Gundam-Evangelion Crossover

by Keiichi Morisato

The Gundam in the title of this fic DOES NOT and WILL NOT pertain to Wing. I just don't see how and why Wing and Eva would be connected. Anyway, UC is much better than AC. Go figure.

8. Dance Like You Want To Win! Cinderella ...

Camille: Umm...yeah, nice to meet you too, Four! Eh heh heh heh...

The young Newtype couldn't help but act silly in front of this pretty willowy lass of teal hair. At the back of his mind, Camille definitely thought she was quite a babe, *definitely* his type: innocent, older-looking (well, from the looks of it, Camille thought she really did look older than him...)

Quess: Hey, Camille? *Hellooo?!* Earth to Camille Vidan? (starts knocking on his forehead)

Camille: Errr...huh? Oh, hey there Quess, what are you doing here in the mall?

Quess: Gaaahhh! Don't play dumb with me, you *said* you were gonna go get us all some eats, right?

Cheimin: Yeah, I'm starving now... (rubs her tummy)

Hathaway: Well, why don't you bring along that new friend of yours, huh? Ummm... (offers Four a handshake) Four Murasame, wasn't it?

Four: Umm, yeah, that's my name? (giggles and shakes Hathaway's hand) And you are?

After they had all introduced themselves to one another, Camille suggested they all go out for some sushi at a nearby sushi bar next to the arcades and spend a few minutes or even an hour there, talking about random stuff that kids their age usually talk about and...well, more random stuff that kids their age usually talk about.

But for most of the evening, Camille was more interested in getting to know his newfound friend with a number for a name. With a little grin on his face, Camille stared at Four as if he sensed an air of mystery round about her and didn't notice he was slowly getting lost in her gentle eyes.

To his surprise, though, he suddenly snapped out of his reverie as the girl in question started to pull at his sleeve as if she was waking him up from a daydream, saying:

Four: Are you all right? You haven't ordered anything yet since we came here, Camille. (giggles) You're a silly one, aren't you?

Quess: Camille, what the *hell* is wrong with you today? Man, if I'd known you'd be like this today, I'd have brought along my cattle prod or something else... (whispers to Hathaway and Cheimin) Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

Hathaway: He really likes this girl, doesn't he?

Cheimin: Yeah...I've been watching Camille ever since this girl came along with us, he seems a bit "out there" whenever he's staring at her, you know?

Quess: Uh huh...but they seem like a cute couple anyway...let's just see what happens, all right? Oh, and by the way, Fa's never going to find out about this, all right?

Hathaway: Oh, great... (rolls his eyes) There goes Camille's bribe money... (sighs) Well what the hell are you two looking at me like that for? Okay, okay, I'm not gonna tell!

Camille: What are you guys talking about? "Not gonna tell" what?

Quess and Cheimin: Ummm...he's not gonna tell us where he hid his Playboy magazines, so we're gonna let the Captain deal with him! Right, Hathaway? (grins evilly at Hathaway)

Four: (laughs happily as she munches on her sushi) You sure have funny friends, Camille!


********************
A Mobile Suit Gundam / Neon Genesis Evangelion crossover
written by Lloyd Barrieses (kachiko00@yahoo.com)
Mobile Suit Gundam (c)1978 Yoshiyuki Tomino/Bandai/Sunrise.
Neon Genesis Evangelion (c)1996 Gainax/Project Eva./TV Tokyo/NAS.
All rights reserved.

This fanfiction owned and authored by Lloyd Barrieses. Any attempt to
steal this fic (i.e. putting your name in the credits) shall be met with
appropriate punishments. I'm serious, folks.
********************

[Act 7]

Episode 13, "Dance Like You Want to Win!"
-------------------

Shinji and Asuka lay on their respective beds in almost perfect unison and laughed hard as they finished their training for the evening. This was quite a neat experience for the both of them, they both thought, seeing that they had both perfected Misato's plan of both of the kids dancing in perfect synchronization with each other in order for the both of them to have "one mind" in defeating the Angel.

Shinji: (looks over at Asuka and pants while laughing and wiping off his sweat) Whooo-baby, that was something, ain't it?

Asuka: (grins at Shinji) Heh heh, yeah, it was...whoo, now I'm a lot more confident that we can get this whole Angel problem over with once and for all. Let's just hope we win *this* time around, eh?

Shinji: Yup. Oooh...man, I need to pee--

Asuka: (blinks) Well, that's funny, I need to take a leak too...hey, *I'll* go first. (leers at Shinji) *You* stay right here.

Shinji: Heh, okay...whatever you say.

There was just this one big sweatdrop on Asuka's head as she saw Shinji trying to follow her into the bathroom, tracing her movements perfectly too, like what a shadow would. Asuka gritted her teeth and tried to kick Shinji in the shin, but he barely avoided it and "eep'ed" as he did.

Asuka: Didn't I tell you *I'll* go first before *you*? Couldn't you even wait, dummkopf?

Shinji: Hey, it's not *my* fault! When you started moving, my body started moving on its own and copied your every move! (thinks) Uh-oh. Baaaaaad excuse...my ass is going to get kicked...brace yourself, Shinji...!

Asuka: (stomps her foot to the ground) That has got to be the lamest excuse I've ever heard, Shinji Ikari! You wanted to peek at me while I was pissing, didn't you?!

Shinji: No, NO, WAIT! You got it all wrong! Hey, it's like I *know* what I'm doing here, duh?! I *don't* know what I'm doing, and my body's just following your every move for some really REALLY odd reason--

Asuka: Oh, shut up, man! Our training's *over*--

And as if it were the speed of light, Asuka smugly kicked Shinji's nuts to oblivion and promptly bitch-slapped his face silly, making him yelp so loud that even Misato and Kaji could have heard it. Cupping his ever dearest testicles, Shinji fell down to the floor curling up in excruciating pain and wailing like a little puppy dog.

Asuka: --so stop fooling around and be a gentleman for once! *Jeez!* Men can be such perverts... (starts storming inside the bathroom, but turns around to look at Shinji) You know, I think I shouldn't have broken that spy camera earlier if I'd have known you'd follow me to the ladies' room so Misato should have seen you here right now looking like a damn fool. Now, behave like a *gentleman* and let the lady go first! HMPH!

As Asuka slammed the bathroom door behind her, Shinji weakly got up on his feet still gritting his teeth in the pain that came from his hurting groin. Oh man, he thought, *now* I made her mad...that really, really hurt...

Shinji: (thinks) Oh well, let's just let the "lady" go on first...at least she called me a "gentleman"...heh. Normally she'd just call me a disgusting little pervert when I'd mess up like that...

The Third Child sheepishly crawled up to his own bed and just lay down there with his limbs spread out, the pain from his nuts slowly subsiding as the minutes went by and as his mind wandered off somewhere outside the room and outside of Nerv HQ.

Shinji thoughtfully mused on the events that had happened these past few days...weeks...whatever...that have changed his life ever since his...father...had summoned for him to go to Earth and be an Eva pilot. He just chuckled as realization just struck him that he had never really did get that autograph from Captain Bright Noah *or* Amuro Ray, but it was okay with him, knowing that the AEUG was considered to be Nerv's "ally" for now.

He also wondered how everything had been so...so...fast, and that time seemed to fly before him like it was nothing. Due to unavoidable circumstances, he unwillingly broke old ties, but he made new friends as well, although one particular old annoyance was still there with him *and* had the same job as he did, but he just thanked Kami-sama as he looked over at the bathroom door that it was Asuka. Shinji just had this little problem of making new friends. Heck, he thought, he just had this little problem of making friends AT ALL, damn it.

Shinji: (thinks) This whole thing with the Angel will be over soon. Man...and I don't even know where we're headed after this, it's always Misato-san or Ritsuko-hakase or...or *Dad* who makes the decisions around here. I mean, if this isn't harsh enough, I don't know what is...

The young redhead in the bathroom frowned a little as she had just unwillingly read what Shinji was thinking and came to the realization that their lives aren't really *theirs* anymore, after this battle with what Asuka called "the splitting Angel". Soon enough, she thought, they'd both be winding up fighting the Titans again together, maybe with the First...Ayanami...around this time, or maybe not. Who knows? she thought to herself as she pulled up her panties and put her leotards back on, walking towards the bathroom door.

Snickering to herself, she had quickly dismissed the thought of apologizing to Shinji for that kicking incident that had happened just earlier, thinking it'd be fun to annoy her little childhood pervert friend a little more before the big battle tomorrow.

But then, somehow, somewhere...Asuka wondered why she had read Shinji's thoughts so *clearly* in the first place. Of course she knew they were both Newtypes, but she never imagined they'd be at this level *so* early. Maybe that dance movement synchronization training had helped to some extent? Maybe so, maybe not.

Asuka could never believe it either, but for the first time in her life, she was being uncertain about what's in store for them. She was usually confident and so sure of herself that everything that she does (at least in her own eyes) is always right, always the best, always with that trademark Asuka Langley-Sohryu perfection. But then, she just realized that she *is* still fourteen years old, despite the fact that she had already finished college. Fourteen years old. A *kid*.

An average kid was never truly certain about his or her decisions due to immaturity.

However, Asuka was different (at least, again, in her own eyes). She was *not* immature. She was definitely *not* a kid anymore. She was the best. She was Asuka. She was...

...surprised as she opened up the door, to find Shinji staring blankly at her blue-gray eyes, still lying down on his own bed, as if he was *anticipating* her coming out of the bathroom at that exact moment. She was even more surprised as she stared back blankly at his own dark brown eyes, just like what Ayanami would.



Silence, looming.



Night, deepening.



-----

Camille's motorcycle wasn't really built to cater more than four people; that afternoon, he had Quess and Hathaway riding on the side carriage of his motorcycle while Cheimin was behind him, but right now, Four was behind him and held on to his shoulders so as not to fall while Cheimin was with her brother and his girlfriend in the side carriage.

Hathaway: Hey, you sure this thing can hold *five* people, man? Your bike looks like it's gonna go any minute now, you know!

Camille: Oh, don't be such a wuss, of *course* it can! *I* custom-built it myself so *I* should know if it's gonna go or not, am I right, Hathaway?

Hathaway: (sneers) Heh, I hope you're saying that not just you want to impress Four here...

Camille: (straps on his helmet and gives each his and her own helmet) What the heck are you trying to imply, that I only wanted to bring Four along since she doesn't have anyone she can ride with? I'm just--

Four: (sighs and starts to get off the motorcycle) Camille, it's okay. If I'm such a burden to your mode of transportation, it's better that I--

Camille: Oh, no, no! You've got it all wrong, Four. I mean...I mean, you're not a burden to us or anything. Hathaway here... (leers at him) ...was just being an asshole all over again and maybe he's just jealous that he never gets the cute girls in his life...

Four: (smiles sweetly at him and giggles) Really, now.

Hathaway: (shakes a fist at Camille) You calling *me* an asshole, Camille?! Why, I oughta--!!

Cheimin: (restrains him and covers his mouth) Drop it, Hathaway. We are going to have a nice evening and we are going to have it with Miss Four Murasame here, understand?

Quess: And what the hell did you mean "he never gets the cute girls", Camille?! You don't think I'm cute enough to--!!

Cheimin: (restrains Quess and covers her mouth) You too, Quess. We've had enough trouble as it is and we couldn't afford to have any more trouble at this time of the night. Besides, like what Four here said, she just wants to be friends with us and she doesn't really have a place to go to right now, so we are going to have a *nice* evening and we are going to have it with Miss Four Murasame here, am I being clear?

Hathaway and Quess: Yeah, yeah...whatever...

Camille: (blushes a bit) So...umm...Four, can you get back to *your* place now and let's get the heck out of here? Oh, and wear this... (unstraps his own helmet and gives it to Four) I don't want you to get injured or anything...

Four: (smiles) Sure! (gets back into her place behind Camille and straps on the helmet he gave to her) Are you sure you want to give this helmet to me, Camille? I mean, you never know when an accident's going to happen and all...

Camille: Ahhh, don't worry about me, I'm fine without a helmet. Heh heh heh heh!

Four: Oh...all right. (holds on to Camille's shoulders) Where do we go, anyway?

Camille: Hmm... (looks at his watch, it reads 8:00 PM) Why don't we all go around town first? I've always wanted to have a tour of Hong Kong for a very long time...it's just that we're in Aberdeen right now, but it's okay, we're still in Hong Kong, right?

Quess: Well *duh*, yeah.

Hathaway: But don't you think it's getting late already? I mean, Dad might get angry at you for being late when he's making roll calls or something like that that you guys do in the army...

Camille: Ahh, like I said, don't worry. I'll figure something out so your Dad won't take it all out on us or anything bad like that. I'm one of his star pilots, remember?

Cheimin: You know, Camille, he's right. You know our Dad, he gets really cranky about the littlest detail that seems to annoy him, kind of worse than a neat freak if you ask me. It's annoying, but that's our Dad the Captain for you. We really ought to be going back to the ship early.

Four: (giggles) It's all right with me if we couldn't go strolling around town for tonight, Camille. I just need a place to stay for the moment and maybe we can even have a good time in your ship, right? I'd love to meet Cheimin's and Hathaway's dad and all of your friends, too! So, shall we go, Camille Vidan? (grins)

Camille: Oh well, you all win. Let's go back to the ship and have our rest, all right?

The young Newtype "stepped" on the gas and soon made a run for it as he drove the five of them back to the Agama, but it seemed that they were still sightseeing instead of hurrying back to the ship what with the speed Camille was doing.

Quess: Couldn't this thing go any faster?

Camille: Eh heh heh heh...we can't. (grins)

Quess: WHAT?! Why not?!

Camille: I guess I lied to you guys a bit, this bike couldn't really speed up what with the five of us riding on it and all, we're like lead weights on water right now and all we'd have to do is bear the inconvenience of riding at a slow speed, all right guys? I'm really sorry!

Four: (frowns) Awwww...I *knew* it!

Camille: Ummm...but don't worry, w-w-we'll get there in a jiffy, I just know it!

Cheimin: (mumbles) Yeah, if you don't get us lost first... (pulls at Camille's sleeve and points to something on the road) Hey, Camille, could you stop for a bit? I wanna buy some of that Chinese ramen I've been hearing that really tastes good with iced tea! (grins) Pretty please? You don't have to pay, We'll all buy on our own and--

Camille: And here you're the one who's been complaining along with your brother here that we're late for the Captain's roll call thingy. All right, let's stop right here and buy your ramen, okay Cheimin? (parks the motorcycle/tricycle (?) somewhere beside the road)

Cheimin: Yaaaay! Thanks, dude!

Hathaway; Hmmm...come to think of it, I'd like to buy some for us as well. Would you like some ramen, Quess?

Quess: Hmmm? Oh, sure, go on right ahead. Just buy one for the both of us, I'll just share mine with you. I'm nearly full anyway, you know?

Camille: Say...wasn't that sushi back at the mall enough for all of you?

Cheimin, Hathaway, and Quess: (all grin at Camille) NOPE! (giggling and chuckling)

Camille: Oh, man...whatever! You guys go on right ahead while I stay here and watch the bike. Four...you want to go with them too?

Four: Ummm...I'll just stay here with you, thanks. (blushes a little)

The two watched their companions gleefully making a beeline for the Chinese ramen stand and sat there in silence for the whole moment, each waiting for the other one to speak up and start a decent conversation. Well this was a particularly awkward situation, Camille thought as he tried to turn away from the pretty girl's gaze in front of him. Like what he had thought earlier, Camille definitely assumed that this girl, Four Murasame...what a weird name, he also thought, but then, his own parents named *him* Camille, an awkwardly inappropriate name for a *guy*...that this girl, despite that from her physical appearance, she looked older than him, Four had somehow captured the young Newtype's heart.

Four: Something wrong? (chuckles) You're drooling all over your shirt, Camille. (grins)

Camille: N--huh? Oh...eh heh heh heh heh! (scratches his head and frantically searches for a handkerchief inside his shirt pocket) Sorry about that... (wipes his drool off with the handkerchief)

Four: You know...you're a funny little fella. You've got good friends, and I think you've got a good life going too, since from the looks of things you could make your own motorcycle from a few spare parts and all that...you must be some kind of genius or something, you know?

Camille: Oh, this. (pats his motorcycle) T-T-This is nothing, it's just...simple stuff, you know? (shrugs) I mean, *anybody* can do it...it's just building motorcycles and side cars and stuff, pretty easy if you ask me...

Four: Yeah, right, easy for *you*, that's what you really want to say, hmmm?

Camille: Well, I--I...

Four: (pats Camille's back) Come on, don't be so humble in situations like these. I mean...I mean, you should be *proud* that you can make things like these. I could never be like what you are, Camille. And you know...I think I'm beginning to like you already, Camille, honestly! I mean...no one's ever been *this* nice to me upon the first meeting...and...and... (chuckles) This is quite awkward, I'm saying that I like you already, yet we've only just met hours ago...

Camille: Ahh...I...see. (pauses for a short moment while staring at Four just being silent all of a sudden) I take it you don't have a lot of friends either, huh?

Four: (shakes her head and pouts) No, I don't. I hate it when I'm being repressed like what they're doing to me. I hate it when they want me to do things that I don't want to do in the first place. I just...I just want to break free from...from...

Camille: ...who's..."they"...?

Should she tell him? Should she tell him that she's merely a puppet for those wretched people in the battleship, that steely-eyed professor and that Federation officer in uniform? Bitter, painful memories of her being subject to those "tests" and chemical treatments started to come back to her, then she formed a fist as she took a deep breath, finally replying to her newfound friend's inquiry and saying:

Four: ...I...I'm sorry, it's just...it's nothing, okay?

Camille: I guess I'm sorry, too...for prying too much into what you would want to keep secret. (sighs) So umm...do you have any parents, any people who take care of you?


Those...those people in black suits...pilot uniforms? Military garb?


Four: No, I don't have any parents, Camille...

Camille: You don't have any parents...are they dead or something? Are you an orphan, Four?

Four: No...and I'm not an orphaned child either...

Camille: ...well then...what *are* you, Four...?

Four: I...I don't really know either...everytime I want to start finding out a lot more about myself, everything just...gets in the way, you know? (chuckles) Eh heh...I-I-I'm sorry for opening to you this easily like this, what with dumping all my frustrations on you, someone whom I just met and--- (gasps in surprise as Camille holds her hands)

Camille: (looks at Four's eyes as kindly as he could) Everything will be all right, I'll make sure of it. I'll help you find more about yourself, about your past, everything! It's the least I could do for a person such as you, Four.

Four: Y...You can read my thoughts, Camille? Are you what they call a...a Newtype?

Camille: (nods) A little. But everything seems so...blurry, to put it bluntly, but I can tell you want to find out what makes you *you*, and that'd include where you came from, what your former life was...heh, I'm beginning to think that you've had some kind of really bad case of amnesia or something, and that you want your old memories back or something...

Four: (nods) Y...Yeah, you *could* say that, Camille...some...bad case of...amnesia... (voice starts to break up)

Camille: In any case, I'll do what I can to help you. While I might not be a specialist in these types of cases, I think I might know someone who can help you on this--

Camille just gasped in surprised and his face almost turned into a newer shade of red as Four suddenly wept for joy and hugged the boy tight, almost simultaneously feeling the happiness that suddenly flourished in Four's heart and the softness of Four's full bosoms leaning against his own. But then, in this situation, Camille never cared much about perverseness and thought it best just to hug Four back, and he did.

Four: Oh, Camille...thank you! You're a great help...how can I ever repay you for this kindness you're showing me...

Camille: (holds Four's shoulders, breaks the hug, and looks into her face) You don't have to thank me for anything. I'm just here to help! Eh heh heh heh...come to think of it...I...I'd have to admit I like you too already, Four...

Four: (wipes away the tears from her eyes) You're...you're not just doing this just because I said I liked you, right?

Camille: Eh? Of course not! Hey umm...I mean, do I look like someone who would take advantage of someone who has the same situation as you do?

The willowy lass went silent for a second as she took Camille's words into consideration, looking at him from head to foot. Camille gulped a bit, but it wasn't because he was nervous that she might say, "Well, yeah..." but it was because a girl never looked at him before like how Four was looking at him right now. Four grinned at the young Newtype and chuckled.

Four: Well...yeah. You *do* look like someone who would take advantage of me in my type of situation. (giggles) Hey, I was kidding, okay? Don't look all so glum all of a sudden, we all have to have a little humor in our lives every now and then. (smiles at him)

Camille: Eh heh heh... (scratches his head)

Four: I don't really think you're such a bad person, Camille. I mean, like I've said, you're just the first guy who hasn't been an asshole to me. Hmmm... (gazes at him some more) "Camille"...what a nice name for such a cute guy as you. Heh heh heh...oh, and did anyone ever tell you that you looked like a girl?

Did *anyone* ever tell him he looked like a girl?! she asks. Man, if she weren't this nice, Camille thought, I would have punched her lights out like I did with that asshole Jerid Mesa. Camille can still remember that fateful day that he had first has a brush with the Titans...

Camille: (frowns) ...umm, actually...

Four: (gasps) Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it *that* way! What I meant was...well, you look *cute*, that's it. (snickers and smiles at him) Cute in a huggable sort of way, of course, speaking as a woman, naturally. Eh heh heh heh heh...

Camille: ...umm...you're the first one who called me "cute" in a positive way, I guess...

Four: Hmm, so it *is* true! You must have had a lot of people bullying you for having such feminine features, and a very feminine name to boot...awww, poor baby... (holds Camille's hands and frowns)

Camille: Eh heh heh heh, it's okay... (thinks) Damn that Jerid Mesa...

Four: But then, like I told you, I like it. A lot. Heh heh, it's kinda cute, you know? (giggles)

Camille: (nods and laughs a bit) Y...yeah...r-right...well, umm...how about *your* name, then? I mean, it's got to be pretty weird that you got to have a number for a name, right? W-w-well, but then... (shrugs) I think it's pretty cute too!

Four: Awww, shucks, really? Well...thank you, I guess...

A few seconds later and their three companions finally come back to where Four and Camille were conversing. Little did the pair know that their three younger companions were observing them as they were waiting in line for take-out. They all just grinned at Camille and Four as if they were oblivious to what was going on between the two.

Camille: (raises and eyebrow) Well what the hell took you guys, eh?

Hathaway: Hey, don't blame us! It just happens to be dinner time right now and everyone's like, waiting in line for an order, couldn't you see that? (points to the long line of customers in the said Chinese food take-out booth)

Camille: Well, yeah, whatever. Let's just get the heck out of here, shall we?

And yet again, after Camille has given each his and her own helmet, he started up his motorcycle engine and made a break for the AEUG flagship. While they were riding off into the night, Four was carefully observing Camille's every move, looking at his blue hair flowing freely in the wind and held on to his shoulders so as not to fall off the motorcycle.

Four: Camille, can I ask you something?

Camille: What is it?

Quess: (whispers to Cheimin) Oooh, here it comes...

Cheimin: (sips on a noodle and listens carefully to Camille and Four) .....hmm.

Four: Do you know who this guy called...Amuro Ray is?

Quess and Cheimin: (quizzically look at each other) .....?

Camille: Hah! Do I *know* him? Errr...not that much, heh heh. Ummm, well, I've heard of him lately, he seems to be working here on Earth, but I dunno what's his job right now...probably still in the Federal Forces or something...why do you ask anyway, are you a fan or something?

Four: (shakes her head) N...no, it's nothing, really. I'm just...curious. You know?

And at that very moment, Four starts snuggling up to Camille just like she was his girlfriend or something. He could just feel her sighing out, but he wasn't sure if it was because she was relieved, or she was sad. Camille Vidan just sighed as well, lightly, as the three kids beside them looked at the pair "indirectly" though the side carriage's side mirror, wondering if these two were ever like, "meant for each other" or something cheesy like that.

As much as Quess and Cheimin both love shojo manga and cheesy soap operas, the thought still lingered in their minds, why would this girl whom they just met suddenly ask about Amuro Ray, whom they had known to be one of the heroes of the One-Year War and, from what Cheimin's dad told them, who was also a member of one of the AEUG's allies?

For a minute there, the two girls had thought Camille has slowed down a bit. They just *felt* it.

-----

Man 1: (presses something on his walkie-talkie) Have you gotten the targets' destination?

Man 2: Yes, and they seem to be moving out of the vicinity. What do I do next, sir?

Man 1: Keep a close eye on them, but don't let yourself be seen, especially by Number 4. She knows too much about our modus operandi already. You should know better since she came from us. Also, keep us posted on the targets' coordinates if ever they get back to their mothership. We will send some underwater troops later. Do you copy?

Man 2: Roger that. Sir, over and out, sir.

-----

Later that evening, as usual, Amuro Ray was doing a lot of routine checks on everything on board the Mont Blanc, although his second-in-command, captain of the Mont Blanc, Shiro Amada was insisting that he shouldn't have to do that. Anyway, he retorted at his older sub-officer, if he wants everything done right, he has to do it himself.

Amuro: Besides, this is a Federation-backed armed force we're talking about, so it's best that we should have the best equipment even if it's all limited like we could see right now.

Shiro: Hmmm, right. (nods boringly) Do whatever you like, Captain, sir...

Amuro walked away from this ship's captain, out of the bridge, and into a walkway. As he was a bit relieved about the fact that Chris wasn't annoying him tonight, Amuro just mused as usual about the events that had happened seven years past; about Lalah Sun, about his old friends cum colleagues, about Char Azna--no, it was "Quattro Bajina" now, he thought.

Hmmm, Lalah...

Come to think of it, why did he fall for Lalah anyway? Sure, she was cute...it didn't matter about the color of her skin, or her Hindu/Indian origins...she was quite friendly, but...if she really liked him back, why did she still protect Char back then? He could still vividly remember that moment when he had...*accidentally* stabbed at Lalah's immense Zeon mobile armor, the Elmeth.

The guilt was still there, even though he told himself over and over again that he didn't do it intentionally. No way. Not ever.

Amuro Ray did NOT kill Lalah Sun.

.....

Lalah sacrificed herself for Char.

Did she just love Char *that* much? Didn't she just spend some time with *him* and had a mutual understanding of things and a blending of minds just because they were both Newtypes? Didn't they both just have *something* back then, seven years ago?

.....

Lalah Sun is dead. She has been dead three years short of a decade.


"Let bygones be bygones." Somehow, Amuro felt like he shouldn't have said that to Char--err, *Quattro*. Hell, who am I kidding? Amuro asked himself. He's still Char Aznable...his old enemy, now an ally by way of a "relationship" between the AEUG and the Kalaba.

What the hell?

Somehow, he regrets that he told Char he hasn't forgotten how he feels about his treatment for Lalah...but then, that was seven years ago, the length of a little lifetime to some people, to others, like him, it was only like yesterday.

Somehow, Amuro realized that dwelling on the past won't help him and the AEUG to eliminate that...that "evil" from within the institution governing them all, binding all nations and colonies into international and intercolonial peace and order. Amuro thought it would be best that he should forget all about what transpired between him and...Quattro in the past.

For a moment there, Amuro had again realized that killing off...making a *genocide* out of people in a colony just because they didn't like how the world government runs thing around, isn't that killing off freedom of speech? Are we to be put under that same martial rule--maybe something even harsher--that the late Giren Zabi once proposed for the citizens of Side 3, once home to the Duchy of Zeon?

Everything was just *so* out of hand, Amuro told himself silently, shaking his head as he went to his room and decided not to do any routine updates on the state of what was left of their mobile suits and what was left of the Mont Blanc's ammunition anymore. The Titans aren't the AEUG's only problem right now, he thought, but then it wasn't *his* problem anymore...at least, not *directly* anyway. There was also this problem with Nerv's "Angels" and the possibility of being able to save Nerv's asses if need be since he had assumed that they, although claiming themselves to be independent, *are* still a top secret instrumentality of the Earth Federation...at least that's how he sees it.

It was not Amuro Ray's job to deal with the politics that transpire between the powers that be, for he would rather choose to stand by and fight in the front line with his "underlings" as he *was* a commanding officer right now--a position that he never even dreamed of achieving--but he couldn't help noticing what was happening to his world, and the people around him as well...

Well, he didn't know about Char--Lieutenant Quattro, though, for his old friend Sayla *did* once tell him that she, along with her brother, *were* children of Zeon Zum Daikun, but then he had assumed Quattro was quite proficient in politics as well as, obviously, fighting as a soldier and a mobile suit pilot...so he thought maybe Quattro'd be more involved with these dealings with Nerv. Which would be a good thing, Amuro also thought, because he could just foresee that the Eva's would be a great help to them...

It was at that very moment that he remembered Evangelion Unit-01 reawaken from its obvious inactivity from quite a fatal attack by one of those "Angels", the first one *he'd* seen, at least, just like a miracle...he reckoned nothing could ever survive *that*, but...what happened, happened. What was even more mysterious was what Captain Katsuragi had told him, that Shinji couldn't even remember a thing.

.....

What *was* Evangelion Unit-01?

Amuro could just foresee that the Eva's would be a great help to the AEUG...provided that Unit-01 doesn't destroy them *first*.

Amuro's little reverie was shortly broken when seconds later, he heard a familiar female voice coming out of the two-way "radio" beside his door and called out at him in the same familiar childish manner she'd always call him. But, this time around, there was just something quite different...

Chris: /--hey *Captain*, are you awake?/

Amuro: (pressing a button on the two-way "radio") Yeah, I'm here, Christina. What's up? And what's with that "Captain" thing you're calling me all of a sudden?

Chris: /Oh...umm, yeah. Eh heh heh. Well, it doesn't matter now, I think you're needed at the bridge, sempai, haven't you heard the announcements on the PA going off a few minutes ago?/

Amuro: I'm sorry...I must have been distracted with something...tell Captain Amada I'll be there in a few minutes, okay?

Chris: /Hmmm...well, okay...Captain, just a suggestion.../

Amuro: Yeah?

Chris: (sighs) /Amuro-sempai, we your sub-officers are quite worried about your being easily distracted and your daydreaming lately and all, it's just that...whatever it is you're thinking about, it's not worth dwelling upon quite a lot...umm...Captain...I'm sorry if I'm imposing anything on you, I'm just concerned--/

Amuro: It's okay, Chris. I'll take your advice into consideration. You guys just don't worry too much about me, okay?

Chris: /Mmmm, all right...I'll see you later, I guess, Capta--I mean, Amuro-sempai.../

The Kalaba mobile suit regiment captain just sighed as he gazed blankly into the ceiling of his room, taking his friend's words into thought as he tried to loosen the collar of his old blue-and-white Federation pilot uniform, thinking that this would help him ease the tension plaguing him right now. Heh, he told himself, even they're worried about me.

Amuro: (sighs and thinks) I guess I really do have to relax a little...hmmm, "whatever it is, it's not worth dwelling upon," she says. Lalah's dead because of me, yet I tell myself over and over again, what happened seven years ago was an accident...

Was it?

Amuro: (shakes his head) I guess Lalah did that for me and for Char...but I can tell she sacrificed her life for *Char* rather than for the both of us. It's almost...annoying, to say the least. I almost pity her...but somehow, she still haunts me, my dreams still speak of her, as if she was still alive, drifting around Earth in an endless cycle, watching over me, over Char...

He went out of his room and headed straight for the Mont Blanc's bridge. For some reason, he couldn't avoid looking out of one of the windows along the halls leading to the main bridge, and in the night sky, he could see a white swan flying with all its grace alongside the Mont Blanc.

Amuro blinked. Well, *this* was quite a sight to see, how could a swan fly at THIS altitude? As far as he knew, most avian wildlife would have died instantly at this height and pressure, but then he just realized this was all an illusion, just like what happened on that fateful day that he had first met Lalah in that deserted colony...a lone swan, flying with all its grace and dignity, truly a beautiful sight to see.

Swan.


Lalah Sun.


The swan in question soon fluttered away from his view and disappeared slowly into the night sky. For a moment there, he thought the swan looked at him with the typical curiosity of a wild animal to a human being it had seen for the first time. This whole phenomenon made Amuro shudder inwardly to no end.

Amuro: (sighs and thinks, rubbing his head in frustration) I *really* have to get rid of any memory of Lalah...

-----

Kaji: You look worried again, Katsuragi.

Misato: It's...it's nothing. Just... (rubs her head) Just leave me alone for a while, okay? I'm just so tense right now and...gah, whatever. (pours herself some coffee into her mug and sips it)

Kaji: You sure you don't want a back rub or something?

Misato: (stares at him suspiciously) From *you*? No thanks, I'll be fine by myself.

Kaji: (stares at her thoughtfully for a moment and shrugs) All right. You'll have to give me the keys to your house, though, I'm worried about your pet penguin and he might be really hungry by now...

Misato: (gives Kaji a set of keys on a keychain) Please do, I'm also worried a lot about Penpen...oh, and give him salmon on his bowl with a can of Yebisu on the side, he just LOVES that.

Kaji: Mmmm, right. (nods, then thinks) Her penguin DRINKS beer? Heh, like master, like pet, so they say...

-----

Shinji just shook his head in frustration as he had half-regrettably thought it wasn't really necessary that he and Asuka should go for two or more rounds of practice for the rest of the night since he was so tired already and all. Asuka just "hmph'ed" at her partner's "pathetic" unwillingness to take Misato's plan into action and surprisingly put her arms around Shinji's neck and assumed a Lolita-like seductive facial expression. She even pressed her breasts against his own chest to get her point across. Whatever that was.

Asuka: (pouts and traces a finger across Shinji's chest) Well, if you insist on being *so* unwilling...I might just have to *punish* you, if you know what I mean. (winks and giggles)

"Punish"? Shinji thought as memories of that "dream" he had when he had piloted his Eva for the first time and gulped, looking quite...horrified, much to Asuka's amusement.

Shinji: P...Punish? (blushes and sweatdrops) This doesn't involve anything about leather and chains and whips and the sort, does it?

Asuka: (blinks, then snickers) Hmm...we *might* go there, you know? (thinks) God, he really *is* a pervert? Fourteen year-old boys don't usually think about S & M...do they? (shivers inwardly)

Shinji: Well, okay then! What are we waiting for, let's go! ("accidentally" smacks Asuka's butt) Uhhh...oops?

Asuka: (not-so-accidentally kicks Shinji's butt) Uh-uh! We won't go to that NOW, little pervert boy. At least not when you're all so willing to train with this silly dance overnight with me and defeat the Angel, am I riiiiight? (grins at Shinji)

The youngest of the Ikari clan then just sighed. Looks like it's going to be a long night, he thought as he took the opening pose for the courtesy-of-Captain Katsuragi choreographed dance steps. And a very tiring one, too. He then wondered if...

Shinji: Won't we be too tired in the morning when we do get to fight the Angel if we go on like this--

Asuka: Don't be silly, of course we'll get to rest. Well, we'll stop practicing at midnight, that is. That *has* to be okay with you...unless you want be to clobber you, ne? (snickers) And *you* know most of all you don't want to be clobbered by *me*. Heh heh heh heh.

Shinji: Fine, fine. J...Just don't ummm...just make sure nothing involving dominatrix-type punishment will be involved, huh?

Asuka: (rolls her eyes and noogies Shinji) Aaaargh! You really are a pervert, aren't you?!

-----

Camille: How about you stay with me...err, *us* for a while till we get you back home or something? (scratches his head) I mean, it's not everyday that we'd get to meet someone like you...

Four: Oh, I don't know...I mean, I might just be somewhat of a burden to you guys and everything...I think I can just get along well on my own--

Quess: Are you sure about that? You did tell Mr. Blue Boy here earlier... (stares at Camille with a little grin on her face) ...that you have no idea who you really are, and yet you're insisting for us to leave you alone! Goodness, girl, think about it!

Cheimin: Look...we really want to help in any way we can...Four, that's your name, is it? Four Murasame?

Four: Y...yeah...at least that's what they call me...

Camille: (blinks) That's "what they call you"?

Four: Yeah...but I'm not getting into that, let's just get out of here...'cuz I feel something bad's going to happen, what with those cars behind us ever since we got out of the mall earlier...

Camille: ...I just *knew* it! We *were* being followed!

Hathaway: Hey, calm down! You don't want us to crash off-road with your bike and for them to catch us, right? (looks behind him) But then from the looks of things, they don't seem to be *really* pursuing us, more like...

Quess: Spying?

Camille: Why the hell would they merely just spy on us? Why wouldn't they just catch us where they feel that we are vulnerable?

Cheimin: Don't you get it? They're following us so they could attack our ship in one big sweep! This is all a trick! What do you think we can do now, "fearless leader of us named Camille"?

Camille just restrained himself from his perennial mannerism of biting his thumb at situations like this and kept his silence, thinking about what would his next move be, since if they go back immediately to the Agama, the Titans would just locate them and attack them. Not that he's confident enough to defeat them all, it's just that this is the peacekeeping force, the "right hand", if you will, of the Earth Federation we're talking about. Camille knew for sure that the Titans have the biggest guns in the whole wide colony system and they have the money and the resources to prove it too...

Four: (sighs) I wish I could do something to help you, fellas...

Camille: It's okay, Four. I know you want to help any way you can, let's just wait if something happens that you might be able to help, okay? (faces the rest of them and sighs) We shouldn't screw this whole thing up, guys...

Quess: Well, what do you think we could do? I don't think going back to the ship would be a good idea either, but then we *must* find a way to get there and warn them before the Titans arrive, you know?

Four: (thinks) A...ship...?

Hathaway: Camille, have you heard anything about what Dad might have been discussing with ummm...someone on his phone about Amuro Ray actually coming here to Hong Kong to rendezvous with the rest of us?

Camille: Hathaway, even if it *were* true, *we* don't really know *where* we will rendezvous with Amuro-sempai because...well, your dad seems to be pretty secretive about these things and all. But then, I'm surprised that you do know something about this...Hathaway, if you have anything to say, spill it out now...

Hathaway: (shrugs) That's all I know, man.

Camille: (starts to bite his thumb again and rolls his eyes) Great...

Cheimin: But then I doubt if the Titans would make their move so quickly because by that time, we'd be moving ahead of them--oww! Dammit, Mafty, that hurt! (hits back at Hathaway with the same rolled-up newspaper)


Hathaway: (leers at his sister) You call me Mafty again and I'll murderize ya, Einstein. Use your head just this once, okay...by the time we arrive there, we won't be able to prepare for even Level 1 Battle Alert because we'd be warming up the ship first and all that crap before launch, you know?

Camille: He's right, but at least if worse comes to worse, we can always defend ourselves using whatever supplies we have in store since we all do know that we're here for supplies anyway. Not that I'm being overly self-confident or putting all my trust in the Mk-II, it's just that I think we'd be in a good advantage since we've earned new supplies and that I just *feel* we'll win like we always did... (looks at Four and holds her hand)

Four: (looks back at Camille and smiles at him) .....

Quess: Well, then, do we go back to the ship or do you guys have any other bright ideas to suggest? I say we all go back to the Agama and do whatever we can in case the Titans follow us all the way there. Let's go!

Somehow, it all slowly came back to Four as she wondered why in the world Camille and his friends should live in a ship. From the way they were talking about their current situation (and from the way Camille looked at the moment, which was kind of tense), Four had assumed these guys lived in some sort of battleship, and they were just a few of this "ship's" crew. Questions soon swirled inside Four's head at that very moment, other than the perennial one being that she desperately wants to know who she really is, and what she was doing right here, right now.

She then wondered at the back of her head, was this fateful meeting with Camille Vidan really was that predestined? As she continued to hear out what Camille and his friends were talking about, she just felt like she *had* met him before, she just didn't know how or when.

Camille: Are you sure you're feeling all right, Four?

Four: Y-yeah. I'm fine...let's go to your ship, shall we?

-----

Not-so strangely enough, Camille's hunch was right--they *were* being followed. Realizing that they, along with the rest of the Agama's crew were at high risk regarding the situation at hand, Camille thought that he might take that risk and go on ahead to their mothership anyway, with their new friend in tow.

Of course, Quess, Hathaway, and Cheimin couldn't help but doubt Four's sudden presence and their all-too sudden budding friendship; indeed, why do they all feel so easy around this girl named "Four Murasame", especially Camille, who was at the moment (at least to Quess', Hathaway's, and Cheimin's point of view) slowly falling in love with the willowy lass while he already has Fa?

Camille soon realized as he got to the point somewhere in the forests where Bright had hid the Agama that there weren't any more cars following them. This was quite strange indeed, Camille thought, but had declared that they should stick with "their original plan".

Camille: Although I *am* getting quite tired of fighting night battles and that I haven't had a decent nap for days already, I'd still think we should go on and tell the Captain about this.

Hathaway: You think so? I'm sure Dad knows about this already since we *are* all involved in whatever the AEUG does...

Four: (thinks and gasps lightly) ...AEUG...?

Camille: Great. You had to tell it THAT loud, Hathaway? I'm sure the people at Side 3 couldn't hear you...

Cheimin: (mumbles) Nice move, Mafty...

Hathaway: (leers at Cheimin) Shut up.

Camille: What the hell is up with this "Mafty" thing anyway?

Cheimin: (clings to Camille's arm and grins) It's a LONG story...

Quess: (rolls her eyes) --which doesn't need any telling right now because we have to tell your Daddy about all of this crap happening here on our Hong Kong "working visit", right?

Camille: Hey, I just had this neat idea, do you guys know how to pilot a mobile suit?

Quess, Hathaway, and Cheimin: (looks at Camille with quite shocked expressions) You're asking *us* if we know how to pilot a mobile suit?!

Four: (frowns) Camille, I don't think they're not fit to pilot any mobile suits yet...if I remember correctly, there has to be proper training for pilots and there's a height requirement...

Cheimin: Are you nuts, Camille? We're fourteen-year-olds, how the hell are we supposed to know about piloting mobile suits?! Dad'll nail your ass on the wall you for this, you know!

Hathaway: Ummm...well...I might know a thing or two about piloting...one of Dad's friends *did* teach me some stuff back then, but it was only basic maneuvering...I also remember Quess was with me back then, right, Quess?

Quess: Yeah, I think we each downed only two mobile suits in the simulator back then...but yeah, Camille, I think we can handle a mobile suit well... (nods)

Camille: That's good enough. Cheimin, you don't have to come along if you don't want to...

Cheimin: (gulps and wipes the sweat off her brow) ...heh! What makes you think I won't go along into battle, Camille Vidan? Mafty, you seem to forget that I was with you two back then when you were being taught the basics of handling a mobile suit! You ALWAYS leave me out, do you?

Hathaway: You were cringing in your friggin pants while we were out there making progress in the damn *simulator*, you little wimp! AND STOP CALLING ME MAFTY ALREADY, willya?!

Cheimin: (rolls her eyes) Yeah, yeah, whatever...

Quess: If you two don't stop I'll tell the both of you on your Daddy about that time you went and stole that cash from his jacket pocket--mmmmph!

Hathaway and Cheimin: (muffles Quess' mouth with their hands and grins at Camille) Couldn't we just get on with this show, Camille? Eh heh heh heh heh...

Four: (chuckles) You guys sure are funny!

-----

Bright: Is that so, Camille? Do you even realize what time it is right now?

The eternal captain of the Agama scratched his head as he put his old Federation uniform on properly so as to assume authority over the situation. For a short while, he faced his children and gave them an "I'll deal with you two later" kind of look and faced Camille to hear out the boy's reasoning.

Camille: Yes, I do realize what time it is right now, but you, most of all, know what'll happen if the Titans would screw us up just because we're sitting around here doing nothing, am I right, Captain? I mean, our supplies should have been maxed out by *now*... (looks at his watch) It's like, 9:42 PM already, right?

Bright: Yes, Camille, our supplies are maxed out right now and I happen to know the consequences of us staying here in Hong Kong for longer than we should stay here but we would have to reconsider that most of us here haven't had a decent nap since a few nights ago, right? *You* know most of all since I've seen you fight that big black Gundam out there like you had all the energy in the world and you haven't really rested since then, am I right, Mr. Camille Vidan?

Four: (thinks) ...a big black...Gundam...? Could it be...? (looks at Camille) Could *he* be...? The pilot I've...I've...

Bright: All right, I'll let you all into your battle stations in *standby* mode, okay? One more thing--we *have* to stay here in Hong Kong because I've ordered Amuro, Hayato, and the rest of the Kalaba, and probably the Evangelion pilots of Nerv if they choose to come along, to meet with us right here in Aberdeen, Hong Kong, since I would assume it's what Commander Brex would do. Oh...and don't let Hathaway, Cheimin *or* Quess pilot a mobile suit even if they insist on doing so just because they've had a few moves taught to them in the past. My wife would kill me if she finds out, so I'll tell you now that they will *not* be allowed to pilot any of our mobile suits. (stares at Hathaway, Cheimin, and Quess coldly, then faces Camille) Is that clear?

Camille: Yessir, Captain sir! (salutes Bright and leads the rest of them out of the room) You heard your Daddy, kiddies, let's go--

Bright: Wait a second. You haven't introduced me to your new friend yet...what's her name?

Four: Oh! Ummm... (bows down politely to Bright and flushes) I'm Four Murasame, nice to meet you, umm...sir... (mumbles) ...or...something...I'm really sorry that I've gotten in the middle of something...

Bright: No, it's okay...umm, "Four". If you need any help on getting back where you came from like what Camille here told me about, just tell us, all right?

Four: S-sure...

Bright: Well, then, let's get this show on the road, shall we?

-----

Four: Camille, do you think it's a good idea that I should come along with you here in this cockpit into battle? I don't really think that it'd be necessary for me to come along as a co-pilot anyway, as far as I know, Gundams don't need TWO pilots, am I right?

Camille: (sighs) I know Gundams don't really need two pilots, Four, but this is the safest place I can think of where you can stay for the moment. You don't have to do anything, just be here, okay? (looks at her and smiles) I'll take care of you, don't worry about a thing.

Four: (gasps and blushes lightly, pauses for a moment, then hugs Camille) Thanks...I guess...

Well, this was quite a violent turn of events, Camille thought. He met this teal-haired girl hugging him at this very moment and at this very...unlikely place and time, but he felt it was almost like...

He felt it was almost like he had known this girl for a very long time now.

Never mind that her features might look like she was older than him by 2 or 3 years. Never mind that he knows less about her than she knows her true self, like what she says. Never mind that...he almost pounded his head against the Mk. II's controls on this one...never mind that he already had Fa...

He just felt that he had a responsibility for Four all of a sudden, like it was kismet, karma, destiny that they had met at an untimely period of their respective lives...in the few hours of their very first meeting for the very first time in their respective lives. But then, he still felt like it wasn't quite right that he should hug her in return...but then...he just hugged her back anyway.

-----

Bright: You think they would go into battle with Camille?

Mirai: You should know better. They're our children, right?

Bright: You're worried, aren't you?

Mirai: You don't sound like you're worried yourself. That's something I've liked about you, honey...but then, yeah, I *am* worried, as a parent and as a former crewmember of the White Base. Quess, Mafty and Cheimin aren't really THAT experienced yet although they *have* been taught the basics quite *involuntarily*. Remember that, Bright?

Bright: Yes, I remember that. I was just thinking they might use that skill one of these days and that they might need it, too.

Mirai: (rolls her eyes) Right...

Bright: And for your information, I *am* worried for our kids and Quess. You do know how these big-shot diplomats go, what with their family and all...

Mirai: But do you think Quess' parents *really* care about her? I mean, why did they leave her with us? Shouldn't she be with them and being the diplomat's daughter that she is? Oh, I forget--well, Quess did tell me once she didn't really like any of those formalities and stuff that her dad does...she even once told me "she wasn't that kind of girl".

Bright: Looks like you answered your own question, Mirai honey...

Mirai: Heh. Well, I *am* still worried for those three kids, even if one of them isn't really our own...Hathaway did tell you Quess was his girlfriend, didn't he? Mmmm, I think that's beside the point, but still, they're all our responsibilities, if you know what I mean, Bright.

Bright: Yeah...you think the Titans will get here?

Mirai: Well, you know *them*, we used to work for the Federation, didn't we?

Bright: Let's just hope something bad doesn't happen tonight...

-----

Shiro: Why would you think something bad would happen for tonight, Captain?

Amuro: (rubs his chin) I don't know. I just *feel* these kinds of things when they're all ominous and imminent and everything.

Shiro: Your "Newtype" senses going off again?

Amuro: I don't know, Captain, probably, probably not. It's all just intuition, hopefully. (takes a sip of his coffee) How are our mobile suits doing?

Shiro: (blinks) Captain, didn't *you* just come out from the hangar a short while ago? *You* should be the one to know that... (rolls his eyes)


Amuro: All right, all right, knock it off with the sarcasm already. I was just fooling around with you to see if you're still awake or something.

Shiro: (puts down his coffee mug, stands up, and heads towards the navigation wheel) Whatever, Captain...well, let me ask *you* that question of yours a while ago, how *are* the mobile suits doing?

Amuro: You know very well as I do that our GM's couldn't really fight underwater at this point in time, but I think they could provide extra defense for the ship if the need arises. Christina and I might be able to fight on or under the water, but then we haven't had the proper training for that. All in all, I think we can manage to hold on even for a minimum of few minutes, if we're lucky.

Shiro: A few minutes, eh Captain? Not quite bad, but if you don't really mind any comments made by any of your lower-rank officers, I'd say we should really hurry on ahead to Hong Kong since the rest of us is there.

Amuro: (shakes his head) I don't really mind any comments by my "lower-rank" officers, Captain, as long as they have sense. But then I don't know if hurrying to Hong Kong would be such an easy task to do since we *are* avoiding any attention that we might get from Federation dudes from around this area...which I believe is around Okinawa, judging from our time of departure earlier...


Shiro: Right.

Amuro: This kind of thing gets really boring pretty fast, doesn't it?

Shiro: (blinks) I had no idea you get bored with "this kind of thing" that we're doing. Amuro, I've always thought you were like this energetic military-type of guy...

Amuro: You seem to forget that seven years of not fighting in the military would change a person, Captain. Are you speaking from the elderly person's point of view or are you just messing around with me?

Shiro: Heh...you try to figure *that* one out, Captain.

-----

As for the benefit of the reader, let us just skip everything that has transpired from that point after up to the point where Shinji and Asuka, awake and ready to fight the Angel's halves (now fully regenerated as of VERY early morning), would now prepare themselves for the fight that will be their major turning point in their "careers" as Evangelion pilots...and most of all, unwilling participants in the war between the AEUG and the Titans.

Both of them did not speak to each other, nor hesitated for a single second. This, Shinji and Asuka realize as they finish breakfast in unison, would probably be one of their finest moments as Evangelion pilots. Misato kept to herself the fact that she was amazed at how synchronized Shinji and Asuka were in each and every movement that they made, even now that they are both going into their respective changing rooms to fit themselves into their corresponding plugsuits.

Misato: You really think they can do this?

Kaji: Just look at them, they look serious enough to go through with your plan...

Misato: Mmmhmm. They're my kids all right.

Shinji and Asuka: (come out of their changing rooms, look at each other for a second, nod at each other, and face Misato) We're ready.

Misato: Don't just stand there, go into your respective Eva's A.S.A.P. I will brief you on your mission once again when it's time to launch so that you wouldn't forget. You have to make this mission a success. Do you understand?

-----

As soon as they were about to split up into their individual Eva's launchpads, Shinji and Asuka had a few seconds to chat, then it was "Showtime", quoting their superior officer Misato.

Asuka: Don't screw this up, Ikari.

Shinji: I won't if you won't, Asuka.

Asuka: She seemed quite the bossy type of Misato earlier, didn't she?

Shinji: Noticed that too, huh?

Asuka: Well, let's go. (offers a handshake to Shinji)

Shinji: (grins slightly and shakes Asuka's hand) Right.

-----

The face of the third-in-command of Nerv's anti-Angel military operations was as stern as it could be. At least, that's how it seemed in the mini-window that popped up in both of Shinji's and Asuka's monitors.

Misato: /You have around...thirty seconds before your internal power supply runs out. This will be a cinch if you do it in twenty. Don't disappoint me, Asuka, Shinji. Do it in *fifteen*. Over./ Eva-01 and Eva-02, prepare for launch!

Shigeru: Using exit points adjacent to targets' current position!

Makoto: Releasing final locks and initiating launch to surface!

Misato: Good. We will commence operation upon disconnection of the Evas' entry plugs. Lieutenant Ibuki, is or are the target or targets finally fully recovered and in motion?

Maya: Level of disintegration from last time's N2 bombardment is still evident, but the target seems to have fully recovered and is now moving towards the point in Tokyo directly above Nerv HQ, ma'am.

Misato: ..... (rubs her chin and glares at the Angel's halves through the monitor) You lucky bastard. I'll crush you with my own fists even if I have to...Lieutenant Aoba, is everything ready?

Shigeru: Emergency retraction of buildings at Tokyo's surface complete and every civilian has evacuated into their respective shelters, ma'am. We're all just waiting for your final order, Captain Katsuragi.

And "Captain Katsuragi" took a few seconds for herself to breathe in and out, trying not to feel tense about this crucial situation, looking at her colleague Kaji in the process, who just shrugged and gave her an "It's all up to you" look and looked at her subcommander Fuyutsuki at the raised platform behind her. Fuyutsuki just gave his lower-rank officer a simple nod, and as she nodded back, she gathered all her energy to give the final word.

Misato: ...all right. EVANGELION UNITS-01 AND 02, LAUNCH!

-----

Not long after Misato's command to launch did the morning sun beam its rays down on all of Tokyo like it always did since time immemorial. The two halves of the seventh Angel had indeed made their way towards their point of destiny, or at least, directly above that specific point in Tokyo, which is the underground stronghold of Nerv, its hallowed headquarters. One would not know how the Angel would get there, or why, but their pace was steady, silent, determined.

And all the events that followed were, to one who would appreciate the "grace" of the situation, were likened unto a well-conducted opera presentation by a top-of-the-line two-piece orchestra, the members of which were Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley-Sohryu. As soon as the purple and the red had been launched into the surface, they, in perfect unison, had disconnected themselves from their respective umbilical cables, from which their unlimited energy had come from. It would be pretty awkward and very, very messy if Shinji and Asuka had their cables still attached to their Evas' backs anyway.

They had both forty seconds of back-up power.

A little off from how much estimated back-up power time that Misato had told them a few moments ago, but still, Misato's firm command stayed in their minds:

"Do it in fifteen seconds."

As if it were a real stage or circus sideshow of some sort, Evangelion Unit-01 and Unit-02 kneeled down on the cement as if this was their starting pose for the whole program. Of course, this was intentional on the two Children's part; they were, after all, friends since childhood and they would want to impress their peers even just this much.

The two halves of the seventh Angel weren't so impressed by the Evangelions' feeble little "taunt", however, and started to head towards their direction, for the Evas' were blocking their way.

Patiently, Shinji and Asuka waited for the Angels to make their first move, and had risen to a vertical position before they had finally assumed...fighting stances? This was very unusual for both of them, Misato had told herself. Since when did Shinji learn martial arts anyway?

Misato: (thinks) I don't care how you do this, kids...just do it!

Realizing that the threats were indeed imminent, the Angel's halves really did make the first move, making a lunge in perfect synchronicity with each other with their claws straight into their foes' "cores", as if the Evangelions did have cores like Angels had. To the surprise of everyone who was watching all of this happen, the two Evangelions suddenly leapt VERY HIGH into the air, and like acrobats in a circus, flipped around in mid-air for a few split-seconds and drove their respective outstretched FISTS towards the two halves' "faces", yet again in perfect synchronization with each other. Everyone, except Fuyutsuki, was moved in awe at this feat, but Misato felt this isn't yet the curtain call, so to speak.

Misato: Well, that was quick...the Angel didn't even deploy its A.T. field...

Kaji: Looks like they're doing quite well, eh, Katsuragi?

The Angel's halves were quite taken aback and lost their balance at the Evangelions' first attack. Arising from a bed of mostly cracked cement and scraped Angel matter, the Angel's halves made their second attack; this time, it was similar to that of the first Angel that Shinji had fought: a spark of light that came forth out of their "eyes" that were supposed to come at a blinding speed at Shinji's and Asuka's direction.

Aware of this, Unit-01 and Unit-02 again dodged with superhuman speed, turning around like tops, and then running towards their respective targets like madmen, but this time, Shinji's and Asuka's synchronized punches didn't hit home, they were blocked by each of the Angel's halves' "arms", and each prepared to ram their claws into the Evas' faces, but their claws never hit home either as Eva-01 and Eva-02 again turned around with the same "superhuman" speed and each landed a hard roundhouse kick at the back of each of their targets' heads. The Angel's halves had then fallen down hard on the cement.

Seeing this as an opportunity to conclude this entire comedy, the two-piece orchestra in question each grabbed the halves by their faces, slowly raising them up into the air, and as if they had all the strength of the world at that very moment, they had, yet again in perfect synchronization, uppercutted them both into the air with full force, making them "fly" into some considerable height. As the two Eva's back-flipped twice, the Angel's halves came down just in time for both of their opponents to do another uppercut at their respective targets, then each of them, a hard axe-kick so as to pin the halves to the ground. And pin them down, they did: it seemed that the Angel couldn't take any more beatings from Shinji and Asuka at that point, and was bracing itself for the final blow.

Misato: This is it...

Shinji and Asuka then leapt up WAY too high for any standard Evangelion or mobile suit to have leapt, and like they had intended to do from the start, they each twisted around like drills for a split second--or maybe even more--so as to awe everyone that was watching them as if they were doing some sort of circus acrobat show. And then, with an almost-hideously chivalrous battle cry, Eva Unit-01 and Unit-02 each stopped twirling and came down side by side on the Angel's two cores quite hard with each of their opposite lower limbs: the purple one with its left and the red one with its right. It must have been the after-effect of the two Eva's twirling in the air like drills or the gravity that pulled both of their Eva's respective weights down, but whatever it was, Shinji and Asuka and everybody else in Nerv HQ were positively sure that *this* Angel was history. But then everybody was in sheer silence as the two Eva's "final blow" has gone a little bit too far--the force of the kicks dragged the Angel's halves all the way to the nearest mountain range and had left a trail of broken cement, ruined small buildings, and overturned dirt--making it all the more impressive for this little stage play.

When the two Eva's finally stopped, there was soon to be seen a large explosion that looked much similar to how the Angels that preceded this one had "died": a large pillar of light that looked like a cross. Everyone who was watching had almost jumped for joy at the fantastic finale that the two Children had done, even Misato who was indeed proud of "her" Children.

Shigeru: Target has been eliminated! Life signs from the target have confirmed to be negative! I repeat, target has been eliminated!

Maya: (sighs) Thank goodness...

Misato: OHHH YEAH!! THEY REALLY *DID* IT! (jumps from her chair waving a fist in the air) You go, kids! WHOO-HOOO! They did it, they actually di--

Her little moment of joy was then promptly halted as she just realized whom she hugged. Kaji just smirked at her and shrugged nonchalantly, as if this was like "the old days". And as Kaji was about to hug her back, Misato bitch-slapped her ex-boyfriend's cheek. Hard.

Kaji: (rubs his cheek) Ouch.

Misato: Hmph! (turns to Makoto) Lieutenant Hyuga, do you have a status report on the Eva's and their pilots?

Makoto: Ma'am, the pilots are alive, well, and conscious, but...I couldn't really say the same about the Evangelions.

Misato: What do you mean?

Makoto: (gulps) Pardon me for saying this, but...it looks like the two Eva's are unable to move, although no damage has been reported on our monitors. (brings up a little viewing window showing the two Eva's on top of each other, sprawled on an upturned mound of dirt) As for why they couldn't move...ma'am, to be blunt, they've just run out of batteries.

The captain's eyes almost bugged out at what she saw. At that point, she didn't know whether to laugh out loud or feel pity for them and command them as she was supposed to, as their commanding officer.

Fuyutsuki: (thwaps his head) What the hell is this?! Captain Katsuragi, order your pilots to return immediately to headquarters!

Misato: But sir...Lieutenant Hyuga just said they both ran out of--

Fuyutsuki: Just *do* it, Captain. Your pilots are making complete fools of themselves out there. If the JSSDF or the AEUG hear about this...

Misato: I understand, sir. (heads to Maya and takes her comm link) Gimme that! Hey, you two, how's it going down there? Do you read me?

Asuka: /Yeah, we read you, Misato! Did you see that?/

Through another one of two viewer windows that appeared in the control room's big screen, Misato can then see Asuka wave her hand "at her" looking "cheerful as always". On the other window, however, Shinji looked...well, a little bit pissed off than usual.

Shinji: /Tch!/

Misato: Yeah, we all saw that! You kids were great! Now umm...why don't you two get back here to headquarters so we can make preparations for our departure to Hong Kong? You still do have a few energy left to even make a small walk across town, right?

Asuka: /Unfortunately, I don't think so, Misato...although I'd REALLY want some power right now so I can get this PERVERT off of my beautiful Unit-02! Ewwww, get OFF of me!/

Shinji: /Well, EINSTEIN, I happen to have run out of power myself so I couldn't even actually *move* yet!/

Asuka: /Hmph! You're just ENJOYING this moment, aren't you? You? On top of moi? I can almost feel your hard-on here, PERVERT! You think I don't know what you were up to last night while I was sleeping?! Hah! Maybe that's why you were out of focus today, AS ALWAYS! Rrrrrrgh!/

Shinji: /What the hell are you talking about? I was preparing myself for this big fight!/

Asuka: (gives him "the finger") /"Preparing" my steely ass! You were trying to kiss me while I was sleeping!/

Shinji: /WHAT?! You were AWAKE back then?!/

Asuka: /Why you--!! I was kidding back there...so you REALLY wanted to kiss me last night! Auuuggghhhhh! The horror! I think I'm gonna puke...you'll pay for this, Shinji Ikari!/

Shinji: /Aaaaaaarrrgggh, why the hell did I even bother arguing with you?!/

Asuka: /*You* get off me *first*, loser!/

The three bridge bunnies and the on-hand staff at the Nerv control room couldn't help but laugh at this little cute scene that these two Children were making; it's almost like a lovers' quarrel, to most of the people present. Misato and Fuyutsuki, however, weren't so amused by this, although the former was giggling along with her subordinates.

Fuyutsuki: Not again... (shakes his head and sighs)

-----

A few minutes later...

The two Children weren't even speaking to each other as they lingered in the silence of a certain waiting room in Nerv headquarters. Their third companion didn't seem to mind, though, as she just stared at her fellow Eva pilots, as always, in silence.

Asuka: What the hell are YOU looking at, Wonder Girl?

Rei: Nothing...

Shinji: (sighs) Do you have to be so hard on Ayanami?

Asuka: (rolls her eyes) Well, if she'd contributed ANYTHING to our mission today I wouldn't be so "hard" on the First here, right?

Shinji: Asuka, she couldn't exactly help us at the moment because, for one thing, her Eva is being fixed up and she didn't exactly have the same training like we did--

Asuka: Ahh, PHOOEY! I'm surrounded by idiots! Augggghhhhhh!

Their little friendly conversation was promptly terminated when the automatic sliding door suddenly opened up in front of them. Misato was carrying "one of those folders" that Asuka, Shinji, and probably Rei saw that meant they had a mission to perform. Shinji then thought at the back of his mind, why is Rei with us if we have a mission again? Isn't her Eva still under repair?

Misato: Care to repeat that, Asuka?

Asuka: Umm...no, sorry, ma'am.

Shinji: (raises his hand) Isn't Ayanami's Eva still being repaired? Do we three have some sort of mission again? We just finished!

Rei: Is there another Angel coming?

Misato: This has nothing to do with the Angels, kids. Okay, ladies, here's the deal... (looks at her folder and reads its contents aloud in her own words) We are to leave for Hong Kong immediately on a vintage aircraft carrier with the Federation symbol on it. As in, you guys are ready to leave as soon as I finish reading this message to you. This will make any Titan patrol vessel think we're on their side, so we shouldn't expect any seizures being made since we're all going to keep our mouths shut. I expect you know already why we're going to Hong Kong, right?

Shinji and Asuka: Ummm...no?

Misato: Hmm. Well, in case you're wondering, we're not going there for shopping or anything of the sort. You do realize we're part of the AEUG now, right? Come on, follow me to our...mode of transportation for the moment while I explain to you the rest of this unscheduled briefing...

Rei: ..... (follows Misato)

Asuka: Hey, wait!

Shinji: (whispers) Asuka, do you think Misato-san is in the mood to "wait"?

Asuka: (blinks) God, I hope she does...but then from the looks of things, she's probably NOT in a mood for a little tea time chat...

Misato: Are you two kids done yet?

Shinji and Asuka: Ummm...yes'm.

Misato: Good. (runs) Rei will stay here for the time being as her Eva's not done yet. And she might have to stay here for a little while longer under Commander Ikari's orders and under the perception that there might be more Angels heading for Nerv HQ.

Shinji: (runs behind Misato, Asuka, and Rei) But won't she be harmed if--

Rei: Don't worry, Ikari-kun. I can take care of myself. Commander Ikari believes in my ability as a pilot, and that's what makes me confident.

Shinji: ...right...

Asuka: (smirks sarcastically) Heh...

Misato: You two, however, like I said, will have to go to Hong Kong and, from then on, you will have to provide assistance to the AEUG as we are their allies as well as they are ours. I know that from this day forth our lives will be as different as one would imagine it to be, since we all know for a fact that the AEUG is sort of a renegade group formed by an amalgamation of former Zeon soldiers and Federation officers who have seen the--oh, who am I kidding, you kids wouldn't really get all of this political hullabaloo anyway...

Asuka: Hey, don't underestimate us just because we're all 14-year-olds and you're the only adult here!

Misato: Anyway, just do what you can, kids. I'll follow after you once I get through with some work that needs to be done first. Shinji, Asuka, your stuff is already on your "mode of transportation" waiting for you at the old dock just outside town. Rei, you come with me.

Rei: Yes.

Shinji: Okay...

Asuka: Hmph, just as long as my stuff won't get mixed with HIS stuff, I'll be fine... (pouts and turns away from Shinji's line of sight)

Shinji: Yeah, right...like *I'd* mix my stuff with YOUR stuff to begin with...

Misato: Now, now, kids. Behave. You'll need it.

Rei: I think we are here... (stops running and pants tiredly)

Asuka and Shinji: (both stop running and pant like Rei) This is...

Shinji: A black car?

Asuka: How come I have the strangest feeling about black cars coming to take us away...? I've seen these kinds of things in the movies once...

Misato: Yeah, so it seems. (stops running as well and pants lightly) And no, this isn't like "those" kinds of black cars you usually seen in the movies, this is our little umm..."diplomatically immune" mode of transportation as far as this whole war going on. Haven't you seen these license plates? Sigh, anyway...kids... (pats Shinji's and Asuka's backs) I guess this is the end of the line for us, for the time being. Look... (strokes both of their cheeks) I might not be your parent, but still I couldn't help but feel worried for the both of you. Now, I know that I shouldn't be "like this"...but...just take care of yourselves okay?

Asuka: (sighs) Oh, Misato...

Shinji: Misato-san, you didn't have to--

Misato: Heh...I shouldn't even be saying these thing, I'll join you guys later anyway! Well, I guess I'll see you guys later, then. (stands up and shoves them lightly to the waiting service car) Now, move it! Time's a-wasting!

Captain Misato Katsuragi just hated these kinds of goodbyes where her little ones are going off into battle, especially when the battle's over some mindless political squabble just because someone didn't like how the Earth government was running things. She's just sad that children like Shinji, Asuka, Rei...Camille, Fa, and probably countless other innocent children would have to face the harshness of battle at such a young age. Sure, it'd be okay if it *were* battles against the Angels, but an actual "hot" war? It's just insane; Misato told herself as she shook her head and looked at Rei, who just, as always, blankly looked at the black car taking her fellow Evangelion pilots away into Hong Kong.

Rei: Am I to see them again...?

Misato: Hmm? Oh, don't be silly, Rei, of course we'll see them again! (grins at her and pats her hair) It's just that right now...their services are needed somewhere else, since their job here is finished for the time being...hopefully.

Rei: Will my...services be needed elsewhere, too?

Misato: To tell you honestly, Rei...I don't really know. (grins) Hey, tell ya what...why don't we go for a little snack before we see the Commander? I'm sure he'll be back from his...uhmm, meeting any time soon! What do you think?

Rei: (lightens up at the mention of the word "Commander" and smiles VERY slightly at Misato) Yes...

-----

And as we turn back into time a little notch, we shall see how Camille, Four, their companions and the AEUG have dealt with their own side of the story...in this case, in a little place in southern China named Hong Kong, where another clash between the AEUG's "star pilot" and the forces of the Federation-backed Titans would yet again ensue...

-----

Episode 14, "Cinderella Four, Part 1"
-------------------

In the dead of night, even under the strictest and tightest security that Captain Bright Noah of the AEUG flagship Agama could ever devise, everyone under his wing, even him, had no idea what would befall them for this evening, or early morning, as one would say as a technical term. Or should we say, they had no idea what's going to hit from *under* them...

Naturally, almost everyone at this hour of the night, even those working on military graveyard shifts, would, more or less, feel sluggishness and that tingling feeling where one would be between dreamland and the real world. In this case, however, Titan Lieutenant Ben Wooder took this fact for an advantage and ordered a sneak attack on the Agama, underestimating the AEUG's abilities to stay awake in the dead of night, and thus catching all of them unprepared.

And indeed he was right, to some extent: there were only a few armed guards patrolling the vicinity of the cave where the large AEUG battlecruiser was parked for the time being--at least until Bright's former White Base subordinates Amuro and Hayato and even a little support squad from Nerv come to this rendezvous point. Wooder then guessed losing Four for the time being might not be such a big deal after all--he just let his spies follow her and her..."friends" home. He told himself, these artificial Newtypes--or strengthened humans, as the professor would like to call them--are quite unstable, but they're quite expendable as well.

He just never played with the thought that the AEUG might be prepared for these kinds of sneak attacks.

Namica: Are you nuts? No way I'm going to let you strike like that! You might kill Four, and you do know the budget for research on strengthened humans has been cut due to this whole war we're waging! You better be sure to bring Four back here alive, Lieutenant...

Wooder: Did I say I was going to kill Four as well?

Namica: Well, she will be if you go through with that plan of yours! Sending five Zaku's to attack the enemy while Four's still with them isn't exactly going to let any living thing survive, unless--auggghh, never mind! Just bring her back here alive. She's an asset to the Titans as the pilot of the Psyco Gundam.

Wooder: But what if she doesn't want to come back with us, and that she's been too brainwashed by these little goody-two-shoes AEUG bastards already? You think she'd still be willing to pilot the Psyco Gundam? Of course not. Professor, I want you to calibrate the Psyco Gundam's overall controls for a non-Newtype pilot. I remember you've told me about this the other night, that the Federation might undergo some kind of research involving non-Newtypes being able to control mobile suits usually designed for Newtypes...

Namica: (sighs) ...all right. But don't you blame me if this little operation of yours goes screwy. And let me remind you of one thing, though...if you die, I'll take your position as head of your regiment. (walks away from him and outside the office room)

Wooder: Heh. You don't have to be a bitch about it too, you know.

Namica: Oh, and one more thing--psycommu for Oldtypes is still in its experimental stages, thus still not being fully developed. I can just guarantee you screwing this whole thing up at about 60 percent...*Lieutenant*, since these actions of yours tell me that you're going to pilot the Psyco Gundam yourself once I've adjusted it. Am I right?

Wooder: .....just do as you're ordered. I will hear no more complaints from you, professor. Dismissed.

Namica: Whatever.

-----

Camille: Are you *sure* you're okay, Four? (places a palm over Four's head) You sure look tenser than me...and here I am who's going to pilot THIS Gundam Mk. II...

Four: Yeah, I'm fine. (smiles lightly) Don't worry about me, I'm just...I'm just getting a little bit familiar with the controls inside a mobile suit...well, all of this is interesting, you know? You even have these little screens and windows and buttons and the usual navigating lever and stuff...does this thing run on Linux, though? (snickers)

Camille: Uhhh... (laughs) Umm, yeah, you *could* say that, eh heh heh heh heh...actually I just upgraded this baby into Linux. (pats the computer screen and the target lock mechanism in front of him) You never know when Windows 0085 would screw up, you know?

Four: (giggles) Indeed!

Camille: Hey, how come you know about operating systems when you tell me you don't even know a lot about yourself?

Four: (blinks) Oh, I've just been your average keen observer, that's all...

Camille: A fast learner, huh... (nods) All right, but could you also learn fast from me once I get this baby going into battle?

Four: (pouts slightly) I don't know, but I'll try...I'll just watch you from behind--

At that instant, a large message window appeared on the status monitor in front of them showing the face of the Agama's captain, a face that looked like he was going to give one of those typical military orders again.

Bright: /Camille, you and a few others are going to launch in five minutes. Get ready./

Camille: Yes sir, I understand, sir.

Bright: (nods) /Good. Umm...one mroe thing before I cut this transmission...why are you in the Mk. II while we already have your Zeta ready? Isn't that a little too...inappropriate? besides, I've gone through the specifications of the Zeta and--/

Camille: /Captain, I just have this thing with mobile suits lately: if they're new, I'd test them out first when i'm not in a battle. Otherwise I'd just be guessing what this control does or what that control does, you know?/

Bright: /But if I remember correctly, *you* were the one who "made" the Zeta so *you* should know most of all how it works, am I right, boy? Ahhh, well...forget it. I will allow you to use the Gundam Mk. II this last time. I will assign Lieutenant Emma Sheen to pilot the Mk. II next time. Camille...just a word of advice, the Zeta is *yours*, grab it! If you've invented something worthwhile, *you* should be the first one to use it./ (sighs) /Get ready for launch, Camille. Over./

As the message window closed, Camille breathed in and out deeply. He didn't really usually do that because he'd usually be confident in piloting the Mk. II, but at this moment, he was just a little bit more tense than usual...mainly because there's a pretty girl behind his pilot seat, and this pretty girl just happened to be quite a new acquaintance of his.

Four: (pats his back then kisses his cheek) Good luck, Camille. (smiles at him)

Camille: (blushes) Ummm...thanks...I guess...umm, I think you should fasten your seatbelts or something and sit tight, I'm about to launch in five...

Four: (giggles) Ahh, don't worry, I'm already on it. (sits on her seat and fastens her seatbelts, then puts on her pilot helmet) Ready for launch, Camille?

Camille: (grins stupidly) Yeah!

-----

At that very moment, the Audomura and the Mont Blanc were already nearing China's coasts and are quite wary of their surroundings so as not to fall under a surprise attack by the Titans. It's as if Amuro was scared of the Titans, but his lower officer Shiro never thought of it that way, but then with the speed that both ships have been flying, one couldn't help but wonder anyway.

Shiro: But then, aren't we being a little TOO cautious, sir? We still can beat anything that stands in our way since we do have some of the best pilots around these parts and with those pilots, some top-of-the-line mobile suits...

Amuro: Better careful than sorry, Captain. We don't actually know what lies ahead for us in Hong Kong, putting aside the fact that we will finally be joined with the main AEUG faction. We shouldn't really put much faith in our mobile suits, captain...it's the experience of the pilots we have that I'm worried about. I mean, some of them might be defectors from the Federation but who knows...?

Shiro: Now you're being elitist, Captain. You have to believe in these pilots that we have, you know...it's just that if these kids really have the motivation to fight for us, then why not?

Amuro: "Kids" would be the keyword here, sir.

Chris: (rolls her eyes) Do you *have* to be always like that, sempai?

Amuro: (shrugs) Hey, I can't help it...

Bridge operator A: (turns around from his seat and faces Shiro) Umm...sir, I think we have some sort of a problem here...

Amuro and Shiro: What is it? (both come near the main monitor)

Chris: (follows Amuro) Oooh, this should be interesting... (looks at a certain portion of the the main monitor closely) Hey, is it just me...or are we being followed? Those are quite high concentrations of Minovsky particle radiation in that radar of yours...

Amuro: It's not just you, Christina. We *are* being followed. Damn it, I knew there was something behind all of this silence...how come we never detected this from the first time we left Japan?

Bridge operator A: Apparently, sir, our stalkers seem to have caught up with us just now. Shall I announce a Level 1 alert, sir?

Amuro: Fifty-fifty chance of us fighting effectively above this depth of water, I don't think that's a good idea--

Chris: But sempai, I think we can still fight well, even in or under the water!

Amuro: (shakes his head) You're going for a deathwish there, Chris. These guys might be kooks but they're professional kooks. I have an idea, though...if we can get enough mobile suits to latch on to the Mont Blanc and execute long-range fire. That is, if our supply of charges for beam guns is still efficient enough...

Chris: Umm...correct me if I'm wrong, but...

And at that single moment Chris pointed to the Minovsky particle concentration indicator, which would look like an old-fashioned radar to the layman, as soon as she saw three or four more blinking lights accompanying the three that they had already seen in the "radar" in question. Not only that, they had just watched in silence as two more groups of three blinking lights had been approaching them in their immediate direction.

For that moment, Amuro felt like he could just punch the Mont Blanc's controls out.

Amuro: God damn fucking CRAP! Why the hell haven't we seen this earlier?!

Chris: Oh, God...I think I'm gonna be sick...

Shiro: Must have been the upgrade back in Nerv HQ, hopefully not...I mean, you just don't know when people could just steal stuff from under you these days...

Amuro: What do you mean?

Shiro: Well, Captain, it's like this...not many people get to have top-of-the-line equipment for battlecruisers, right? Well, the one that we have right now... (points to the "radar") I don't think this one's been in top condition ever since I got back here to the ship AFTER the beam ram upgrade. Heh. Looks like everywhere we go, even in Nerv, there's bound to be "people like that"...

Amuro: (shakes his head) Impossible. And let's not point fingers at Nerv here, all right, kids? If we failed to detect the incoming enemy, it's our own fault. What we should--what we *could* do now is just...just...

Chris: Sempai...

A few seconds later and a message window which one of the bridge operators had confirmed to be from the Audomura had shown an obviously tense Hayato Kobayashi in the message window. Amuro immediately knew how his old White Base friend felt and faced him with all the patience he could muster and began to speak.

Amuro: I suppose we've been caught, Hayato.

Hayato: /Looks that way, Amuro. What will we do now? What will YOU do now?/

Pausing for a few seconds, Amuro thought carefully of what to answer Hayato at that very second. Honestly, he did not know what to do at all. If it were all up to him, he'd singlehandedly take out all of these enemy battlecruisers himself, but being the leader of the Kalaba forces that he is, he couldn't help but be concerned for his troops. In the few seconds that Amuro had paused for a thought, another message window appeared in the main monitor.

Bridge operator A: I think there's a transmission coming from one of the enemy ships, Captain. I will put it through. (pushes some buttons and types something in the keyboard in front of him)

Titans officer A: /Is Lieutenant Commander Amuro Ray of the Kalaba on board this ship?/

Amuro: I'm here. What do you want?

Titans officer A: /Lieutenant Commanders Amuro Ray and Hayato Kobayashi of the Kalaba Forces and of the AEUG, I am placing you and your comrades under arrest for conspiracy and inciting rebellion against the Federated Union of Nations. Your two ships will be escorted to the Titan HQ in China where your...rights will be read to you. Any attempt to resist arrest will be met with immediate punishment, in other words, if you open fire, you will be fired upon. What say you, Lieutenant Commander Amuro Ray?/

Amuro: (looks at Chris, Shiro and Hayato) .....

Chris and Shiro: (both shake their heads) .....

Hayato: /Don't look at me like that, Amuro./

Amuro: (faces the Titan officer in the monitor in anger) What other choice do we have?

-----

Camille was once again "having the time of his life", so to speak. As much as he'd like to deny it, but ever since Four came along with him...everything seemed like child's play to him. Well, everything right NOW, that is, as he, along with Emma, Reccoa, and the rest of his fellow AEUG mobile suit pilots, were once again picking off Titan Zaku's like it was nothing.

But Camille noticed something, in the few minutes that he was stabbing his beam saber into the cockpit of his fourth "victim", there was something definitely wrong with this whole "setup". The word "setup" itself gave Camille some mild chills down his spine. He tried to contact Emma, who was herself busy with shooting off her second enemy Titan Zaku's head off.

Emma: /What is it, Camille?! I'm busy here, can't you see?/

Camille: Lieutenant, don't you think this is strange, everytime we're killing off one or two, there's always either two or three to replace them?

Emma: (chuckles) /What is this I'm hearing? You, of all people, afraid of a small horde of Zaku's? You ought to be kidding me, Camille! It's as if you've never fought dogfights like these before! Something wrong, honey?/

Camille: Nothing...it's just that...I feel this is some kind of a trap or something, what do you think?

Emma: /You know, when I was still affiliated with these losers, they always told me, "be prepared for any kind of situation that may arise when in a dogfight". Whoops!/ (makes her GM-II hack and slash its way through an enemy Zaku) /I do hope you get what I'm saying, Camille./

Four: She's right, Camille. You have to be ready if anything happens, whether it'll be good or bad. Aaack, behind you! (points to the warning on the monitor in front of Camille)

Camille: Whoa! (makes his Gundam Mk-II turn around in time to block the Zaku's beam tomahawk with his beam saber) Sneaky, aren't ya? Why not try THIS on for size, creep!? (make shis Mk-II kick the shins and legs of the Zaku repeatedly until it falls down and "kneels", then stabs his beam saber into the Zaku's chest cockpit, making it explode in front of him) Looks like my...ahem, "l33t Newtype senses" failed me THAT time eh?

Four: Uh....eh heh heh, yeah! (thinks) Newtype...Newtype...I'm...sure I've heard of that word before...and...all this noise of...off battle...making my...head...hurt...ahhh... (holds her head and massages it gently)

Indeed, the heat of the battle seems to be just beginning as the realization of Camille's observation slowly sank into the minds of those in Camille's group right now. It seemed that, in the lapse of ten minutes that the brave GM-II and Gundam pilots of the AEUG, their enemies seemed to have increased in number, although they're all quite the same; pathetic, untrained--at least, that's what ran through the seasoned AEUG pilots' minds right now.

And it just so happens, that for this battle, the AEUG pilots have started to feel the inevitable: they had begun to feel tiredness, fatigue, and the like, which would definitely bring the strongest warriors to their knees.

And it starts...two GM-II's were destroyed by a single Zaku's bazooka shot as this terrible fight in Hong Kong went on, and it all came tumbling down from there, but the AEUG pilots were never to be underestimated, after that little "rallying cry" that Emma has signaled to all of her fellow pilots, including Reccoa and Camille, that they had killed off more than the Titans have killed off of *this* AEUG regiment.

But even that didn't prevent the fatigue from slipping in. Soon enough, two or three more GM-II's were destroyed, but their losses were compensated by the hard work that Camille, Reccoa, and Emma were doing. A few minutes later of fighting and the numbers of the Zaku's seemed to be dwindling down to a few, and soon enough, Camille had served up the last Zaku he could find the final blow--a hard-hitting punch from his Gundam Mk-II into the chest cockpit. The impact of the Zaku's explosion that soon followed almost felt like nothing to Camille right now as he made his mobile suit stand erect like a human being would.

Camille: (pants tiredly and wipes off the sweat from his brow) Is that all?

Reccoa: (pants) /Gee, I hope so.../

Emma: /Is everyone all right?/

Bright: /That's my line, Lieutenant. Is everyone all right?/

Emma: /Y...yeah...yes, Captain, I guess so...apart from that we've lost a few of our men.../

Bright: /This is truly strange, people. Why would the Titans exhaust their energy on us when they'd know we'd beat them?/

Camille: Maybe they're all just too stubborn for their own good?

Bright: /They might be stubborn, Camille, but from the few weeks of knowing the Titans, I feel they're all up to something no good...anyway, get back to the ship, people. This battle's over. You can all rest now so in the morning you all have energy to--/

-----

Bridge operator A: Sir, I think we have a transmission coming in from an enemy battlecruiser named the Sudry. Shall I put it on screen, sir?

Mirai: What could the enemy want *now*?


Bright: Just put him through.

Bridge operator A: Yes, sir. (pushes a few buttons and types something in the keyboard in front of him)

A few seconds later and a message window from the nearby enemy had appeared just above Bright's "star pilots"' message windows. For the crew of the Agama, the man that was in the message window wasn't very familiar to any of them, but to Bright, he knew the man a little too well.

Bright: Ben Wooder...

Wooder: /Well, well, if it isn't Bright Noah. How's Side 7 going?/

Bright: Much better than you'd expect, Ben. I thought you were expelled from the Academy a LONG time ago? I guess, wherever you go, money talks...

Mirai: You know this guy, Bright?

Bright: Do I know this guy? He's been next to my seat the whole time I was in the Academy back then, figures he'd join the draft when they organized the Titans...this guy's a total flunkout back then if you've ever seen one!

Wooder: (slams his hands on the table in front of him) /The hell is THAT supposed to mean, Bright? You realize you're not in a position to make jokes right now, what with I'm about to tell you.../

Bright: That's supposed to mean you've always been the loser that you were back then, Benny-baby. Heh, and here we now know that you're with the Titans, you're even much more of an idiot than you were--

Wooder: /Shut up, Bright! You think this is still years ago? This is different now, Mr. goody-two-shoes Genius. You've ALWAYS been the better one in the class, even when I was trying hard YOU were the only one who beat me. Well, right now, EVERYTHING'S gonna change. Everything will be turned in MY favor now, since.../ (pushes some buttons in front of him) /...since we have THIS to make you pee in your pants!/

There was just this much silence in the Agama's bridge as two other message windows in the main monitor had respectively shown the Mont Blanc and the Audomura each being escorted by purplish Pegasus-class battlecruisers and looked as if they were outright vulnerable at the moment. Bright and Mirai then immediately wondered why in the world would Amuro, of all people, would be captured so easily, that it's unbelievable.

Bright: What the hell is this supposed to be, Ben, some cheap trick you and your kids have dug up somewhere?

Wooder: /You've always been the sarcastic one, Captain Bright Noah. What you don't realize here is that I have all the cards now and you...have...none! Get it?!/

Bright: So tell me, Ben...when did you become so...psycho all of a sudden, eh? And how come I'm not worried about the welfare of our allies like you expect me to be?

Mirai: Bright, what are you saying?! Amuro and probably Hayato are probably in those battlecruisers! And you're talking like you're all so confident and everything?

Bright: (whispers) Chill, hon...I have a plan, and I'm guessing that Amuro has some sort of a plan as well. Don't worry too much about Amuro and Hayato...

Mirai: W...whatever you say, Bright...I'm just concerned for--

Wooder: /Psycho?! What the hell are you talking about, Bright? I am SO completely sane as you'll see. This here's just a bargain that I'll make with you AEUG creeps and the bargain is...if you guys want the respective crews of the Audomura and the Mont Blanc to live, you'll have to ummm..."throw down your weapons", so to speak, eh? And after that, we'll just have to take you all to the nearest...Federation outpost, right? Heh, yeah, that'll teach you to mess with a "psycho" like me.../

Bright: .....

Mirai: Bright, this is serious stuff! He's telling us to give up all the MS'es and ammunition that we have! What do you tell him?

Bright: (leans forward and stares hard at the monitor) We'll talk to the guys in the Mont Blanc and the Audomura first, Ben. Then we'll have to talk about this...deal of yours.

Wooder: (leans backward and stares thoughtfully at Bright) /Hmm, very well./ (turns towards his left and looks like he's talking to someone) /We'll have the transmission up in ten seconds, Bright. MAKE IT QUICK./

And a few seconds later indeed, Amuro's face came up in a small window pockmarked with lines of static on a certain portion of the main monitor. To Bright, Amuro almost looked no different from when they had last been in work together: but there's just this certain "thing" that distinguishes him from the Amuro seven to eight years ago. But then that doesn't interest Bright right now, seeing the situation at hand.

Bright and Mirai: How the hell do *you* get captured, Amuro?

Amuro: /Grouchy as usual, eh Captain? Oh, Mirai's there too, I see.../

Bright: Answer my question.

Amuro: /I had no idea we were being followed, Captain. Our...Minovsky particle radiation detector seems to have not been functioning properly lately and the next thing we knew, they were all around us./

Bright: This is just *so* typical of some people sometimes...what do you have to say for yourself this time?

Amuro: /Well, what can we do? I guess the little upgrade we had when we were back in Japan did us a little bad.../ (shrugs) /Anyway, I think we'll have some kind of...contingency plan coming up one way or another, you know?/

Bright: Let's not point any fingers at anyone anymore, okay? Do you have anything more to say at this point in time?

Amuro paused for as moment as he heard those words from Bright, and Mirai looked at her husband, blinking at what Bright had just said. "Anything more to say" was part of some sort of code they once had when they were all together in the 13th Autonomous Corps of the White Base: this was indeed that question asking what was that particular "contingency plan" Amuro had for that particular situation. Of course, the reply would have to be spoken "in code": only the original members of the White Base crew knew how.

Amuro: (smirks a little) /From out of the deepest, darkest depths of the sea there will emerge two avatars of woe coming with an entourage of ancient war chariots of unearthly fire; the first one, having a single horn on its head and the deepest purple for its skin, and the second one, red as the flames of the fiery hell from whence it came. It will be uncertain if these avatars of woe will bring death and destruction to the minions of evil or the forces of good, but it is certain that they will come in the time of desperate need. That's all I have to say, Captain./

But then, there was just this little problem: Amuro can make his riddles TOO hard to decipher most of the time. Bright had to commend Amuro for this, but they still have to know if the Titans knew what they were talking about, in case Ben Wooder was eavesdropping.

Bright: ...I see. I'll talk to you later, Amuro. Over and out.

With those words, the transmission from the Mont Blanc was soon cut off, and Ben Wooder's face soon flashed in a message window in the main monitor. Bright looked carefully into the Titan lieutenant's face, looking like he doesn't have a clue what Amuro had just said: they *had* been eavesdropping after all. *Very* typical of a Federation-backed "peacekeeping" force indeed.

Wooder: /Nice talk you had back there with Mr. Amuro Ray, eh? Captain and prot‚g‚ really do understand each other, don't they? Now, were you saying something about talking about this "deal" we have, if ever we *do* have a deal to begin with?/

Bright: .....

Wooder: /...hmm, suddenly you don't look as cocky as you were a few minutes earlier. Finally decided to give it up, eh Bright?/

Bright Noah just stared back in silence as Ben Wooder's imposing figure seemed to pressure the old White Base captain to give it up altogether...at least that's how it seemed to the Titan lieutenant and the rest of Bright's crew. The audience's anticipation was soon broken when Bright calmly answered:

Bright: ...this conversation's over, for now. I'll deal with you later.

Wooder: /--whoa, WAIT! You don't seem to understand what's going on here, Captain. If this conversation's over like you say it is, I guess we'll have to blast the Audomura, the Mont Blanc, *and* the Agama out of their misery, right here and now. You *do* get me, do you?/

Bright: But isn't that against the Federation's rules of engagement when apprehending criminals or delinquents? Or have you not been working on your homework again like you've always done?

Wooder: /What "rules of engagement"? Thos precious little "rules of engagement" you're talking about are nothing but words inked into worthless pieces of paper and they would only apply to Federal Forces wimps like you. We are the Titans, Bright. We do everything we want in order to achieve peace and order within the Earth and her colonies...by any means necessary./

Bright: Heh...seems that the rumors *were* right after all...

Wooder: /Captain Bright Noah of the AEUG, this conversation has gone on for too long for your own good. Are you going to surrender your arms and mobile suits to us or suffer the consequen--/

At that instant, Camille's image on another message window briefly interrupted that little chat between Bright and Wooder. He seemed to be quite alarmed of the situation so everybody has assumed that the boy had something to say about this whole mess.

Bright: What is it, Camille? We're busy here!

Camille: /...I'll volunteer as an exchange for our ships' safety, Captain./

Bright was stunned. This was definitely *not* going according to planned. Has that boy suddenly gone crazy? Bright asked himself as he tried to find the right words to say, primarily about Bright's unwillingness to let Camille "use his groin before his brain."

Bright: Absolutely NOT, Camille. I won't let you. This isn't a time to be so heroic--

Camille: /Are we going to just let these idiots drag us around with their little bargains? Come on, Captain, think about it! It's *me* that these guys want. Without me, the AEUG would have a very slim, or worse yet, no chance of winning this war!/

Bright: Camille, you don't seem to understa--

Camille: /I understand perfectly well, Captain. Don't worry.../ (does a thumbs-up and winks) /I'll be fine!/ (looks behind him and holds Four's hand)

Bright could just faintly hear Four's worried voice sighing out his star pilot's name. He then peered carefully into Camille's face, especially the boy's eyes--they were, surprisingly enough, a little bit like Amuro's just now when they had finished talking.

Camille Vidan had plans of his own.

As much as he'd like to distrust his pilots when they seem to have a "plan" brewing--once, Amuro; now, Camille--these plans of theirs usually went quite well.

Wooder: /The boy's right, Captain. This boy has been on the Federation's blacklist of being the one who decimated most of the Titans' mobile suits with a STOLEN Gundam Mk-II...one of our own...that his FATHER has designed especially for Titan use only. Camille Vidan, have you no shame? You should be working WITH your dad, not AGAINST him!/

Camille: (mumbles) "Elite Special Forces" of the Earth Federation indeed...heh...

Wooder: /I *heard* that, punk./

Camille: /So let's just get this thing over with, shall we?!/ (slams his hands somewhere on his cockpit) /Captain, open the hatches. I'm going out./

Bright: .....very well, Camille. (turns to one of his bridge crew) Open the agama's hatches for immediate launch of Ensign Camille Vidan's Gundam Mk-II, on the double.

Bridge crew A: Yes, Captain. (pushes some buttons and relays some commands into a comm link) /Opening hatches.....done. Ensign Camille Vidan, Gundam Mk-II, prepare for launch!/

Camille: (makes his Mk-II place its feet on the launch pad) /Ready to launch.../

Bright: ...good luck, Camille. I hope you know what you're doing. Gundam Mk-II, launch!

Not soon after Bright's command was relayed, the sound of loud jet boosters went off quite a bit faintly from behind them; the AEUG's white Mk-II had indeed been launched. Everyone crossed their fingers as they knew the Gundam was only armed with its head vulcan guns and its beam saber, thus making Camille a most vulnerable target for the titans. But, strangely enough, at least Camille was wise to bring his shield with him.

Wooder: /Heh. We'll deal with you later as I send out your Camille Vidan's "welcoming party". You can expect the Audomura and the Mont Blanc to come flying by over your airspace in a few minutes. Do NOT try to do any of your dirty tricks on me, Bright Noah./

As Ben Wooder cut off the transmission from the Sudry, everyone in the Agama's bridge rushed here and there after Bright had uttered command after command to plan what seemed to be a sneak attack on the Audomura's and the Mont Blanc's captors.

Mirai: You better be sure of this, Bright. (sighs) I'm really worried for that boy over there...but did you just *see* him? He really reminded me of Amuro in the old days...in this case, Camille's taking too much risks, you know?

Bright: This "plan" will be every bit as perfect as I had assumed it to be, hon. Camille might be a lot hot-headed, but he does his job well, as you've said, like Amuro used to do. I've already alerted Captain Misato Katsuragi of Nerv of our sortie and by five minutes she will have relayed our sortie to her..."advance troops". Tch..."dirty tricks", Ben? Speak for yourself...

Mirai: (blinks) ...nerv? What's this..."Nerv"...?

-----

Camille couldn't believe that Titan lieutenant could be so gullible, he laughed to himself silently as he waded his Gundam Mk-II into the lake water and went on his way to what seemed to look like the Sudry, both to Camille and Four. Four nudged his shoulder and gave him a worried look.

Four: Camille...are you sure you wanna go through with this...plan of yours? I mean, aren't you taking a lot of risks just to rescue your friends?

Camille: I said I can handle it, okay?

Four: (pouts) You didn't have to answer me with *that* tone of voice...

Camille: Huh? Oh...hey, I'm sorry...you know what, I'll tell you...these guys won't know what'll hit then once we get aboard that big fat green Audomura-class heap of junk--

Four: ..... (hugs Camille and thinks to herself) *He* won't know what'll hit him--oh, Camille...I sure do hope you know what you're doing...making deals with these people is bad news...

Little to Four's knowledge, Camille actually "heard" what four was thinking in her heart. Kind of strange, he thought, that someone such as Four would actually know about what system the Titans run in order to get what they want. Does she know something he doesn't? he will have to talk to her later about this...he began to feel worried if he'd made the right decision or not.

Four: Be strong, Camille. (smiles at him and then kisses) his cheek) Be strong...

He tried hard not to blush and kept this excitement of Four kissing him all to himself. Camille would *really* have to deal with the Abominable Wrath of his real girlfriend Fa if she finds out about this.

-----

Well, this is strange, Bright had thought while rubbing his chin and viewing the main monitor in front of him. It seems as if the Audomura and the Mont Blanc have a few...escorts with them.

Bright: Why the bloody hell am I not surprised...do you *see* that? (points to the monitor)

Mirai: Looks like it was a sour deal after all...what do you do next, Bright?

Bright: ...we wait.

-----

Amuro: Have you confirmed the position of the Gundam Mk-II?

Bridge crew A: yes, sir. It's heading towards the green Audomura-class a moderately long distance away from the Agama, and it looks like that green Audomura-class ship is also headed this way.

Amuro: This is serious business...what in the frigging hell is the pilot of that Gundam Mk-II thinking? We can pretty much handle this whole frigging mess without any extra trouble to worry about!


Shiro: Maybe the pilot of that Mk-II has some sort of plan, like maybe taking out that Titan Audomura-class ship out, and while they're all confused, he's expecting we should make a break for it? I'm quite puzzled myself, Captain...

Amuro: I already told them the Evangelions would lend us support if we couldn't handle it! Jesus Christ.....well, it seems like a good theory. We could only imagine what Captain Bright Noah and our little friends in the Agama are thinking...

Shiro: Indeed. For the moment, why don't you, Lieutenant MacKenzie, and the rest of our pilots get goinbg and hop into your mobile suits? I'm surer this whole show's going to start any time soon and--

Amuro: That's what I going to say, Captain turns to Chris and leaves the room) Let's go.

Chris: (nods and follows Amuro) Right.

Shiro: ...oh! (turns around as Amuro and Chris go out of the main bridge) Don't forget to make your last will and testament, okay?

Amuro: (shakes his fist) Write yours first, Captain.

-----

This was indeed turning into an awkward situation: Camille volunteers to "sacrifice" himself to free the Mont Blanc and the Audomura from the Titans, but has a plan of his own; at least that's what Amuro and Bright had assumed. But in all of this, everyone in the AEUG who has met this strange but kind and nice-looking young woman known as Four Murasame has still yet to figure out who or what she really is.

Camille has still yet to figure out why he, weirdly enough, felt...easy around her. (And he still has yet to figure out also how to handle things if Fa finds out about "him and Four".)

And as spoken by way of Amuro's riddle, the two Evangelions were indeed on their way to Hong Kong, carried by two vintage aircraft carriers with the Federation logo as some sort of disguise so as not to be unnecessarily detected or arrested by the Titans (just in case the Titans already know of Nerv being unofficially allied with the said rebel group). Shinji and Asuka were more than prepared to show the Titans what they can do, but for the time being, they'll be on their own.

They were both confident that their A.T. fields will protect them, no matter what.

A few more minutes pass, and the Mont Blanc and the Audomura were but a kilometer or two away from the Agama and the Radish, but still being escorted by Federation Salamis-class ships (which were now actually being managed by the Titans). Bright had already told his pilots to stand by for a possible sortie, but he was still slightly concerned for Camille and his female friend.

The Gundam Mk-II soon found itself on what looks like a fishing port blockaded by three Titan Zaku-II's. The young pilot chuckled to himself, why the hell so they still use these outdated Zaku's? Don't they have any blueprints for the Mk-II, so they can chug out a lot of them? Anyway, Camille thought, Zaku's have always been inferior to a Gundam, so breaking free would be a cinch.

Four: Don't be so sure of yourself, Camille. These guys are dangerous, I can just feel it...

Camille: Yeah, I know that. "Elite Special Forces" of the Earth Federation indeed, hah! But...let me ask you a question, Four...how do *you* know they're "dangerous"? Have you actually gone and piloted a mobile suit before and fought these guys?

Four: .....

Camille: Come on, answer me! I won't get mad...just answer me, please. It's just that, with that tone of voice, you seemed like you've had a lot of experience with MS piloting. I really need to know, Four...

Four: .....look, let's just...talk about this later, okay? Just pay attention to what you're doing right now...

Camille: (sighs) ...all right...

Four: (points somewhere in the cockpit's main monitor) Your welcoming party looks like they're not so excited to see you, Camille.

Camille: (gulps) Seems that way... (thinks) She felt it too...could she be a Newtype, like I am? I'll...have to deal with this later.

Still, a few more seconds pass, and after the three Zaku's started to escort the lone Gundam Mk-II into what looked like the Sudry, Amuro and Chris bit their own lips in anticipation. They both realize hell could break loose at the drop of a pin, but even if they do get through with this, it'll be far from over. They all know the Federation has so much more to "show" the AEUG what they're made of since they're the largest army (if not the only one) in the whole colony system, and that this wouldn't even be one-fourth of their whole battle.

The AEUG still has to worry about peace negotiations and getting allies in...most unlikely places. But that's not Amuro's and Chris' job; they'll all have to leave it to the AEUG Supreme Commander...and yes, even Lieutenant Commander Quattro Bajina. Amuro figured out that he knows Quattro all too well when it comes to politics.

Chris: /Looks like he's already there, huh?/

Amuro: Yeah. Good thing we're all ready for launch if ever this whole thing starts...

Chris: /How do you think we'll manage?/

Amuro: I dunno about you, Chris, but I can fight well underwater...

Chris: (face turns a bit sour) /What's THAT supposed to mean?/

Amuro: (sweatdrops) Nothing! Just that I haven't seen you fight in underwater terrains, that's all!

Chris: /Hmph! You doubt my abilities, sempai...you should know better than to do THAT. Everyone knows that everything I've learned, I've learned it from you and Bernie, and you shouldn't put yourself or my fianc‚ down so much!/

Amuro: Yeah, yeah. Save that bitchy stuff for the Titans, eh?

Chris: (blinks) /What the...?! "Bitch"? Geez...I'll get you for tthis later, sempai...hey, look at that...it seems that our live feed from the bridge is getting a bit screwy.../ (pouts) /How are we supposed to know if we're supposed to launch?/

Amuro: Ahh, don't worry about it too much, Chris...I think it's just static or something...it'll pass. We'll know when we'll be launching if the bridge says so.

Chris: /Gotcha, sempai./

And so everything seems to be coming into order; Camille's Gundam is slowly making its way into the "Sudry" and is being escorted by three Zaku's while everyone else in their own respective battlecruisers awaits what they would assume was Camille's next move.

Four was indeed in a bit of a dilemma, now that she finds out the boy whom she got to be friends with and, weirdly enough, whom she starts to feel very "comfy and fuzzy" with, was indeed the Gundam pilot whom she fought against, even though the memories of that last battle that they had were a bit hazy. As her feelings for this boy were slowly developing, Four would regret the day she would have to face Camille in battle once again; her, in that big black Gundam twice the size of the white one Camille's piloting right now. She tried hard to hide what she was feeling deep in her heart, for she, in one way or another, felt that the blue-haired boy in front of her was indeed a Newtype.

Which was strange, she thought, since she didn't think for one second that she was a Newtype herself. Was she? That, she still had to know...

Four just wiped the sweat from her eyebrow as she gulped slightly, seeing that the three Zaku's from the organization from which she had came from were taking both her and Camille away into that familiar green battlecruiser. She thought it better not to interrupt Camille in his line of thought for the moment, but she thought she might just give it a shot...

Four: Camille, we're nearing the MS dock of that green ship. Are you going to do anything now or do we still have to wait? (holds his shoulders with a bit of a mild grip)

Camille: (holds one of Four's hands) Any time now, Four...be patient...

Four: All right...just thought you might be going for it right now...

Camille: Hey, I might act before I think sometimes but I do think out a plan in times like these! Geez...

Four: Okay already! Just...just don't shout at me again...

Camille: I'm sorry...

Four: No, it's okay. (smiles)

Camille and Four then both waited for the right moment to strike, hoping that any moment now, some mistake would have to happen on the part of their captors. As they both watched the "Sudry" hover down slowly in front of them, opening its MS-sized hatch as if it were welcoming them and their escorts, they both almost bit their lips in anticipation of the whole moment, when suddenly...

...when suddenly, one of the Zaku's accidentally slipped and fell into the muddy ground below the "Sudry". While the other two Zaku's were a bit distracted with helping their fallen comrade up to its feet, Camille took this chance and, pulling out the beam saber handle from behind him, slashed and hacked away as fast and furiously as he can with the two standing Zaku's, piercing the edge of his beam saber into their cockpits after shoving them off the Titan battlecruiser's MS hatch with its shield. The fallen Zaku-II didn't even have time to get up as the Gundam Mk-II stomped on it repeatedly and further destroyed the last of the three by stabbing its beam saber into its chest cockpit.

Soon enough, all hell did break loose as the Mont Blanc launched the remainder of its MS'es and went away at the Salamis cruisers surrounding the Mont Blanc, not giving them any chance to launch any mobile suits of their own and, by Captain Shiro Amada's command, activated the Mont Blanc's I-field barrier, this time serving as a shield rather than its original concept as a "beam ram". Amuro, Chris, and the rest of their fellow pilots all instinctively boosted their way up into the Salamises' bridges as soon as they all steered towards the Mont Blanc to fire away at it. The Kalaba mobile suits blasted away at the Salamises' battle bridges, causing quite a significant number of losses, at least on the part of the Titans.

Amuro and his group were soon joined by Bright Noah's own platoon of newly-fitted mobile suits, with Emma and Reccoa leading the pack. Emma and a group of her own soon separated from Reccoa's group and, as usual, offered support for Camille in taking out the big green Audomura-class battlecruiser.

The whole battle lasted for a bit more than what everybody had expected; the Salamis cruisers did manage to launch some of their own MS'es (Zaku-II's and a number of GM's), and they even managed to pull off a few tricks off their sleeve: there were also quite a sizable platoon of Titan Zaku's that came out from the murky lake just around them, hoping that their sheer numbers will overwhelm the AEUG and the Kalaba.

But then, their quantities seemed to pale in comparison with the already-insufficient number of AEUG mobile suits, but they did put up a good fight against the rebel group's platoon of mobile suits, eventually taking out five or six AEUG GM-II's. But in all of this, they all seemed to fall one by one thanks to Amuro's, Chris', and Emma's battle experience as seasoned MS pilots, as well as Camille's uncanny ability and sheer luck as a pilot.

Emma and Camille weren't having much easy time either as the "Sudry" also did manage to launch a few MS'es of their own, Zaku-II's with pilots that have had more than enough experience to withstand them both for a few minutes. Camille thought he was toast when one Zaku suddenly came up behind him and pointed a beam submachinegun at the back of his Gundam's head when suddenly Emma's Rick Dias came up behind that Zaku's back and shot at it at point-blank range with a beam gun, the shot going through the Zaku's back and out of it chest cockpit.

Emma: /You ought to be careful next time, boy!/

Camille: Y...yeah, thanks, Miss Emma...you saved my life again...

Emma: /Well, what are you waiting for? Fight on!/

Camille: R...right...

And so Camille did fight on, and the battle was really getting ugly as time went by, the AEUG seemingly getting the upper hand in all of this. While the battle raged on, Four just sat there behind Camille silently, her hands trembling as if she was afraid of something. And as the sounds of battle went booming and screaming outside, all of the death and destruction that she had felt what with the pilots of the opposing forces had experienced slowly crept in and take their toll on her.

The only thing Four could do was cover her ears in shock and confusion.

Camille: You feeling okay back there?

Four: Y...yeah, just that I...

Camille: You haven't really been into a real battle before, huh? You seem like you're feeling uneasy with all of this...stuff going on right now, huh?

Four: I...I guess you can say that...

Camille: Just relax, you'll get used to it in a bit. I, myself, haven't really gotten used to the heat of battle until I've fought a lot of them and, you know, won them all. Heh heh...

Four: ..... (snickers a little)

Camille: (blinks) What's so funny?

Four: N...nothing, just that I think you feel confident with this...line of work you're in right now. Well, are you?

Camille: As much as I'd hate to kill people, Four, I'd have to. I was sucked into playing a part in this whole struggle between the AEUG and the Titans and now I feel like I have this big responsibility hanging on my shoulders. I hope you'll understand, Four...

Four: Yeah, I understand, Camille. Just...oh, look out!

Camille: Whoa...!!

To Camille's surprise, Emma's Rick Dias suddenly came up in front of him as if it were flying from the impact of being hit and finally hit home; the two AEUG mobile suits soon fell down on top of the other.

Emma: /You okay down there?/

Camille: Yeah, what was that all about?! You just appeared in front of me and--

Emma: /Well, some Zaku just happened to throw me into your line of direction, thank you very much! Now let's just get up and clean up this whole mess!/

Camille: Yes, ma'am!

And get up they both did, soon enough double-teaming on the Zaku that threw Emma's Rick Dias into Camille's Gundam Mk-II and destroying it. The two mobile suits nodded at each other and jump-boosted themselves up into the main bridge of the "Sudry" and blasted away at it as it was on its way to retreat, withstanding the said battlecruiser's main vulcan gun turrets aimed and firing at them, protecting them both while they were both hacking and slashing away at the "Sudry"'s main bridge. Emma was even a bit worried for Camille as she saw that his Gundam's shield looks like it couldn't take anymore, so she took it upon herself to cover Camille as well.

Soon enough, before it can even aim and fire its main mega beam cannons into the two targets, the Gundam and the red Rick Dias soon jumped off as soon as they knew the whole thing was going to explode--and that it did. Camille almost jumped from his cockpit chair in victory when they had made the "Sudry" explode.

Soon enough, there were a few Titan MS'es and two Salamis cruisers remaining from among the AEUG's and the Kalaba's enemies, which looked like they were about to explode at any moment, went off retreating into a certain direction when they had seen the carnage that had just ensued. Another day, another victory for the AEUG...so it seemed to all of them. Like his old subordinate Amuro, Bright Noah knew this wasn't the last wave, so he immediately radio'ed all of his remaining troops to be prepared for any more waves of Titan ships and MS'es.

Bright: /That will be all for today. All units, return to your respective docking stations. Camille...nice job, but we should all still stay prepared. I have this feeling that the green Audomura-class wasn't their main ship after all./

Camille: A dummy?

Bright: /More or less, yeah, it was just a dummy. The Salamis-class cruisers we just destroyed weren't even half as equipped and prepared as we had thought them to be./

Camille: That's because they're the Titans are all bumbling idiots!

Bright: /You shouldn't speak too soon, Camille. Now you get yourself and your Gundam's bloody ass back here! We still have a lot of repairs to do, especially with *your* MS!/

-----

Yet another shallow victory, Bright had thought as he tried to silence his troops inside the Agama's briefing room, slamming his hands on the podium in front of him.

Bright: Why don't you all just shut up?! You're all acting like kids in a classroom! Jeebus, people, we're all soldiers here! I would at least demand some attention and respect here!

And a few seconds later, the commotion died down, and Bright finally got the attention he needed. Well, except for a few people murmuring here and there, but he's gotten used to that.

Amuro: We're ready, Captain.

Camille: So umm...what's the deal this time, Captain?

Bright: (looks around) Everyone want to pay attention now? Good. Now, here's the deal, kids--although we've won this battle, we still have to wait for our reinforcements from Nerv. Now, I know this situation might go out of hand fast, but remember, we all wiped out their troops with the fewest casualties, didn't we?

Bright's troops were still eagerly listening to his instructions, but then, to him, they all looked like they could use some comments on that "we had a fewe casualties, but we did it anyway" phrase.

Bright: ...good, I'm happy to see you all agree with me, although all of you don't really like it. We're not here in a like-hate basis anyway. At any rate, our third and last batch of new supplies and ammunition will arrive in a few hours. (looks at his watch) It's exactly 10:28 AM right now, and guessing from what Miss Stephanie Luo had told me while she had contacted us earlier, our final supplies will have to arrive at around 12:00 noon, sharp. Any questions?

Camille: (raises his hand) Captain, sir...will the Audomura be coming with us to space if we ever do get to launch soon? I mean, as far as I know, Audomura-class ships aren't "adjustable" into "space-type" aircraft...not that I'm putting down Lieutenant Kobayashi or anything, but...

Bright: Camille, it's already a given that the Audomura will not be coming with us into space. The Kalaba forces, although being an affiliate to us, the AEUG, don't involve themselves in our space operations. Lieutenant Kobayashi told me earlier that he will be heading to India on one of Kalaba's bases there. Anything else?

Mirai: (thinks) India...

Amuro: (raises his hand) I would just like to say something, ladies and gentlemen. (stands up and faces the audience) As I've already done some research on how the Evangelions operate, that they basically run on an external power source most of the time connected by what Nerv calls an "umbilical cable" to the middle back portion of a standard Eva...pardon me for not furnishing you all with a diagram, but...I'd like to suggest that we work on providing the Eva's with the external power source outlets that they will need. We don't want to have to rely on the Eva's battery backup mechanism as this will even prove to be some sort of a hindrance to us, as well as the Eva pilots. I've also instructed a few of our AEUG engineers on how to deal with the basic mechanics of a standard Evangelion in case they need repairs or upgrades. That's all, Captain. (sits down)

Bright: This matter concerning our reinforcements from Nerv will have to be taken into consideration. Anything else? Oh, Camille...concerning Miss Four Murasame, that lady sitting with you right now...we'll deal with her later.

Camille: (pauses for a few seconds) ...yes, Captain. (looks at Four, who holds his hand tight and looks back worriedly, then thinks) I wonder if...they actually found out who Four really is...I feel this plot's beginning to thick REAL slowly...

Four: (softly) Oh, Camille...

Up until this very minute, Camille couldn't even look straight into Fa's face, when he had accidentally bumped into her as they were about to hold this briefing. He wanted to hit himself on the face right that instant as thought of that little moment between him, Fa and Four. Especially, when Fa asked him "who that girl was. "She's...just a friend..." he told her earlier...

...but he could just sense that Fa knew that Four wasn't "just a friend" to Camille.

Bright: If there will be no more questions, I will dismiss you all now and you will all return to your respective stations and battlecruisers immediately. (pauses for a few more seconds and sighs unnoticeably) Okay. Everybody, stand up.
And as everybody stood up and saluted Bright as part of military procedure, the Captain uttered the word, "Dismissed," as he saluted back at his pilots and lower officers. He then gathered his papers on the podium and, using a remote control, turned off the map simulator behind him.

Camille then walked up to him, still holding Four's hand, and shyly asked him if he could have "permission to speak".

Bright: We're not in a formation, Camille. If you have something to say, speak up. (stuffs his papers into a portfolio bag)

Camille: Well...it's just that...it's something about Four here. W...what did you mean by..."you'll have to deal with her later"?

Bright: Oh, that. Well, she did say she couldn't even remember who or what she is, right? I just thought I'd go out of my way, speaking for Commander Brex Forra whom I think would do the very same thing, to help her in any way i can. After all, she *is* your friend, right?

Camille: Well, yeah... (rolls his eyes)

Bright: So what seems to be the problem, boy?

Camille: N...nothing. We'll be leaving now...

Bright Noah just looked at Camille and Four go out of the room together in silence. He told himself, "God, Camille...I'd hate to do this, but...it couldn't really be helped if most of us here in the Agama thinks your friend might be a spy..."

Bright: Just think of this as special treatment for an outstanding pilot, Camille... (softly, as Camille and Four were leaving the room) this is for your own good, Camille Vidan.

Hathaway and Cheimin: ...dad?

Quess: Hi, Captain... (sucks her thumb)

Bright: Oh...hi, kids. Hi, honey, Quess...what brings you all here?

Mirai: Bright...I've decided for the three of us to go to India instead of side 7...at least, for the moment. I just thought we'd be better protected there...I mean, since Side 7's colonies *do* have a Federation-Titan military facility...

Bright: Honey, it's okay, I get what you're trying to say. Kids...come here for a second...

Hathaway and Cheimin: (walks over to Bright) Something wrong, dad?

Bright: Nothing...just that daddy's...got a lot of work to do. I do hope you two understand, okay?

Cheimin: We understand daddy. But...just please try to spend some more time with us when you do come back, okay?

Hathaway: .....

Bright: Hmm...let's just hope so, sweetie. Umm...something wrong, Hathaway?

Hathaway: ...nothing, dad. Just that I...never mind. It's...it's nothing important. (shakes his head)

Bright: ...I see. Well, then... (pats his children's backs) I'm sorry if this little unexpected family reunion of ours turned out this way...let's just all hope daddy well get back home fine, okay?

Mirai: Just don't get yourself killed, Bright... (hugs her husband and her children)

Quess: (walks up slowly inj front of the Noah family) Umm...I dunno what to say, but...Captain...

Bright: Anything you'd like to say, Quess?

Quess: Captain...I...I...it's just that...well... (rolls her eyes and sighs) I-it's been an honor to have met you, sir. (clenches her fist) That's all...I guess...

Bright: Well, it certainly is an honor to meet you too, Miss Quess Paraya. You take good care of Hathaway here, okay? (rubs his son's head)

Hathaway: (blushes beet-red) Daaaad!

Quess: (blushes) Yup, you can count on me for that, Captain sir! (giggles and hugs Hathaway) I'll take *good* care of li'l ol' Mafty here. (grins at Hathaway)

With the laughs of the three children leaving the two adults still puzzled with all this "Mafty" business with Hathaway, Amuro just grinned slightly as he watched them from afar and turned around walking towards his destination, wherever it may be. Amuro just shook his head in wonder of "what could have been", had he not been involved in the One-Year War about seven years ago.

Amuro was about to turn 23 in a matter of months, but it seemed little to him anymore...at least, because he was such a broken young man right now to begin with. His mother, here on earth not really wanting her boy to become his destiny.

Amuro hardly knew what happened to his dad after that..."fateful" reunion in a colony in Side 6. he almost felt sorry for the poor man...her then wondered why he didn't just put his dad in a mental institution that very day. He guessed that he didn't have the heart back then...a mental institution could have helped his dad in his state of mind...

...but, as people would say, the past is past. Here is now, but still a few of the past's shadows keep haunting him to no end.

He just wanted to get Lalah out of his mind for good, at that very moment...

And indeed, at that very moment, Amuro's train of thought was soon enough cut off when someone bumped into him. It was the boy, Camille Vidan, who was still being followed by this pretty young lady of short, teal hair and lips of deep purple..."Four Murasame" was her name, to his knowledge.

Camille: Oh, Captain! I...I'm sorry...
Amuro: Huh? Oh, n...no. It's okay. Carry on... (starts to walk away from them)

Camille: (stands up in attention and salutes Amuro) Sir, yes sir!

Four: (curiously and innocently looks at Amuro) .....

Amuro: (turns around) Umm...your name's Four Murasame, right? (offers a handshake to her) Pretty interesting name, your parents like numbers that much? Oh, and Camille...you don't have to do that...

Four: Y...yeah, that's my name... (shakes Amuro's hand) And I don't really have any memory of having any parents...anyhow, it's a pleasure to have met you, Captain Amuro Ray. (snickers and smiles)

Amuro: Same here...uhh, tell you what. Let's all have a little chat one of these days while you guys from the AEUG are still on Earth, what do you think?

Camille: Uhh...s-sure! I...guess. Eh heh heh. I'd be glad to, sir!

Amuro: Great. Umm... (scratches his forehead lightly) I'll...be on my way all right? You guys be good, and Camille...keep up the good work, okay boy? I see some...potential in you. And take it easy!

Camille: Uhh...thanks, sir...I guess...by your leave, sir. (salutes Amuro)

Four: looks at Camille, giggles softly, then salutes Amuro as well) Be careful, Captain...

Amuro: (salutes back at them) Right. (turns around and walks away)

As he walked away from them, Amuro couldn't help but notice a young girl, about Camille's or Shinji's or Asuka's age, looking...or wor5se yet, more like *glaring* into Camille and Four walking together holding hands. As he thought he'd seen this girl with long, black hair before in a yellow AEUG uniform with Camille before, he just shook his head and thought, this is going to get really ugly one of these days.

Just like how thing got ugly between him and Char--no, Quattro--when Lalah...

Amuro just sighed. Things will definitely get *really* ugly.

-----

And indeed, just as Bright Noah had predicted, this whole deal in Hong Kong was not yet over. Ben Wooder received word from the two surviving Salamis support battlecruisers that the Sudry's decoy had indeed fallen and that his decoy troops had been decimated, yet again by the combined forces of the AEUG and the Kalaba.

Sometimes he just wondered what if he had just taken another job than this one. But that wasn't his primary concern right now...

Poor rookies, he thought, and he then received that things would have to be dealt with by his own hands. He was confident enough that he could both eliminate both the AEUG and the Kalaba itself because now, the Psyco Gundam was up and ready for use by a non-Newtype...

...the immensely ugly and ebony Psyco Gundam was up and ready for use by an Oldtype like himself, he grinned as he played on this thought.

Wooder: We will bury them...

-----

And just as the final assault on the AEUG was underway, the two vintage Federation aircraft carriers holding Evangelion Units-01 and 02 were slowly but surely making their way to Hong Kong.

Shinji then called his redhead partner on his cellphone. After a few rings, Asuka picked up her own cellphone and answered.

Asuka: /I can tell you're excited, Shinji./

Shinji: I can also just feel you're ready to kick ass anytime, Asuka...like I know you always are.

Asuka: /I don't really know if this'll be a "big career decision", as grownups would put it, on Misato's part, since she was so compulsive enough to get us into this war...but yeah, I'm game. How about you?/

Shinji: Whatever rocks their boat, I guess.


.....


It was 11:20 AM.


To be continued
-----

I'm very sorry for all the delays that this fic have suffered but what could I do? I've just become a very busy person all of a sudden, at least after my graduation from my Foreign Service course. Oh well, but at least right now I've finished this whole thing up. I dunno how much more time I'll spend on just making the next chapter but I'm sure I could make it, more or less.

And for some useless information...I had just begun to watch Martian Successor Nadesico and Serial Experiments Lain. These are very interesting shows, I must say, to say the least.

Well anyway, I'll try to make something out, even if I'm busy with my new venture in life---Law School. As always, C&C's are welcome, NO FLAMES PLEASE. Until then, "Believe in the sign of ZETA...beyond the hard times from now."