Carcaptor Evangelion
Chapter 2
An Interlude
by Teknomancer

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SEELE - LOCATION CLASSIFIED
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"So the Angels have returned. It's so sudden."

"It's the same as it was fifteen years ago," an elderly SEELE member replied. "A disaster comes as it will, without warning."

"On the positive side," a third member stated, "our previous investments will not go to waste."

"You can't be sure about that," the first SEELE member said. "If it doesn't pay off, it's a waste all the same."

"Correct," the second member interjected. "Now that the Angels have become common knowledge, we have to manipulate the information to avoid trouble. NERV must take care of these matters quickly."

"It's already been taken care of," Gendo said. "You may rest assured of that."

"Well, we must acknowledge that," the first member admitted. "Speaking of which, Ikari-san, isn't there a better way to utilize NERV and Eva?"

"We're referring to the repair costs for Unit 01," the elderly SEEle member said, "which when added to the costs for Unit 00, are enough to bankrupt an entire country."

"We also understand," a fourth member said, "that you gace that particular toy to your son, did you not?"

"Manpower, time, and money," the first SEELE member added. "How much more will be wasted by you and your family?"

"And that is not your only responsibilty," the fourth member pointed out. "The Human Enhancement Project. That should be your top priority."

"Correct," the second, elderly SEELE member agreed. "Under these desperate circumstances, that project is our only hope. Do you understand?"

"In any case," the formidable leader of SEELE said, "the Angel is no excuse for delaying the Complementation Project's schedule."

"The Complementation Project?" Gendo asked.

"We saw the wood that was created to bind the Angel, Ikari-san," the third member said. "That power could only be created by the Complement."

"Odd that you had not reported that it had progressed that far," the second member mused.

"We were not involved," Gendo assured SEELE. "In fact, we believed you responsible."

"So someone else has tapped into that ancient power," the leader said. "we must find out who, if we are to master it."

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NERV HEADQUARTERS - HOSPITAL
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Shinji Ikari gazed out the window of the hospital, overlooking the Geo-Front. The sound of a door opening caused him to turn, just in time to see a heavily injured Rei Ayanami being wheeled past him. She glanced up at Shinji as the bed went by.

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KINOMOTO RESIDENCE
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"I'm just glad that worked," Sakura said to Kero as she collapsed on the bed. "One invading Angel is one too many for me."

"I have to hand it to the brat," Kero said, "He did come up with a good idea. Of course, I don't know if we could have done it alone."

Sakura nodded. "The robot did help. If only I knew who its pilot was..."

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LI RESIDENCE
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Syaoron sat in the library of the house the Li family had rented in Tokyo-3, digging through what books of lore where there. The selection was limited, sadly...the main Li library was back in China, and it wouldn't be safe to try to access the books over a 'net feed.

One...two...three...with every book, the chances of Syaoron's finding the answer grew weaker and weaker.

But he knew he had read something about the Angel...the question is, where?