Chapter 05 - Waiting for Christmas
Misato´s apartment
"Why didn´t you tell me yesterday, Misato?"
"What?"
"That this Larsen is a robot."
"Lieutenant Larsen isn´t a robot, Asuka."
Misato shook her head and took a sip from the beer can in her hand.
Children...
She knew the reason she had wanted some, even if had been able to.
At the beginning they are small and sweet and a day later they start screaming and
making a mess.
"This old man has more plastic parts as my old teddybear!"
Misato blinked - and lost it.
*wham!*
Asuka´s cheek showed the image of Misato´s hand.
"You... you hit me... why?"
Tears were in her eyes.
"Because of this old man, as you call him, being ready to sacrifice the last natural
parts of him to protect us. Asuka, this isn´t a child´s play, maybe you believe this,
since nothing ever happened to you... You weren´t hurt like Rei, you don´t suffer like
Shinji..."
But the redhead had already run crying to her room. She stayed there the whole day,
behaving obviously normally when she returned...
***
The next day
"I do not understand it." Ritsuko Akagi supported herself onto the desk.
"No, I truely do not understand it."
The whole day they had run tests on the new pilot, they had placed him inside each of
the other EVAs, even inside unit two since Asuka wasn´t there to protest, to test his
synchrate - without success. For the units zero, one and two Wolf Larsen didn´t seem to
exist, only EVA-04 accepted him as pilot.
"Take it easy, at least no EVA went berserk and demolished the testcenter." Misato said
and placed the cup of hot coffee in front of Akagi.
"Larsen is a PALADIN-pilot..."
"Yes, he has about ten years of experience with giant mechas. But why does he has such
a great synchrate with EVA-04 and not even 0% with the others?"
"Maybe it is because of his brain implants. EVA-04 has had time to get used to it. Or
maybe there have been some other errors within the construction or they have given unit
four some nerveknots to much and Larsen being able to synch with it is just a big joke."
"I don´t think so, EVA-04 has been built in Germany."
"With the exclusion of the entryplug and the hatch."
"Those were made at France. But I would love to pick the complete unit apart and have a
close look at each and every piece."
"And what if an angel attacks and all four EVA are needed?"
"This thought is the only thing between myself and a screwdriver, Misato."
***
It had been snowing outside for the last two days. Traffic had nearly completly come to
a stop.
Asuka had insisted on dragging a strangly twisted tree into the livingroom of the
apartment and decorating it with silver tinsel. Right now she was dragging Shinji along
through a roofcovered mall, looking for christmas presents since she needed someone to
carry the stuff.
Shinji of course didn´t have a shimmer of what that all was about with this strange
festivity and even if he had he wouldn´t have gotten into the right mood.
At least Asuka was in a good mood, since yesterday she was trilling some songs he did not
understand due to his restricted knowledge of the german language. And he wasn´t really
interested in hearing about reindeers and a fat man saying ´ho-ho´. But, at least, with
Asuka being in such a good mood she was actually nice to him...
"What do you think, does this suit me?"
He looked up.
Asuka stood in front of a mirror with a red scarf, comparing the colour with the red of her
hair.
"Uhm, yes." He blushed.
"Good. So, this one... and that one for Misato, the colour´s right, isn´t it?"
"..."
"Okay. And this one should suit Kaji, hm..." She looked at him shortly before getting yet
another scarf and placing it on the counter next to the others.
"And... uhm, one for Rei?"
She stared at him. "Say, are you mad? Why should I buy anything for Wondergirl? On the
other hand... It´s christmas..."
Yes, Asuka, show them what a big heart you have by buying a present for Wondergirl!
"... but which one?"
Her eyes lightened up.
"This one?" He pointed at a bright blue scarf
She nodded.
"And this one, yes." She paid for her stuff and it all put into a bag and handed the bag
to Shinji.
"Did you already buy something for Misato and myself?"
gulp
"I guess that´s a ´no´. Okay, you have ten minutes, I am... there."
She left him alone and turned towards another counter.
And now?
***
About an hour later the two returned to Misato´s apartment, Shinji carrying two large
bags. Asuka carefully placed the wrapped gifts below the tree, couldn´t suppress the urge
to shake the gifts Shinji had bought and already labelled.
At least mine is bigger than Rei´s.
***
Within the EVA-hangar it was silent, as if the world had hold it´s breath.
The lights were turned off and only a few emergency lights showed the intruder the way.
Quite fast he climbed unit four´s cage up to the EVA´s middle section and opened a
maintenance hatch, something the other units were missing. The intruder crawled into the
space behind the hatch, returned a moment later with a bag and closed the hatch again,
left the hangar the same way he had entered.
Next to the door Kaji stood, nervously looking down the corridor.
"Ah, finally, that took an eternity!"
"You only thought so. Turn on the cameras again."
Kaji pushed a few buttons on his remote.
"What did you get?"
Larsen laughted.
"My lunch box."
Kaji dropped his jaw.
"That´s the reason you are taking this kind of risk?"
"We had to try if it worked. To be caught with the lunch box wouldn´t have cause that
much trouble compared to the other stuff."
"Puh... Was it worth it, at least?"
"Well, I guess. Nothing can make me eat instant ramen tomorrow. I´ve here a good old fashioned
christmas-meal, well, it´s still instant but better than nothing. Would you
like to join me?"
"No, thanks, I´ve a date with Misato."
"The major, hm... If you should have trouble finding a restaurant, you could bring her
with you, it´s enough for three. I don´t like eating alone."
Kaji grined broadly.
"We have plans..."
"I see... Have a nice day."
next: a christmas tale...
Misato´s apartment
"Why didn´t you tell me yesterday, Misato?"
"What?"
"That this Larsen is a robot."
"Lieutenant Larsen isn´t a robot, Asuka."
Misato shook her head and took a sip from the beer can in her hand.
Children...
She knew the reason she had wanted some, even if had been able to.
At the beginning they are small and sweet and a day later they start screaming and
making a mess.
"This old man has more plastic parts as my old teddybear!"
Misato blinked - and lost it.
*wham!*
Asuka´s cheek showed the image of Misato´s hand.
"You... you hit me... why?"
Tears were in her eyes.
"Because of this old man, as you call him, being ready to sacrifice the last natural
parts of him to protect us. Asuka, this isn´t a child´s play, maybe you believe this,
since nothing ever happened to you... You weren´t hurt like Rei, you don´t suffer like
Shinji..."
But the redhead had already run crying to her room. She stayed there the whole day,
behaving obviously normally when she returned...
***
The next day
"I do not understand it." Ritsuko Akagi supported herself onto the desk.
"No, I truely do not understand it."
The whole day they had run tests on the new pilot, they had placed him inside each of
the other EVAs, even inside unit two since Asuka wasn´t there to protest, to test his
synchrate - without success. For the units zero, one and two Wolf Larsen didn´t seem to
exist, only EVA-04 accepted him as pilot.
"Take it easy, at least no EVA went berserk and demolished the testcenter." Misato said
and placed the cup of hot coffee in front of Akagi.
"Larsen is a PALADIN-pilot..."
"Yes, he has about ten years of experience with giant mechas. But why does he has such
a great synchrate with EVA-04 and not even 0% with the others?"
"Maybe it is because of his brain implants. EVA-04 has had time to get used to it. Or
maybe there have been some other errors within the construction or they have given unit
four some nerveknots to much and Larsen being able to synch with it is just a big joke."
"I don´t think so, EVA-04 has been built in Germany."
"With the exclusion of the entryplug and the hatch."
"Those were made at France. But I would love to pick the complete unit apart and have a
close look at each and every piece."
"And what if an angel attacks and all four EVA are needed?"
"This thought is the only thing between myself and a screwdriver, Misato."
***
It had been snowing outside for the last two days. Traffic had nearly completly come to
a stop.
Asuka had insisted on dragging a strangly twisted tree into the livingroom of the
apartment and decorating it with silver tinsel. Right now she was dragging Shinji along
through a roofcovered mall, looking for christmas presents since she needed someone to
carry the stuff.
Shinji of course didn´t have a shimmer of what that all was about with this strange
festivity and even if he had he wouldn´t have gotten into the right mood.
At least Asuka was in a good mood, since yesterday she was trilling some songs he did not
understand due to his restricted knowledge of the german language. And he wasn´t really
interested in hearing about reindeers and a fat man saying ´ho-ho´. But, at least, with
Asuka being in such a good mood she was actually nice to him...
"What do you think, does this suit me?"
He looked up.
Asuka stood in front of a mirror with a red scarf, comparing the colour with the red of her
hair.
"Uhm, yes." He blushed.
"Good. So, this one... and that one for Misato, the colour´s right, isn´t it?"
"..."
"Okay. And this one should suit Kaji, hm..." She looked at him shortly before getting yet
another scarf and placing it on the counter next to the others.
"And... uhm, one for Rei?"
She stared at him. "Say, are you mad? Why should I buy anything for Wondergirl? On the
other hand... It´s christmas..."
Yes, Asuka, show them what a big heart you have by buying a present for Wondergirl!
"... but which one?"
Her eyes lightened up.
"This one?" He pointed at a bright blue scarf
She nodded.
"And this one, yes." She paid for her stuff and it all put into a bag and handed the bag
to Shinji.
"Did you already buy something for Misato and myself?"
gulp
"I guess that´s a ´no´. Okay, you have ten minutes, I am... there."
She left him alone and turned towards another counter.
And now?
***
About an hour later the two returned to Misato´s apartment, Shinji carrying two large
bags. Asuka carefully placed the wrapped gifts below the tree, couldn´t suppress the urge
to shake the gifts Shinji had bought and already labelled.
At least mine is bigger than Rei´s.
***
Within the EVA-hangar it was silent, as if the world had hold it´s breath.
The lights were turned off and only a few emergency lights showed the intruder the way.
Quite fast he climbed unit four´s cage up to the EVA´s middle section and opened a
maintenance hatch, something the other units were missing. The intruder crawled into the
space behind the hatch, returned a moment later with a bag and closed the hatch again,
left the hangar the same way he had entered.
Next to the door Kaji stood, nervously looking down the corridor.
"Ah, finally, that took an eternity!"
"You only thought so. Turn on the cameras again."
Kaji pushed a few buttons on his remote.
"What did you get?"
Larsen laughted.
"My lunch box."
Kaji dropped his jaw.
"That´s the reason you are taking this kind of risk?"
"We had to try if it worked. To be caught with the lunch box wouldn´t have cause that
much trouble compared to the other stuff."
"Puh... Was it worth it, at least?"
"Well, I guess. Nothing can make me eat instant ramen tomorrow. I´ve here a good old fashioned
christmas-meal, well, it´s still instant but better than nothing. Would you
like to join me?"
"No, thanks, I´ve a date with Misato."
"The major, hm... If you should have trouble finding a restaurant, you could bring her
with you, it´s enough for three. I don´t like eating alone."
Kaji grined broadly.
"We have plans..."
"I see... Have a nice day."
next: a christmas tale...