Disclaimer-- I don't own Eva and I don't want to. I just enjoy writing about it. :)
Special thanks to: SxStrgSamurai13 -- Basic overview and analytical response
Tchernobyl -- Content-judgment and critical support
Xanatose -- Grammar/Spelling/Continuity (revenge, eh?)
Tommy Rude -- Character analysis
Thanks much guys. Wouldn't have been able to pull it off without ya's.
Prologue: There's No Place Like Home
I hate this. I really do. It's pointless, it's wrong, and I hate it. We don't have to do this. Why won't they listen to me?
I hate this.
I really do.
The cycles of declarations swirled through the young man's mind over and over again, like waves crashing against the shoreline, surging further and further upon the beach, then shrinking back beneath the fingerings of the next foaming up-cropping of water. Still, with each pulse the teenager's heart picked up speed a notch as the thrill of the hunt began to overtake him.
I hate this, I hate this, I hate this…
In moments the unsuspecting red and white form of one of his opponents was before him, watching carefully from between two buildings at the least likely of paths that an adversary would have taken.
Shinji Ikari had learned a long time ago that the best hiding place was in plain sight. While the pilot of the red mammoth was attempting to search for him on the other end of the city, the dark-haired boy and his purple Eva had crept up the largest boulevard available and had crawled low amongst the smaller buildings until he was no more than a quick burst of speed away from his target.
I hate this. It's pointless and wrong. Why do they make me do this?
His AT field was focused on obscuring the sensors of his unsuspecting adversary. With slow and deliberate movements, he pulled the purple, black, and green behemoth known as "Evangelion Unit-01" into a crouch, adjusting his footing as he prepared to pounce.
The sixth sense of a trained warrior suddenly kicked in, and the young man realized he had erred and cut his time short from a few seconds to a few instances before the climax. The span of his next breath would determine whether he would win or lose this encounter.
I hate this.
With a burst of super-human speed that should have been impossible for a creature or even a machine—neither of which the Eva was, and yet it was both at the same time—of its size, Shinji willed the machine to barrel into the quickly rousing red, black, and orange form of Evangelion Unit-02.
The four-eyed visage managed to make a quarter of a turn before it was seized from behind, its neck being gripped harshly and the head being forced into an awkward angle. One of its arms was also seized and jerked around and to the rear of its back by the wrist.
Eva Unit-01 jerked the arm of its opponent almost to the breaking point while its fingers bore deeply into the neck of the crimson giant. With a mighty wrench the purple monster slammed back into the skyscraper that had supposedly served as cover for the four-eyed beast.
Now both the building and the other Eva would serve as a shield.
Sparsely a second had gone by before, on an instinct, Shinji willed his Eva to yank its captive at another angle as he released the neck and reached for the pistol that had suddenly sprung from the left shoulder pillar. Gripping the pistol he prepared for the long-ranged attack he knew would come in only a hand's breadth. If he had timed it right, the sniper would accidentally hit Unit-02 and disable it while revealing her own position to the lone pilot and his mecha for retaliation.
He pulled the pistol in close, holding it upright and preparing to wheel it in whichever direction was necessary for a precise counter-attack.
I hate this…
The sound of a high-caliber gunshot pierced the air, and Shinji cringed involuntarily as the plug went dark momentarily. His head sunk, and it wasn't until his lungs screamed for oxygen that he realized he had been holding his breath the entire time.
He watched his hands as they trembled in fear and excitement, his veins awash with the adrenaline his body released every time he participated in one of these simulations. It was true that he hated it, but…
Shinji Ikari closed his eyes, filling his lungs with the dark liquid that provided him with both a cushioning medium as well as a way to synchronize with the beast he was currently sitting in. He heaved a heavy sigh, trying to force his body to cease the tremors that practically enveloped his entire being, rationalizing he shouldn't be excited in the least with having to spar with his two partners in such a manner.
"I hate it…" he whispered to himself as the red emergency lights flared on, signaling the plug was being ejected.
His body refused to acknowledge his declaration, and his heart continued to beat at a rapid pace.
(-----)
The bow glided back and forth across the gut strings of the cello, drawing a melancholy song from the bowels of the empty body of wood. Long, sad notes drifted through the air of the apartment as a set of fingers danced to a slow waltz along the neck of the instrument on marks that weren't seen, but felt by the player.
It was for the first time the performer noticed that the larger the gap between where his fingers pinched the strings, the deeper and more sorrowful the notes that ensued.
Not unlike how he felt at the moment. He had been pinched off, and the ravine that was developing between himself and the rest of humanity was continuing to bore deeper and wider every day. Before long, he knew he would become a bloodthirsty animal—not unlike the monster he trained to pilot almost daily of late—and totally lose his humanity.
And he didn't even do it for himself. It was all for his fellow man.
His jaw clenched tightly, and the hand holding the bow drew across the strings improperly, creating a high-pitched wailing sound, startling both the player and his audience from the dazed reverie to which each had succumbed.
"War~k!" the penguin that had been dubbed "Pen Pen" chimed, jumping from the cushion he had been settled on and flapping his wings vigorously.
"Sorry, sorry!" Shinji apologized, feeling a very human-like smile creeping to his lips at the bird's reaction.
Had the avian been able to scowl, it is very likely it would have done so at that moment.
With a heavy sigh the young man opened the case for the cello he had been given as a youth, and with practiced hands he set the archaic instrument into its proper resting place. After replacing the bow in its holster, he closed the case and set it back into the corner just next to the entertainment set.
I'm just feeling sorry for myself, he mentally chided. I'm no less human than the next person. After all, if I wasn't human, then why would I bother trying to protect them? And it's not like it's such a big deal…there hasn't been an Angel attack in over two years. There probably won't be anymore, and as long as I'm in NERV they'll pay for my schooling, so-
His thoughts were cut off as the front door opened. He turned to see who had shown up at such an hour unbidden, and could only smile as the lithe form of Misato Katsuragi struggled with two bags of groceries all while trying to balance on one high-heeled shoe as she used her other foot to hook the door and close it.
"You want some help?" he asked, moving to assist before the words had even made their way entirely out of his mouth.
The dark-haired woman threw him a perplexed glance before nodding wordlessly as she handed him the heavier of the two bags whilst slipping her shoes off.
"Ritsuko finished early with us today. I'm surprised you weren't there. Usually you like to watch these little war games the Commander sets up for us," Shinji answered her unasked question.
She smiled faintly as she set the bag on the table and pulled a chair out and began rubbing her stocking-clad foot. "Well, the good doctor had other plans for me today. I just got back from Tokyo-2 an hour ago and remembered we were out of milk and some other stuff, so I stopped by the store before coming home…"
"Tokyo-2?" the young man asked, blinking in surprise. Well, that explains why she wasn't here this morning or at headquarters today.
Misato smiled, shifting in her seat and propping her feet up on the table in a very unlady-like seating arrangement, considering her short dress. "Yup! Had to go listen to a bunch of old farts gripe about not having any money because of NERV, and they tried to point the finger at us 'cause of the Angel attacks from way-back-when. I wish they'd understand that if they cut our funds even shorter that when the shit hits the fan we won't be able to protect them. I mean, what good are money and power going to be if no one's left around to enjoy them because some pompous jerk is worried over the fact that he can only afford five maids instead of six this year?"
"I'd imagine they wouldn't be any good at all, considering without people to enjoy such things I guess they don't really exist…" the young pilot commented as he set to putting up groceries.
"Exactly!" the woman shouted, pulling her feet off the table and slamming her fist on the hard surface. "Those old windbags! It'd serve 'em right if the next Angel lands right on top of one of their houses and smashes it to pieces! Why the hell is it people can't see that we're the only things saving their sorry asses!?"
"Well…I guess…" Shinji answered a bit reluctantly. His face brightened as he thought of a much less violent topic to talk about, "Ritsuko…she said I did really good in the training mission today!"
The fire faded from the woman's eyes, instantly replaced with curiosity. "Did you beat them?"
"Almost. I managed to sneak up on Unit-02 and grab it and use it as a shield, but Rei hit me from the side…" he tapped his temple lightly as he spoke, "right here."
"Why didn't you use your AT field?" she asked, looking a little flustered.
"I didn't have time. I had been using it to shroud their sensors so I could sneak around, but I stood up too soon and Ayanami saw me, so I grabbed Kaworu and put my back up against the wall and tried to use him as a shield for the bullet."
She blinked. "You knew it was coming?"
A frown creased the young man's features. "Well…I guess I did, maybe. It's always her that 'kills' me, so I guess anytime I stand up in the open I know it's going to come. The only thing is, with the AT field used as a dampener on the sensors I can't see them, either, so I never know where it's going to come from. Or when, for that matter."
The woman leaned forward and tapped her chin. "That's the whole point of the sniper, though. Except of course you're not even supposed to know that it is coming. But beyond that, I think Rei's doing her job pretty well."
"Yeah…she's gotten really good at putting a bullet either between my eyes or in the side of my skull," he remarked dryly.
"Aw~, don't get so sore over it. She's only doing it because it's a simulation and she knows you won't get hurt. She does have a soft spot for you, ya know."
Shinji began to blush profusely. "Stop that!"
"But I like teasing you! You get all huffy and it's kinda cute," Misato giggled teasingly.
"Leave me alone about stuff like that!"
The Major snickered again, but kept further commentary to herself on the matter, watching the dark-haired boy go about the task of putting the supplies she had bought with amused eyes. It struck her as funny that he insisted on keeping everything in the house in perfect order; from his bedroom to the bathroom, and everything between. He had even gone so far as to forbid her from helping with any of the chores around the household, as she tended to "mess things up more than help".
Not that it hurt her feelings in the slightest that he did all the cleaning.
"How was school today?" she asked, though for no other reason than to keep the conversation going.
"Okay, I guess…" he replied, obviously not wanting to tread that route.
"Did Kaworu loan you any of his pretty little fan-girls to fondle on today, or did he keep them all for himself again?"
The young man's brow furrowed at her question. "Well, it's not so much that he keeps them to himself tha-hey!"
Another girlish giggle elicited from the woman's lips at her roommate's delayed response. Indeed she did get a rise out of toying with him, and it was obvious that on some level he got a great deal of relief out of the interaction, though outwardly he expressed a disliking for it. It was almost like a little game they played whenever they managed to have some "quality time" together.
Several moments passed before either spoke again.
"What would you like for dinner?" he asked after he folded the paper bags and put them in the recycling bin he insisted on keeping beneath the sink.
"Oh, I dunno. Just whatever's fine," Misato replied, smiling cheerfully as she stood. "I'm gonna go take a quick shower and put on something more comfortable!" she said before disappearing
It didn't take long for Shinji to come up with something simple—rice, fish, some steamed vegetables and a bowl of hot soup. After fixing three helpings, he served them out to their respective places.
"War~k!" the two-foot bird remarked, shoving the vegetables aside and picking out the fish.
"If you don't like it so much, I think I could whip you up something real fast," the woman at the table offered earnestly as she took her seat.
A look of sheer and abstract horror filled the penguin's features.
The look was almost mirrored by the expression on Shinji's face, though it quickly shifted to one of a more nervous nature. "Uhh…no offense, Misato, but I kind of got rid of all the instant foods about a month ago… So, um, I, ah…I don't think there'd be anything you could fix in there…at the moment…"
His revelation caught the woman off guard, and she openly gawked for several seconds before slumping back in her chair, suddenly very tired. "…Right."
For several moments the two people at the table were silent, each picking at the food on their plates in disinterest while trying to avoid eye contact.
Of course, this lasted until the dark-haired woman's stomach growled audibly, drawing a slightly embarrassed and nervous laugh from her. "Well, I guess that makes it official! At least I know I'll be eating healthy from here on in!" she elicited, her mood brightening considerably at the thought of having both good food and a clean house to come home to—and herself not having to lift a finger in effort of either.
(-----)
A sweat-laden right hand gripped the control stick while the left furiously worked the lever-arm that signaled the transforming his veritech fighter from "fighter" mode to "guardian", serving as a sort of brake for the insanely fast jet-bot.
With two bogeys on his six that were of "S-class" ranking, Shinji was finding it terribly difficult to get an edge in this more-or-less one-sided battle. He swooped in low to an abandoned city, smoothly maneuvering his machine in the smaller alleys, then reversing his direction in mid-flight by reverting to the hybrid form, adjusting his direction and flying straight up while narrowly avoiding enemy missiles.
"That was pretty slick, Ikari. I don't think even Kensuke coulda pulled that one off," Touji remarked from his friend's left.
Nearly everyone in the arcade that knew anything about the latest "Macross" simulator was now crowded around where the Eva pilot unwittingly provided the onlookers with something moderately entertaining.
"He ain't out of the fire yet!" Kensuke retorted, pointing at the sudden entourage of radar blips on the HUD the game monitor was providing.
Another heft of the emergency brake like lever to the left of his seat brought Shinji's Valkyrie into its "battlroid" form. Releasing the lever and gripping the second control stick he worked to spin the now humanoid-shaped fighter to face the sudden onslaught of missiles his nearest opponent had fired off. In a clever—though near-suicidal—move, the boy fired his thrusters and flew straight back at the pod with legs, his hand-cannon blazing a trail through the missiles directly in his path.
Through some emulated miracle, not a single missile hit him.
The corners of his mouth tugged slightly upward as one of his targets exploded in a colorful blast of metal and flames. His hand jerked from the second stick back to the lever, altering his mecha back to a fighter, and with the foot-pedals he launched it forward to avoid any attack that might come from below.
"Real slick. I know Kensuke couldn't have pulled that one off. Hell, I think you been watching too much anime. I mean, only the pilots in the shows pull stunts like that and manage to live," the large man in the jumpsuit said, standing and crossing his arms.
Kensuke also stood, pushing his spectacles up the bridge of his nose and tossing his friend a sour look. "My evasive maneuvers are more realistic. I'm sure the programmers set it to where if the player tried such a stunt he would almost automatically succeed, if for nothing other than a bit of parallelism to the actual shows."
Suzahara grinned broadly. "Yeah, well I think maybe someone's just a little jealous that his score just got beat pretty badly, and that someone other than him came up with a pretty bold stragety before you."
"Hmph. The word is 'strategy', knucklehead," the curly-haired boy corrected.
There came a loud explosion from the speakers, followed by the tactical shooter camera angle zooming out to offer the view of Shinji's veritech fighter plummet to the ground where it landed in an open boulevard. The camera angle began to rotate about the shot-down battleroid, offering the view of where the head might have been had it still been attached.
"Wow, that musta hurt like hell," Kensuke noted, though he couldn't keep the faint note of excitement completely from his voice. He was quite apparently pleased that his friend wouldn't master the game as quickly as everyone else had thought.
"Damn, I missed it. What happened?" Touji asked, astounded by how quickly his friend had been taken down. "Whoa, dude. Someone blew your head off!"
"I…lost?" the defeated Ikari seemed more than a little dazed as the moving screen came to a halt, the HUD disappearing and his score and ranking being posted for all to see. He was quite obviously upset at the turn of events. "…Probably a sniper."
"Yeah, it was one of the 'Monsters' posted on the outskirts of the town. Strange that one with cannons meant for attacking other battleships could manage to only blow your head off, but undoubtedly not entirely impossible," the smallest of the trio said, his hands clasping behind his head and his eyes going to the ceiling. He then reached forward and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose before adding thoughtfully, "Guess that just goes to show no matter how good you are, all it takes is a well-placed bullet that you didn't know was coming at you."
With a sigh of defeat, the midnight blue-eyed boy crawled out of the pod, making way for the next person to try his luck. His enthusiasm for video games had suddenly plummeted through the floor, and now he simply felt like going home.
"Where to now?" the large man asked, not moving from his position and with his arms still crossed.
"I'm staying right here. I'm next in line, and I've just got to beat Shinji's score and take my place back at the top!" Kensuke almost whined. When he turned and saw the player in the seat get decimated by the first batch of attackers, he grinned wickedly. "I'll probably just catch up with you guys, okay?"
"Sure, whatever. I think me and da Shin-man's gonna go walk around some, cool?" Touji said before making his way through the crowd toward the exit, not bothering to wait for an affirmative from his friend.
"Fine…" Shinji responded heavily, his head hanging.
(-----)
"What's eatin' you, dude?" Touji asked as soon as they were out on the sidewalk and relatively alone.
The evening air was still warm in the perpetual summer-time climate, and the cicadas were at their loudest at this particular time, helping to mask any conversation that was held in low enough tones. Streetlights had begun to turn on, illuminating the walkway as the pair made their way to some unspoken destination.
"Huh? Oh…it's nothing…"
The larger man rolled his eyes. "Look, man…we been friends for what? Three, almost four years now? It just so happens that I've learned that when you say 'nothing' it usually means the exact opposite. So why dontcha just come off clean and stop wasting time, ehh?"
Shinji chuckled as he remembered similar words coming from Misato's mouth after he had destroyed the Fourth Angel all those years ago. "I guess you know me a bit better than I gave you credit for…"
"Damn straight," Touji affirmed, a silly grin on his face.
"Well…I guess-" he stopped at a crosswalk, looking both ways despite the "walk" light being on. "I guess it's just 'work'."
"The Evas," the more muscular of the pair corrected. "You ain't got a job…more like a curse, if you ask me." He paused before continuing, "So what happened that's got you all bent outta shape?"
With a sigh, the midnight blue-eyed boy decided to relay the day's training results—as well as the last fifteen before that. "It's just that Rei's so good at hiding and picking me off from afar. What am I going to do if the next Angel that comes along can just blow Unit-01's head off before I even get the chance to see it?"
Despite his past and rather horrific experiences with the metallic titans that were supposed to defend mankind, Touji seemed more than willing to discuss them with his friend. "Ayanami ain't no Angel. She's got a bit more smarts on her than some dumb old alien invader. And it ain't like she's gonna turn on you in the field or nothing…I mean, she likes you. You're about the only person I ever see her actually talking with at school. It's just training, dude…don't sweat it so much."
The young man sighed heavily, making a show of a friendly smile before nodding his agreement. "You're right, of course. And it's not Ayanami I'm worried about…it's me and my performance. Before my last fight, Kaji said something to me that made me realize why I really do bother to pilot that monster. His words gave me purpose, and I thought back to the second time I fought and I understood what he meant. I'm just scared of messing up and failing someone that I should have helped…"
Touji arched an eyebrow as they finished crossing the street and continued on their way to the same unknown and unspoken destination. "You mean Sata—err, Soryu?"
Shinji hadn't missed the slip, and forced back a grin at his friend's "pet-name" for the Second Child. "Yeah. I almost failed the whole world once, but somehow I managed to get back in time to save it…but then when it came down to it, I couldn't save one person that was practically within arm's reach. And let's not even touch on the ordeal with you and Unit-03…"
There was an extremely painful pause for both men, and for several strained moments they walked in silence.
"Sorry," the dark blue-eyed young man offered sincerely.
"It weren't your fault. Misato explained it to me, and we done talked about this," the younger man replied heavily. "Let's just not worry about it, okay? It's done and over with, so let's just not sweat it."
"…Right."
Touji's eyes went heavenward, and he squinted to try and see the stars through the haze created by the city lights. "Well, about her. I didn't know her so well, and I didn't like her so much, though I do gotta admit I miss her. Something about getting used to a person…well, then she just left like that. It'd be nice to think she could forgive you for something that ain't even your fault to begin with, but with her…well, somehow I doubt it."
"…Right…" Shinji replied again, sounding downtrodden. He still respected the other man's words, however. They had been meant to console, but in the way only painful truth can comfort a person.
"But then, that girl was so screwed up you couldn't really count on her from one second to the next…unless you take that she's unpredictable. That was about the only thing you could expect from her," he remarked dryly. After a second of consideration he added, "And to be a bitch. Not just a 'bitch' bitch, but a 'B-I-T-C-H' bitch." He paused and considered his words and added as an after-thought, "Capital 'Bitch', even."
The almost reflective tone Suzahara had used drew a snicker from the older young man. "She wasn't all that bad."
"Whatever, man," Touji replied, his arms reaching up and folding behind his head as they continued their trek. Several moments of silence elapsed before a notion struck the young man. "What're you doing tomorrow night?"
Shinji considered it a moment. "Friday…Saturday? Saturday after school and training I work out with Kaworu and then go to Rei's place and have a cup of tea…after that I'm free."
"Oh, yeah," the younger man remarked, continuing to look at the sky, trying to catch a glimpse of at least one star. "So when you gonna hook up with her, anyway?"
"Huh? It's not like that!" the pilot protested, though his cheeks had flamed up furiously.
"Su~re it ain't… Anyways, how about we get Kensuke and go see a movie or something? You been so busy the last few weeks we ain't done a whole lotta hanging out lately, and Kens is talking about joining the army after his eighteenth birthday later this year…so, well, just wanna get together like tonight and have fun as much as possible."
Through the corner of his eye, Shinji Ikari noticed there was more his friend wanted to say, but the pilot didn't press the matter. If Touji had something to say and had the words for it, he wouldn't hesitate to speak what was on his mind. "Tell Kensuke I said 'goodnight.' I think I'm gonna head back to the apartment now…testing tomorrow and all."
"Yeah. 'Night. See ya in the morning." The large man waved his friend off absently, still trying to bring up the courage to ask the question that had been plaguing him since middle-school.
(-----)
Simulated afternoon sunlight streamed in from the synthetic ecosystem known as the Geofront through the large window that served more-or-less as an entire wall. The large gym was completely empty, save for the two young, male occupants.
"Most impressive. It appears that you have bested me yet again. Are you positive you aren't cheating?" The words were spoken in a melodic voice that held a sparsely hidden trace of mirth.
With a grunt from effort, Shinji shifted the weight of the barbells onto the holster, causing a heavy clink to fill the otherwise silent room. He rolled up into a sitting position, grasping a towel on the weight-rack next to the bench and began wiping his sweat-laden face while trying to catch his breath.
"That would put you over ten kilograms ahead of me," Kaworu continued, deciding an answer was not forthcoming from his closest and dearest friend. He brushed a wetly clumped strand of light grey hair from his face as he scribbled a few numbers on a pad full of similarly scratched figures. "You've been steadily increasing at least two kilograms every week, whereas I'm only managing one."
The other boy chuckled, though there was a slight burning feeling in his already flushed cheeks. "It's not like it's a big deal. You could probably easily beat me if you really tried." His hands rubbed the dying cloth vigorously against his matted hair.
"True humbleness is a quality as lacking in you Lillim as honesty. I find it amazing that you possess not just one of these, but both, and even quite sincerely. You are truly a rare person, Shinji Ikari," the taller and thinner boy noted, his piercing crimson eyes making the weight of his smile two-fold.
"I…err, thanks, I guess…" the other young man fumbled as he stood, thoroughly confused by his friend's proclamation. "Ah…what's, um, next?"
Delicate, yet strong hands held the small pad aloft as the oddly colored eyes scanned the listing of seemingly random sketches. "These were the last, actually. All that is left to do is shower, dress, and part ways for the evening."
Shinji blinked perplexedly. "Really? That's all? Wow…we're sure getting faster at this stuff."
"Indeed. Though working out serves little purpose for our jobs, it still does leave one with a heightened opinion of one's self, don't you agree?"
"Well, that is…" the younger male's hand began to rub the back of his head in a rather nervous manner. "…I…guess?"
Kaworu smiled brightly. "Well, now that we are all finished we must both shower for our dates."
"What? I don't have a date," the Third Child stated, his brow furrowing in confusion.
"Do you not go visit Miss Ayanami after our work-out activities on Saturday?"
Ikari blinked yet again. "Yes, but what does me going to her house and having a cup of tea and a short chat have to do with dating?"
"Ah, my apologies then. Major Katsuragi must have been joking when she said something to Doctor Akagi about your weekend excursions." He paused, his thumb and index finger taking his chin as he considered something for a moment. "Perhaps I should learn to stop taking things so literally. I had assumed Miss Ayanami and yourself had engaged in a more intimate relationship, so to speak, when the Major giggled something about you 'boning Rei'."
"Wha-wait! It-…it's not like that at all!" Shinji sputtered, waving his hands frantically, as if to ward the words themselves off.
"Oh?" the grey-haired boy asked. He leaned forward, peering suspiciously at his friend, a thin eyebrow jutting upward. "You are acting quite defensively to something you claim to be groundless, and you are blushing quite profusely. Shall I take it that you are attempting to conceal the truth and that you are indeed engaging in sexual activities with the First Child?"
The younger boy's eyes widened in abject horror.
Nagisa stood erect, his finger stroking his chin as he began to pace a few steps. "Not that there would be anything wrong with such an aspect from my point of view. She is a very fine-looking specimen, that is to be assured. She is also very complacent—a feature most males in our society find to be quite an amiable quality. And I must admi-"
"It's not like that!" the other male interjected, his dark blue eyes flickering as the embers of his anger began to flare up. "We just have tea and talk!"
Again the older boy smiled, his own eyes flashing—though in humor rather than anything hostile. "I know. I just find it quite amusing when you get in a fluster, you understand. You tend to go…'ballistic' I think the word is…when you're being teased."
Shinji grumbled something under his breath as he stood and made his way towards the locker room.
"What was that?" Kaworu asked, grinning broadly. He had heard his friend perfectly, but truly did enjoy ruffling his friend's feathers from time to time.
"I said you've been listening to Misato too much!"
(-----)
"I…see," the pale-colored young woman remarked as she listened to Shinji related his most recent experience in the gym to her. The white blouse and thigh-length black skirt of her high school uniform still decorated her almost perfectly white skin, and her short, pale-blue hair was slightly unkempt as she tended to do little more than wash it and occasionally rake her fingers through it. She had discarded the red kerchief that was normally tied around her neck, and the top two buttons of her shirt were undone simply for comfort.
"I'm sorry," the young man apologized miserably. "I didn't think this could get out of hand like it has. I'll understand perfectly if you'd rather not be seen with me anymore."
Rei set her small glass of tea on the immaculate—at least as close to such a state as can be expected from an under-used, battered, and extremely old piece of furniture—table as her eyes studied the features of her companion's face with an impassive air. "Why would I wish for you to stop visiting me?"
Shinji refused to look at the lithe young woman across the table from him. "Well, I mean all the embarrassing rumors Misato's probably started around headquarters. Most girls would get really angry if—"
"I am not 'most girls'," the girl affirmed in her quiet monotone. "And I do not wish for you to stop visiting me. I am quite certain that no one at NERV takes the Major seriously outside of her prescribed duties."
"B…but Kaworu-" the young man stammered.
"-does not concern either of us. And it is quite likely that he was merely attempting to gall you for his own amusement as he does with some of his female companions." The blue-haired woman with the ruby-red eyes lifted the small tea-glass to her lips and watched the young man's reaction carefully, studying every pore of his face.
After her last statement, the eyes of the Third Child glanced at her, and a split-second later the rest of his face followed-suit. He began to fidget nervously with his own small piece of chinaware as he began to piece together his response. "I, err…I'm sorry."
"For what?" Rei asked, propping her lithe elbows on the table and leaning slightly forward.
"Well, that is…I…" Again his eyes fell downward, though this time to focus on the small cup he continued to finger diligently. His face brightened considerably as he thought of another subject to discuss. "I, umm, heard the swim-team is going to be having its tryouts pretty soon. Are you going to give it a go this year?"
A distant look filled the crimson eyes as she considered the words. She had also seen the fliers, and while she knew her duties wouldn't permit the allocation of such activities within her schedule, it didn't stop her from wanting to at least see if she could make the cut. Her face remained perfectly impassive throughout the four-second interval—a skill she had mastered so long ago she couldn't even put a round-figure on the date. Even so, it was still with great difficulty she concealed any inner turmoil completely from this particular Ikari.
She had very little difficulty in doing so with the other, older one.
"Rei?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
Here eyes re-focused on her fellow-pilot's face, and she felt a faint rush of warmth envelop her body at how sincere his feelings toward her were. She didn't think it capable of her to be able to return those feelings, but they touched her nonetheless. "No," she answered quietly. "I have no desire to enroll in any extra-curricular activities this year."
When he opened his mouth to protest, the young woman held out a hand to again change the subject, though a part of her wished he would protest and insist that she stay after school and at least tryout for the team. Still, she had learned not to expect such actions from the boy a long time ago, though she also enjoyed it when he complied with her wishes. Such a thing was rare for the young woman, and she found that Shinji's willingness to provide her with a comfortable setting quite amiable.
Several long moments passed in silence as the two simply sat—Rei sipping lightly at her cooling tea while Shinji simply looked around the small apartment with an expression of wonder.
"You sure have done a lot with this place. Every time I come here I can't help but think back to what a, errr…" his brow creased deeply as he fished for a word that would be appropriate, though non-offensive to use.
"Dump?" the First Child offered. Another surge of warmth enveloped her at seeing his cheeks flush and his face contort in an expression she almost found humorous. Her face and eyes, however, remained completely nonchalant.
His hand went to the back of his head and his eyes fell to the table. "Well, um…not exactly." A quip of laughter escaped his lips as he lightly gripped the glass of tea and began to awkwardly fumble with it while holding it slightly off the table. "To be honest it wasn't half as bad as Misato's apartment when I first moved in. And not even a fifth as bad as what it was like with her and Asuka…" His voice trailed off and a pained look crossed his features as he uttered the name.
This caused yet a third rush of warmth to fly through the young woman's body, and despite her usually impasse air, the corners of her mouth faintly tucked downward, though so slightly it would have been imperceptible on a normal young woman.
But for Rei Ayanami she might as well have been scowling.
The Second Child hadn't left on the best of terms, and her parting words had been far less than kind to the boy. While at the time Rei hadn't completely understood the devastating effects they had on Shinji, she had quickly learned to divert his mind from thoughts on the German girl. She didn't exactly know when it had happened, but the pale-skinned girl had developed a slight conscientiousness of her companion and co-worker's state of mind, and found it very disquieting when he was thinking about the former pilot.
"Do you still require my assistance with your trigonometry homework?" the girl asked in an attempt to turn the boy's mind in a different direction.
Her question was quite effective in bringing her cohort's attention back to the present and hopefully far away from where they had been dwelling. "Could you? I mean, you really did help me out a lot last week, and I'm sure Misato won't mind if you come over for dinner tomorrow…um, if you're not too busy, that is?"
Finishing her glass of tea, the girl set it onto the delicate—and lightly cracked—saucer and nodded. "What time should I arrive?"
Shinji smiled. "How does six o'clock sound? That way I can have dinner ready and we can eat before we get to work."
Again, Rei nodded. "That time suits my schedule as well. The tests Commander Ikari has planned for me should be well over by that time."
"Great," the boy ensued happily, draining his cup of the room-temperature contents. He stood, bowing deeply as he prepared to leave. "Thanks, Rei."
The blue-haired woman offered no reply as she watched him leave the small and slightly run-down apartment, her red eyes lingering on the closed door for several long minutes after he was gone. Finally, with a gentle sigh she pushed herself away from the table, collecting the few dishes and gently depositing them in the sink, not really caring that such treatment of the fragile porcelain would likely end up leading to its destruction.
Before she could lie down on the bed, her cell-phone rang, and she picked up.
The voice on the other line was brief, but that was all was necessary to relay the message.
For the second time in only the span of a few moments Rei Ayanami's perfect features creased in the faintest of frowns.
(-----)
Without a word the single passenger of the VTOL escort stepped out onto the landing platform, her hair flipping about wildly as the turbulent air lashed furiously about her tall frame. She was dressed in a pair of light-denim slacks and a loose-fitting, turtle-necked pink sweater and wore a pair of simple white sneakers. In her hands was a rather large suitcase that seemed to be quite heavy, though the woman bore the load with little complaint.
The whine of the turbines raised several octaves, indirectly informing the former-passenger of its departure. She turned and glared at the thing, releasing one hand from her burden to shield her eyes from the intensity of the sudden blast of heated air as the pilot fired up the afterburners to accelerate.
It took several seconds for the wind to die down, and the woman lowered her arm and released an indignant huff. She muttered several curses as she raked her fingers through the long tresses of her auburn hair in an attempt to at least retain some minor state of the image of perfection the woman tried to maintain.
Once she had things in a state where they were at least temporarily acceptable, the woman set her suitcase on the ground and inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of the environment as she waited for her legs to register that she was indeed on solid ground and was planning to remain as such for some time to come.
"Hmph. Smells like rice and fish," she muttered to no one in particular. She snickered at her own joke as she reached beneath her sweater and pulled her cellular phone from the holster hanging from her waist. She pressed a button that speed-dialed the specific number she wanted to reach and waited for several long seconds for the person on the other end to pick up.
"Major Katsuragi speaking," the female voice on the other line said.
"Hallo, Misato!" the redhead chimed cheerfully, sincerely glad to hear the voice of her former guardian.
"Asuka! So you just got in, then?" It was apparent the Major was also happy to hear from her former charge.
And why shouldn't she be? the Second Child of NERV's E-project asked herself. "Yeah," she replied, inspecting her nails with her sapphire-blue eyes for any imperfections. "But I gotta do all that crumby paper-work that comes with a transfer now, and all that silly red-tape they insist on wrapping everything in."
"It's great that you're back! Should I go ahead and tell Shinji?"
The girl smiled and shook her head as she replied, "No, I still want it to come as a complete surprise. His eyes'll probably bug out of his head when he finds out, and I definitely want to be there when it happens."
There came a girlish giggle on the other end of the line. "You're so mean to him. Well, what time do you think you should be home tomorrow?"
"Oh, I dunno. I figure by the time the physicals and all that fun stuff is over with, it'll probably be around four or five o'clock tomorrow evening," Asuka replied, reaching down and hefting up her heavy suitcase and beginning to walk to the building where mounds of paper-work requiring her personal information awaited her.
"That late, huh? Well, I'll be sure to tell Shinji to be ready to go out! This calls for a bit of celebration!"
A look of distaste marred the young woman's beautiful features. "No, I think I'd prefer just to come home for the night. And one of your little parties doesn't particularly appeal to me. I may be German, but that doesn't necessarily make me a drinker, you know."
The pout that was no doubt on Misato's face was apparent in the whine she gave, "Aww, come on! It'll be fun! We could get Shinji drunk and make him do silly stuff!"
While the thought of making the Third Child sing in a ridiculously slurred voice brought a smile to her lips, the cons easily outweighed the pros. "Not on your life, Misato. Look, just be sure to keep your big mouth shut until I show up, okay? I want it to be a surprise to as many people as possible—especially the asshole that thinks he can replace me, got it?"
"Sure thing. And Asuka?"
"Yeah?" the blue-eyed woman asked as she set her luggage down to open the door.
"Welcome home."
"Yeah…" she said before turning the phone off and putting it away. Holding the door open with her hip, she picked up the suitcase and lugged it into the building, mentally steeling herself for the next twenty-four hours.
Author's notes:
Well, hope I managed to catch your interest.
Give me a week or two to get the next chapter (probably of similar length) written and run through "The Gauntlet." I'll try and keep updates as consistent as possible, but for quality's sake I refuse to rush.
Otherwise we get trash.
At any rate, feed back is always desired. As per norm you can IM me via AOL-ISM nickname "AvaritiaAbaddon" and my email address is "douyoku@hotmail.com".
Keep on reading and keep on writing!
--Avarice
