Chapter 23: The Firecracker
Flying over the Pacific Ocean in a UN Helicopter were NERV employees and two civilians. Kensuke, with his video camera rolling, spoke what model the copter was enthusiastically. Shinji sat next to him reading a book with earphones. Toji, wearing a baseball cap backwards, sat to his left still drooling over the pilot's commanding officer. The Third Child still found their actions perplexing. He didn't have a perspective of what boys his age were suppose to act like. That's why when Misato first came to school; he didn't understand why the male students acted so strongly to her.
-A Couple of Days Ago-
During the school's short break between classes, most students were in their classrooms doing what they normally did every day. Toji and Kensuke from time to time would talk to Shinji despite not getting use to his atmosphere. Sometimes, which surprised the class, Ayanami would get out of her seat to sit next to the male pilot and they talked.
The first time she did that, the students went quiet and stared. It creeped out most of the students was when the two stopped chatting. Both slowly turned their head in opposite directions slowly without an expression. Nobody said anything until he asked if there was something wrong. After seeing the two chat overtime, the class got use to the sight.
Back to the break, the male pilot was sitting and typing his notes from the lecture. Rei came next to him pulling the desk to his left next to his. She sat down and began with a new question that filled her curiosity. "Ikari?"
"Yes?" he said as he continued typing.
"Why do you type more material than the lecture?" she asked. Staring at his screen, she watched the words rapidly being typed on it.
"I find it more fulfilling to type more than needed."
"..." Rei said. Blinking, she continued to stare at the screen. Replaying what he said in her head, she tilted her head.
"What do you mean?" she asked not finding an answer. He suddenly stopped typing then scrolled up to a certain point. Moving the cursor, he highlighted the first couple words. Moving his laptop over to her, Rei stared at it then at him.
"…" both said.
Blinking at different times, neither of them said anything as they held their gazes at each other. Turning back to the screen, the First Child narrowed her eyes a little at the screen. Ayanami still wasn't use to guessing for an answer. Finding facts that lead to a reason still dominated her thinking. However with the conversations with the Third Child, she found herself getting use to hypothesizing. If she treated a question like the scientific method, she could be satisfied with close predictions to an answer.
When she began to read his notes, his stare turned to his right. Both Toji and Kensuke sat at desks on Shinji's right side. When he did that the first time, Rei didn't know if he was having an episode or not. It frustrated her. Overtime, she was able to identify that what she was doing was correct. Knowing that indirect communication meant she was proceeding in the right direction, she continued to read.
"Man…school is so boring," Toji yawned. Kensuke nodded with his head lying on the desk.
"Don't ya think so Shin-man?"
"Not really," Shinji said.
"Why's that?" Kensuke asked.
"There's always interesting individuals that appear," he said.
Extending his arm over his desk, the male pilot grabbed the end of a small intestine. The insane voice was lying on his back on the teacher's desk looking at the world upside down. He had the other end of the digestive tract in his mouth. Between them was the child version of himself. It nodded to both which started the "jump rope". The accented voice leaned on the desk and looked at the windows. He thought about cleaning his glasses and removed them. Blood and intestine slime shot far and wide over the classroom.
"…" he said. With a deadpan expression, he put them back on.
Both Toji and Kensuke looked at each other confused then looked at Rei. She was reading what was on Shinji's school computer. Her face looked different despite it still having a blank expression. Both saw the male pilot start to get up. He separated the desks and bowed slightly to the pale blue haired teen. She looked up while pointing her finger at the screen.
"Excuse me Miss Ayanami for some minutes," he said.
"Okay," she said quietly. Turning back to the reading, she was still expressionless.
She found herself wondering why his notes made her feel tingly inside. Asking the Third Child about it before, he concluded that the feeling was probably amusement. He also told her that the resulting action would be expressing a smile or laughter. Understanding, she thought about the class students when they were amused about something as a reference. Remaining stoic, she continued reading.
"Do you wish to meet my commanding officer gentlemen?" he said toward the two.
"SURE!" Kensuke said practically jumping out of his seat.
"Uhh…alright," Toji said sighing. His friend's fanatic behavior toward anything military or NERV in general seemed a bit over engrossed for his tastes.
"Please follow," he said and walked out of the classroom. Toji walked to the side of him while Kensuke skipped next to them with his cam recorder.
Outside, a red hot rod was coming to school speeding. The driver saw the visitor's parking space and swerved. Students heard screeching tires and a car spinning into the visitor parking lot. The car halted in an open spot with the momentum. The force lifted the vehicle onto two wheels before coming back down with a clunk.
All the students were now looking out their class window with curiosity and interest. Rei looked around in slight surprise. Looking back and forth at the students and the notes, she stayed sitting and continued reading. All the boy's mouths dropped when a purple-haired beauty stepped out dressed in a black sleeveless suit, sunglasses, and driving gloves. The girls frowned and looked at the boys with distaste.
Both Toji and Kensuke heard screeching tires but the Third Child kept walking. They continued to follow till they got to the open parking lot for visitors. They suddenly saw a red hot rod spin into the space. Kensuke started recording and Toji was now interested in who the commanding officer was. The driver door opened and a bombshell stepped out.
'T-T-That's Shinji's…' Toji couldn't finish his thought for staring was first priority.
'…I wouldn't mind being ordered by her,' Kensuke thought as he fixed his attention on the lady. The Captain looked around to see students, mostly boys chatting on who the babe was.
'Still got it,' she thought flashing her pretty smile and waving at the male students above. It immediately was met with enthusiasm and waves back.
"Now where would the office be? Jeez, they just HAD to have me come in to sign things," she muttered to herself while walking. Her walk was cut short when she looked at two dark magenta eyes staring at her from across the parking lot.
'How did he know I was coming?' Misato thought but sighed usually not finding an answer. Smiling, she walked over to where he was standing. She then saw two male students standing next to him. Thinking they were probably his friends, she felt a little happy for him.
"Greetings Miss Misato," he said after he bowed.
"Hey Shinji, these friends of yours?" she said smiling at them. Toji and Kensuke were lost in their gaze for a moment then snapped out. Both spoke before the pilot could say anything.
"Toji Suzuhara!" the taller one said bowing.
"Kensuke Aida Captain!" the blond one said bowing.
"..." Misato stated then giggled at the two, "Misato Katsuragi, Misato is just fine."
"Yes Ma'am!" both snapped to attention which caused her to be a little surprised.
"So Shinji, are you going to escort me to my destination?"
"That is the intended idea if you wish," Shinji said impassively which she nodded and smiled.
"We can escort you as well if you wish Misato," Toji said as he and Kensuke were still at attention.
Smiling and nodding, both snapped a salute. Covering both sides of her, she blinked and looked at them. Looking back at the male pilot, he slowly looked at both male students still with a stoic face. Blinking more than once at them, he turned around slowly and started walking. The Captain felt amused at the pilot's small reaction toward his classmates' behavior.
"Jeez," Hikari said.
She was watching them and saw two other girls around her nodded in agreement. Suddenly, all the boys in the classrooms below and above ran to the outside walkway. Before she could frown any further, the Class Rep heard a soft and quiet snort. Looking around, the only person that was nearby was Rei. She was sitting and reading something on a laptop. Curious, she went toward the Eva pilot.
"What are you reading Ayanami?" Hikari asked.
"Ikari's Notes," she said with a small smile on her face.
"…?!" Horaki said startled. Seeing a rare expression from Ayanami, she was immediately interested.
"What did he write about?"
"..." the First Child said. Scrolling up a little, it was referring to what happened in the parking lot.
…In the distance a red speedster comes this way. The engine's spark plugs ignite feverously while the smells of burnt rubber, gasoline, and oil exit the exhaust pipe. Not many people are observant of the outside world, for none notice the car. It's as watching your favorite show, too transfixed on the scene as the environment around fades away to grey.
The car spins into the first parking space making its presence known in all its glory. Students buzz to the windows to see the turn of events from the school life. In an instant, the male population feels their beast rise as prey is spotted. Seeing a purple haired bombshell of their fantasy, they are like a child standing in front of candy store. They made their tactic of viewing in one direction like any good soldier would on a frontline. But sometimes acting one-sided will get them more than just lumps of sugar in their coffee from the ladies…
Rei seemed amused by that part though not too sure what the insinuation meant. Observing the class rep, she was smiling too. The last sentence made Hikari nod her head a little. Ayanami would have to ask for an explanation about the double meaning. They continued to read.
…reaching the parking lot, I see the car and my commanding officer come out. The two classmates who came with me turned on their water works making streams come from their mouths. The woman walks toward us flashing her billion-yen smile that I see when we meet.
Greetings were made as well as an escort. Walking toward the administration office, the feeling of hundreds of eyes at our backs came. Peering behind me was the classmen from above and below lined up in rows. The feeling of vultures watching their prey played like a broken record in my head.
As the short trip came to an end, I opened and held the door for my commanding officer. She turns and sees the number of eyes peering at her with lustful interest. She smiled and waves to them striking instantly waves back; each hoping they could get her to look their way…
Both heard movements at the classroom entrance. The male students in sight all waved seemingly trying to get someone's attention. Hikari blinked at the uncanny resemblance of how the male pilot's notes were being played out in reality. Though what he was writing seemed amusing, questions were building in the female pilot's head.
'How is he predicting the movements of the guys?' she thought blinking.
'How is he reflecting what the female students were thinking?'
'Why is he writing like this? It doesn't match his personality. Is this how he thinks?'
'…I don't understand,' Rei thought.
She felt her small smile go back to the stoic expression. New questions developed and she couldn't answer them immediately. The mixture of amusement and irritation from not knowing how felt strange. Turning back to the laptop, they kept reading. From time to time, they looked back to see a resemblance.
…I walk back to the classroom while the two classmates stand by the door like guards. Heading back, I thought about what I witnessed. It's amusing when thoughts are broken. Observation comes to thinking, thinking goes to hypothesizing, and hypothesizing becomes theorizing.
An amusing sight was to behold. Men were standing in straight lines on the railing. Seeing their eager faces was as if an army saw a cute nurse walking by. Men willing to get hurt, even a nick to be in the presence of their goddess of healing. Worrying about your fellow male classmates became pointless when their hormones were stronger than themselves. Back in my thoughts of wonder and confusion, I walk in one direction as my brothers run the other way.
Does this mean something? Questions of going against the flow of man's desire and lust make you weak to even call yourself a man. Did you get knocked in the head by a stray ball? Venture too far left in the land of nature's intent for what behaviors distinguish a man and woman? I ponder more on this confusing debate with myself and boy-wonder down south.
Walking up the steps to the home room, the atmosphere there is in the red zone. A thought of liking men more than women came…the only answer my mind, body, and soul gave me was the middle finger for thinking that way. I would have to say, it was silly and sick to think about the fellow man when women are more interesting to look at. And prettier too…
Suddenly, the male students started running toward somewhere with haste. Some seconds later, footsteps came. Shinji walked in with his same blank expression. He saw Ayanami still sitting in the same spot. The Class Rep was kneeling next to her on her left. Both turned to him with different expressions. Hikari looked baffled while Rei looked ambivalent.
"…" he said with a blink. He ignored the proud look on the child voice's face as he stretched his fingers. Heading back to his seat, he sat down.
"May I have my laptop back Miss Ayanami?"
"…" she said handing his laptop back. "How did you do that?"
"Do what Miss Ayanami?" he asked. Placing the laptop in front of him, he began typing again. Before she could ask, the break bell sounded. Looking left slowly, both female students saw him looking at them while typing. Hikari felt a cold shiver go through her.
'…' Rei said standing up and going back to her seat. Her eyes were narrowed. 'I feel frustrated again.'
Students came back to their seats with the majority of the males rushing back in at the last minute. When class started, a message was delivered in his inbox. Ignoring it and typing, the child voice slammed a thick needle through his left hand. The impaled hand stung badly as blood started flowing out of it. Feeling his hand nerves twitched a little, he glanced at the child voice. He had a handful of the same needles. The boy pointed at the message and grunted.
"…" Shinji said feeling his right eye twitch. He opened the message and saw it was from the First Child.
[Ikari, how did you predict the students' behaviors?]
[Would saying that I am insane be acceptable?]
[…would you be able to elaborate on that answer?]
[I can.]
[Will it make me irritated again like you did last time?]
[Possibly]
[…fine…that is acceptable.]
-Present-
"I thought that you guys would like to get out of the mountains and go on my date," Misato said over the roar of the helicopter engine.
Toji's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. Kensuke was too fascinated with filming that he just mentioned it was good to have friends. Shinji just kept on reading and turned to the next page. The jock asked where they were going. The blond boy shot out information before Misato could even respond. They were heading to a specific ship with a clear landing deck. A cargo ship near the battleship was carrying a heavy, large load with a massive cover over it.
The battleship, 'Over the Rainbow', came into view. The captain of the ship muttered something cynical about the people that were coming. Down below on the landing deck, the teenage girl was watching the helicopter descend. The closer it got, the more wind picked up causing her hair to move around as well as her attire. The one thing she had in mind was to show the Third Child who was the best at piloting the humanoid mammoths. Seeing the aircraft land, she made her way down to the landing bay. Heading toward the helicopter, the doors opened up revealing a few individuals as they slowly came out.
"…great…great…this is too great," Kensuke stated.
He was getting giddy over the sight of military war machines that laid out on the huge deck. The crew on the deck watched one teenager with glasses go around in circles filming the ship. Another teen went by trying to catch his hat that was blown off his head from the hard wind. All of them smiled watching the purple hair female walk by trying to hold onto her hair and notebook. The last thing that they saw was another teenager walking.
His atmosphere seemed to remove the smiles from their faces. He was wearing headphones. One crew member muttered a comment and saw the boy stop. He didn't move his face but his eyes slowly looked out the corner of his eyes at the commenter. All of them became uneasy as if tension manifested between them and the dark magenta eyes of the boy. He didn't have an expression and blinked. Turned his eyes slowly back forward, he began walking to where the others were heading.
"H-Hey. Stop rolling you," Toji yelled at his hat. It was stopped when it landed next to someone's foot. He was about to reach for it when it was stepped on by the person's shoe.
"Hello Misato, long time no see. How have you been?" the teen girl said in red heels.
Toji gave an angry expression toward the girl that step on his hat and looked up. She was wearing a yellow sundress with a small white choke collar. She had ocean blue eyes and orange-red hair that went down to her shoulder blades with red ribbons. Her standing posture was one meant for grabbing attention. With a right hand on her right hip, she stood tall with feet shoulder length apart. A confident expression was on her face with her chin a little up.
"Good, most of the time. You've grown quite a bit," Misato stated smiling.
"Yeah! The rest of my body has grown out too," the redhead stated. Continuing to stare forward, she was aware of the boy below her trying to get his hat under her foot.
"Let me introduce her to you guys. She's the exclusive pilot of Evangelion Unit 02, the Second Child, Asuka Langely Souryu," Misato said which got Asuka to smirk at her title name.
A gush of wind came and blew up her dress giving the people in range a good view of what was underneath it. Toji got front row seats while Kensuke acted as the camera man. Two flying fists made contact. Misato blinked and stared at the little scene that just happened. A skirt flew up and a bright hand mark on the jock's face. The military enthused student's cam cracked a little. He removed it from his eye revealing a black eye. She started to wonder why Shinji wasn't hit by the Second Child.
"What did you do that for?" Toji spoke fighting back the sting on his face.
"Viewing payment, cheap uh?" she told.
"Hardly, let me repay the debt," he said taking down his pants much to everyone's demise. It earned him another smack on the other side of his face. A red hand imprint remained and stung.
"Don't tell me one of these stooges is the Third Child?" Asuka asked.
"No," Misato stated with a smile.
"So where is he?"
"Oh he's…where is he?" Misato said.
Thinking he was near by her, but he wasn't. Turning to her right, she saw him. The Captain pointed to the boy standing alone. Asuka then looked left to find the male pilot looking out at the ocean for one reason or another. The teen wore a dark blue long sleeve shirt and black cargo shorts that went to the middle of his knees. He had earphones on.
"…" Asuka said with a small frown.
'Thinks his that cool to not meet me, huh? I'll show him why I'm the real deal,' the red head thought. Moving a lock of hair over her shoulder, she walked toward him with a stern face and closed hands.
Shinji was staring out at the ocean because he never been out this far before. About to leave, his voices decided to play. Blinking, the ocean's blue color turned crimson. His eyes widen a little from the massive form of a familiar person. Being the same size as a carrier, it was a seven year old child lying on the ocean muttering for a father and mother.
The calls became louder and louder till a large spike came from the sky and slammed into the stomach of the child. What made his heart beat faster was what the massive individual did. The child didn't scream when blood gushed into the sky. Its calling kept increasing in volume causing the soft calls to sound ear-deafening loud. Closing his eyes, Shinji concentrated on his music which calmed him.
Opening his eyes again, he stared at the ocean blue again. Clicks were heard from behind and he turned around. The redhead was about to rattle him, but was taken aback. Blinking, the gloomy dark magenta eyes and his atmosphere threw her off. She ignored them and saw him bow slightly to her.
"Greetings Miss Souryu. I am Shinji Ikari, the Third Child. Nice to meet you," he spoke.
"So you were listening then," she said. He just blinked and stared with a stoic face.
"…" Asuka said still frowning.
"…" Shinji said with an impassive face. Misato cupped her hands on the sides of her mouth and shouted to the two pilots.
"Uh, how about we go to the bridge guys?" she shouted. Toji and Kensuke agreed verbally. Nodding to them, she turned back to both pilots. They were still staring at each other in which the Captain felt something bad brewing.
'Let's see how well he can handle her,' Misato thought feeling the winds on the deck lessen a little. She could hear them.
"What you staring at?" Asuka said still frowning.
"You," he replied calmly.
"Caught by my charm, aren't ya?" she said smirking. He turned and started walking toward the bridge.
"That's debatable," the male pilot stated. Misato was able to control her snickering but the other two boys let it out. Asuka heard them and fumed a little. She got next to him with a scowl and matched his walking speed.
"I dare you to say that again," she said in a low tone near his face.
"…" he said. His eyes slowly moved to look at the Second Child. She didn't bat an eye seeing him looking out of the corner of his eyes at her.
"That's debatable," he said without blinking. She reached out and grabbed the collar of his shirt. Strangely, he didn't flinch. He kept walking and staring at her.
"You don't scare me Third Child," the red-head said catching up and continuing to scowl. She didn't let go of his collar.
"I see," he said slowly starring back forward. He ignored the aspect that her grip increased on his shirt. Her fist in the free hand also clenched tighter.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!" Asuka stated firmly. Getting in front of him, the redhead quickly grabbed the other side of his collar with her other hand. Thinking that he would flinch and stop, he didn't do either. Surprised, she started backing up to not have him walk into her.
"H-Hey! Stop it!" she yelled at him. In trying to push him forward, it was difficult and had to back up.
"…" Shinji said with an impassive face continuing forward. "Miss Souryu, it would be easier for you if you turned around and walked forward."
"S-Shut up!" Asuka said feeling agitated. Putting both feet back, she leaned toward him. Letting go of his shirt, she placed both hands on his collar bones and pushed. Surprised again, he was still walking forward at a slower pace causing her to slide back slowly.
'What the hell is wrong with him?! He isn't even sweating and his pushing me back still,' she thought looking at his face. He was still wearing the stoic expression which was pissing her off. She pushed off him a little then winded up a punch.
"I said stop you idiot!" Asuka stated and threw a straight right punch at Shinji's chest. Impact was made to the left breast as a dull thud emitted. It did cause him to stop.
"…" the Third Child said looking at the red-head then blinked.
"…!?" Asuka said with a surprised face. Looking at his face, it still had the impassive look. Retracting her fist, her other hand gently gripped it.
"Something the matter Miss Souryu?"
'What is this guy? Feels like I hit a padded punching bag!' she thought not too sure what to think of him. 'He's a freaking weirdo!'
"That is also debatable Miss Souryu. Let's continue to the bridge," Shinji said with a small bow.
Ignoring her recoiled and slight shocked expression, he walked passed her and headed for hatch that would lead to the bridge. Asuka blinked a couple of times trying to figure out what happened and what was going on. Her ego side pumped thoughts into her head about him showing her up.
"…" Asuka said turning around. Cosing her hands into loose firsts again, she glared at his back. She quickly walked to catch up with him.
"You getting' this man?" Toji asked watching in surprise.
"Y-Yeah," Aida said recording what was going on equally surprised.
"Wow," Misato said surprised at what she was seeing. Seeing the direction the pilots were heading, she mentioned to both students to head towards the open hatch. She stated it would lead them to the bridge.