all of the difficult and complex thoughts and emotions that were swirling in her mind.
Author's Notes
The plot thickens... This chapter certainly marks a very important turning point in the trajectory for all of our favorite characters and sets the stage for a great many things in the near future. Poor Rei certainly had one heck of a day didn't she? Then again, so did Asuka and Shinji for differing reasons...
And Gendo oh Gendo... things are certainly getting interesting with him...
I must admit that the holidays caused quite a few delays in getting this one finished. My job absolutely kicked my ass for the last few weeks. Being a manager at a music store chain is more intense than you might realize during the month of December. To top that off, I can confidently say that the people I work for are the most unorganized bunch of nitwits on earth. Couple that with the fact that my band is getting ready to start playing out again after months of pause, it's been a nightmare to say the least. So... this one is coming to you guys a little hot, too late for the editor but soon enough for the press. Then again... pretty much every chapter for the last few months has been down to the wire. Now that the insanity of holiday retail is over I'll hopefully have more time to commit to this. This project has very much become a labor of love and I'm eternally grateful that my readers appreciate and enjoy it.
Please continue to read and review! Your feedback is the joy of my day.
Regards,
A.F.