Chapter 16: Rei vs Asuka. Or Nagato vs Haruhi.
Question: If Nagato and Haruhi got into a big fight, who would you put money on?
What if neither of them had their powers and had to resort to plain old punches and kicks?
What about if Kyon was watching.
"You don't really need to know what happened after I arrived in Japan aside from the fact that I did manage to have a reasonably good childhood in a reasonably caring orphanage" Mari Makanami concluded her story by saying to a still attentive but now slightly tired Shinji whose eyelids were beginning to droop. "Just know that I'm really sorry it took me so long to remember the promise I made and find you again. You have a right to hate me for that, Shinji. You have every right this second to disown me and refuse to forgive me. God knows what Asuka and your father did to you during these years."
"Nuh-uh Mari" Shinji instantly replied not even needing time for think before he spoke. "Never again. Now that we're together again, I'm never leaving you again. Screw what my father says, screw what everyone else tells us. We're meant to be together."
"Because" explained Shinji as he calmly put a hand onto Mari Makanami's shoulders. "You and I. We share the same soul."
…
"This is it." The other Nami murmured to herself as she shivered while stroking her new long blue hair. "The final standoff between Nagato and Haruhi Suzumiya. My Shinji-sama is in that apartment, and I have to stop Asuka and rescue him at any cost." She gulped but forced herself to keep her sight locked upon her terrifying target who looked even more violently furious today than usual.
Rei really was playing with fire. Before her was a foe far worse than every Angel mankind had encountered put together, but she knew that the altruistic Shinji did not approve of violence in the slightest. This really was the most dangerous mission for her thus far, and it did not even take place inside an EVA.
Rei waited patiently for Asuka to stop at a certain door in the apartment. It was at the very instant Asuka's hand begun to reach for the handle of the clearly very worn metal that Rei stepped forward and in a confident call completely unexpected of a non-human introvert, greeted her fellow pilot.
"Good evening, Asuka. How are you?"
She stood up straighter and struck the most badass movie hero pose she could muster as Asuka saw the commander's little miss perfect in her new garb.
For Shinji's sake, she had to show Asuka she was not afraid of her anymore.
It was difficult to describe the flood of emotions running through the German redhead's mind as she caught sight of the new and improved Rei Ayanami.
Asuka was unsure whether it was the newly extended waist length hair, the pale blue dress accenting her hair or that sparkling golden cross glittering like the sun which Rei had around her neck, which was causing the insides of her nose to feel very runny despite the warm weather.
She swore as she blinked twice to make sure she was not dreaming this crazy sight up, that a tiny blush had appeared on her cheeks which she quickly forced back. Her mouth had dropped open just a tiny fraction in those few seconds as the shocking and ridiculous reality that the commander's little miss perfect had indeed undergone a total makeover dawned on her.
A fleeting troubled look of fear flashed across the usually unflappable German girl's face, as a terrible mental vision of three girls from her middle school surrounding her to tease her flashed before her eyes.
"Stupid" one bully shouted.
"Brat" Another one crowed.
"Ugly" the last one spat as they continued to stand around her mocking before a second later, they had no emotion at all as three rapid punches clouted them full in the face, one for each of them. The other kids on the playground had backed away in silence from her after that.
Asuka shuddered helplessly as she stared at Rei fixatedly for the next few seconds, one hand clutching her nose and the other one curling into a balled fist.
It was clear that even god himself would not be able provide her with a single good reason not to unleash this fist upon the non-human who was now a pretentious poser on top of being an unfairly elevated target of nepotism, the second her rage took one step further.
"What is this?" Asuka managed to eventually yell out, her sheer rage belied only by her envy and confusion in the moment. "What have you done?"
"You don't like it, Asuka?" Rei confidently replied, forcing herself not to sound too apologetic "It's the latest in high-end fashion."
"You look even worse than stupid Shinji in that stupid getup." Asuka insisted through clenched teeth as she was forced to clutch her nose even tighter, despite the burning hatred that was growing stronger inside her by the moment. "I'd rather watch an Angel throwing up than spend another second looking at you. I, I wouldn't spit in your direction if you paid me a million Euros."
She was doing a good job trying to sound intimidating and mean just like she always was, but there was something in the slight stutters of Asuka's sharp words which signalled to Rei that this time, she was not her usual cocky and confident self.
A slice of humble pie had been successfully served to the irate German pilot today, however tiny it was.
That alone was worth more than all the money in the world to Rei.
"I didn't mean to offend you Asuka. I really didn't. I sincerely apologize if it's not to your taste."
"What are you doing here anyway? And how did you even find this place?" The impatient way in which Asuka was edging closer to the door indicated she was incredibly eager to get this confrontation over with as soon as possible.
"I followed you." Rei bluntly replied, the type of reply she preferred to use in her answers so as to make clear her intent in as few words as possible.
"You creep. And why did you do that?"
"I wanted to visit Shinji and see if he's alright. I worried for him and since the commander told me that he lives with you and Major Misato, I thought I could find him here." Explained Rei calmly and formally, ignoring the insult completely. This was a business meeting, not a mocking contest. She just needed to find the apartment where Shinji lived in so she could go inside.
"And why is that any concern to you, huh, you little suck up?"
"I'm worried about him. That's all." Rei insisted, looking Asuka straight in the eyes when she spoke despite the fact this caused the blue haired introvert to tremble uncontrollably.
"Not that you'd understand" she managed to add as Asuka's frown grew angrier.
"Well you won't find him here. Not today at least" Asuka spat, finally growing a little weary of the constant cross-examination enough to cave in just a little. "He says he went to his friend's house, wherever that is and whoever would be stupid enough to hang out with him. Now go away. I have things to do."
Rei's small worm of doubt became a fat snake of panic. Her eyes widened as her heart started to beat faster. All of this preparation, for nothing.
She had nearly killed herself to get nothing. Her world was crashing and tumbling and for a second, the self-hating and constantly frightened old Rei threatened to make a comeback.
No, the new Rei insisted as she forced old Rei back into her subconsciousness where that heartless coward would hopefully stay cowering never to emerge again.
New Rei did not need another third wheel impeding her path towards her Shinji. There was no place for old selfish Rei in this sacred union.
She fidgeted a little to get her courage back before locking her red eyes onto Asuka more tightly than ever. She would find her Shinji today, or die trying.
"Come on Nagato. You can do this." Rei's inner self-motivation coach barked. "Don't let Haruhi continue to shirk responsibilities and keep loading them onto poor Kyon. It doesn't matter if Haruhi can destroy entire worlds Nagato, you're still a lot more mature and more responsible than that childish jerk".
"Would it be alright with you if I took a look inside anyway. I'd appreciate it Asuka" Rei politely asked, this time without trembling or shivering like the scaredy-cat she still felt trying to break out inside her.
"What?" Asuka was almost incredulous at this odd request. "Why? You can't just barge into my house and disturb my privacy like that. Go home to your commander so you can keep sucking up to him already.
Thank you for reminding me that my position is more senior than yours even if it means being in constant contact with that asshole, thought Rei as she formulated her response.
"As your senior pilot and the first child, I have full right to request an expedited search warrant of this property on an as-needed basis. Please give me the key and room number so that this matter may be dealt with as quickly and efficiently as possible. Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated."
Rei somehow managed to sound just like a Gestapo officer vocalizing this request, and this caused smoke to billow from Asuka's now very red face as a loud train whistle sounded.
"Get out of my sight this instant Rei, or I swear I will tear you apart with my own hands. I don't give a damn if you're the commander's mum. This is not your house. You have no right to be here. So go, GO!" Asuka snarled, sounding more animal than human as she raised two shaking balled fists to drive home her point.
"Take one hit at me, and I will tell the commander about what you've done so that he gets you booted from NERV" Rei retorted, on the verge of shouting herself but restraining her voice as best she could for Shinji's sake. She spread her arms out as she did so as if daring Asuka to carry out the threat. "He'll be very cross that you've hurt his favourite little doll and will punish you accordingly."
"Die Monster, you don't belong in the world!" roared Asuka, having lost the last of her patience with the new version of the commander's little doll who was proving to be even more hard mouthed than the previous one. Perhaps she had been a little hasty in thinking that it would be better if Japanese were not as reserved.
Rei grinned in great satisfaction. Asuka was reading the script she had written for her to the letter, and it was the perfect time for the perfect set of rebuttals which would win her the argument.
"It was not by my hand that I'm once again given flesh." Rei chirped merrily, almost bursting into song. She had secretly learned sometime ago that this was not the first body her soul had inhabited, her previous body destroyed when the previous Rei was strangled for talking too much and for getting too close to Shinji. Gendo had delayed the inevitable, but not prevented it. Shinji was just too nice a boy to not fall for. "I was called here by HUMANS. Who wish to pay ME, tribute."
"Tribute!? You steal men's soul's and make them your slaves."
Oh Asuka thought Rei bemused, you would have done so much better in the acting business than here.
"Perhaps the same could be said of all religions." Rei touched her cross as she said this.
"Your words are as empty as your soul. NERV ill needs a pilot such as you." Snapped the now very at a loss for words redhead who was running out of steam.
"What is a NERV?" asked Rei feeling more powerful by the second. "A miserable little pile of secrets? But enough talk. Have at you."
Here Rei spread her arms out even wider as she smiled devilishly at Asuka.
"Come on then. Punch me. Let's see if you have what it takes. Come on. I dare you. I double dare you. Punch me quickly so that I can tell the commander about it. In fact, I'm going to go and tell the commander right now that you're being mean if you don't tell me Shinji's room number right now."
Rei was internally cursing herself for being so crass and sharp mouthed. But this had to be done for Shinji.
"And the commander's not going to care. And I'm not going to tell you anything. So, cyborg what are you going to do now?"
Oh no. Oh no. The terrifying image of Shinji being punched time and time again until the Angels took over the world and ate every single living thing alive was replaying itself in Rei's head again.
She couldn't lose now. She just couldn't. She had said everything a cowardly introvert shouldn't have been able to say and Asuka still wasn't cracking.
A solitary tear rolled from Rei's left eye unseen by Asuka as she touched the cross around her neck, looked up to the sky and put her hands together in prayer for a solemn three seconds.
She was praying for forgiveness from the terrible deed she was now being pushed to commit for not just Shinji but the good of the Earth.
Then without warning, she leapt at the taller girl and managed after a brief struggle to get Asuka's neck in a chin lock. Artificial humans had far better agility than real ones and fuelled by her concern for her sweetheart Shinji, Asuka was no match for Rei.
A faint memory echoed in Rei's mind that this was the exact way one of her previous incarnations had died, and she wasn't sure how to feel about it.
"Let go of me, you little bastard." Asuka tried to say only for Rei to tighten her grip on her target so that the hold became considerably more painful.
"Tell me Shinji's room number right now. I really, really didn't want to do this, but you've left me no choice" Rei threatened, crying more tears as she did this. She was probably going to be sentenced to eternity in hell for this action, but she didn't care at this point.
"N, no" Asuka choked, beginning to feel the first effects of asphyxiation. Her eyes were beginning to roll uncontrollably but she was making one final attempt to assert her dominance over the nepotist non-human.
"Tell me." Rei demanded, tightening her grip even more. "Tell me the number right now and tell me the truth"
Asuka's life was beginning to flash before her eyes when she managed to weakly gag out her plea, now truly afraid of what new Rei was capable of doing.
"Okay" she pleaded sincerely "okay, I'll tell you. It's room 613 on the sixth floor. It's to the left of the elevator. You can't miss it. I'm telling the truth, I swear. Now please, just let me go."
"And now hand me the key" requested Rei loosening her grip the slightest bit, to which a shaking Asuka fished out a set of two small silver keys, one slightly larger than the other tied around a plain ring, from a skirt pocket of her school uniform and threw it to the ground.
Rei kept a close eye on the now very frightened Asuka as she let her go, cautiously picked up the key and begun to step towards the apartment door. A single stray movement and Rei would be on her again in a heartbeat. Artificial human's had excellent vision.
"I don't want to hurt you Asuka, but you need to stay out of my way and start treating Shinji better." She concluded as she opened the apartment door with the bigger key and made her way inside, closing the door behind her, leaving Asuka to stand on the pavement locked out of her own house, for once as unsure as Shinji about what to do with her life next.
She really didn't know what to say for once in her life. She wasn't sure what the problem even was. Rei's Japanese reservations were gone but that did not make her any more likeable in Asuka's eyes, rather it only made her disgusting sliminess stand out even more glaringly.
It also wasn't that Rei didn't seem human enough to be capable of companionship. Far from it actually. The scientists at NERV had outdone themselves this time, in the worst way possible.
Their attempt to create a life by artificial means had gone horribly right.
This Rei was indeed very human. Too human for her and anyone else's own good. She had mastered the skill which would put machines on equal footing with their human masters, and perhaps above.
The ability no creator in their right mind would ever endow upon their creation.
Like Porygon 2, the direct upgrade to Porygon, this Rei had learned to perform functions beyond her programmed parameters. And she had chosen stupid Shinji to be the first human she formed a genuine bond with. Nerv's most mighty invention was not the EVAs at this point anymore. No EVA however well or poorly designed, turned against their makers on a hair trigger like this.
"Don't be so proud of this technological terror you've constructed, NERV" whispered Asuka still rubbing her neck as she turned to head to her friend Hikari's house to pass the remainder of the day.
"You're all as much idiots as stupid Shinji."
And little did the now thoroughly jaded Asuka know, that she had not seen the end of this yet.
While one Nami she did not yet know about was providing Shinji the necessary confidence he would need to finally take back what was rightfully his, this Nami was soon going to sink the one thing Asuka had spent her life chasing down to rock bottom.
Asuka's ill-gotten reputation which was only earned by no one knowing the terrible things she did to Shinji behind closed doors, was going to be dragged through the mud.
A NERV member without reputation was a NERV member already beaten.
Even if Asuka could deal with one Nami, two Namis could not be countered by anything.
Rei is a relatively nice character who doesn't spend her days harassing and beating Shinji up. I therefore feel that she deserved a spot in the story where Shinji finally gets his much-deserved respect.
However, she still allowed Shinji to be badly abused and actively took part in Gendo's plan to trick Shinji into playing along.
Shinji has used a chokehold on Asuka in the series when he was very angry and fed up. It stands to reason therefore that Rei could do the same if she was provoked and desperate enough. She also managed to stop Asuka from slapping her at the last second during the infamous elevator scene, which does indicate good reflexes on her part.
