Author's Note: Before you read this fan-fic, check my last one, The Last
Gift She Expected. See that note up the top of every chapter? That bit
that says "I do not own Gainax or any of its creations"? You don't? Ah
well...anyway, I didn't then, and since then I haven't suddenly inherited a
small mint, so I don't now, either.
Where Am I? : Chapter 3 - Signing Away Your Life : You Mean I Can't Go On The Trip!?
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Cyan sat alone in the entry plug. It was definitely a unique experience for him, sitting with his entire form underwater (or at least under LCL), and being able to breathe perfectly fine. His hands rested on the control yokes to his sides, having been told that it was through the use of these that he would be able to control his Evangelion. [LCL, Second Impact, Evangelion, Angel... All of these new terms I've never heard of before...] He reached one of his hands to his gut, as the plug suit that Dr. Akagi had supplied to him was a little tight there.
"Cyan, stop trying to make breathing room," Ritsuko scolded the Sixth Child, "With the workout program we have planned for you, those few pounds will fall off in no time."
[Well, that sounds promising...] "Hai..."
"Okay, now this test body will operate in exactly the same way as your Eva will. Everything you experience in this will be exactly as it will be in your real Eva."
"Hai..."
"Okay, we've just finished uploading your personal data, so we're ready for the test run. We're going to run through the basics of piloting with you. First, synchronisation."
"Hai..." This was getting boring fast.
"The Eva is a living entity, much like yourself. To be able to operate it, you will need to synchronise your heart, mind and soul with that of the Evangelion..."
"How do I do that?" Cyan asked.
"We've learned that breathing in sync with the Eva helps a lot. In a minute, a metronome will appear in front of you. It will move at a rate close to the Eva's breathing patterns. Try to match it with your breathing."
Cyan looked ahead. Sure enough, a digital metronome appeared in front of him, moving fairly slowly. [I suppose a monster such as an Eva doesn't have to breathe so often...] Cyan started to mimic the breathing pattern appearing in front of him.
Up in the Pribnow Box, Ritsuko watched Cyan's synchrograph with interest. Ritsuko was impressed with Cyan's steady rate of improvement.
"Already 53%? This kid's good..." Misato shared Ritsuko's amazement.
Ritsuko leaned toward the speaker. "Okay, that's great work, Cyan," she said, "Okay, now we go to movement. Try to maintain that breathing pattern through the rest of the training, while you move the Eva's arm. Grab the control yoke, and pull it backwards. This will send your brainwaves directly to the Eva."
"Okay..." Cyan took hold of the control yokes in front of him, and pulled back. While doing this, he thought about moving his right arm, just like Ritsuko told him to. The crew watched as the test body's arm twitched, and then moved in front of the body itself.
"Is it working?" Cyan asked from the plug.
"Yes, you're doing great!" Misato beamed at the Evangelion newbie via the direct video feed.
Cyan smiled. [Pretty soon I'll have my very own Evangelion...]
--------------
"Lucky! I'm so glad I'm going shopping with you, Kaji!" Asuka clung to Kaji's arm as he strolled through the busy mall.
"Yeah, it's a thrill a minute with you," Kaji said, his sarcastic tone difficult to pick up, because of his regular melodramatic tone. Minutes later, Kaji realised where they were heading.
"Hey, wait a second," Kaji question the young German, "Isn't this the swimsuit section?"
"Uh-huh! What do you think of this one?" Asuka held up a tiny red and white two-piece.
Kaji laughed. "Aren't you just a little young to be wearing something like that, Asuka?"
Asuka mock-frowned. "Aw, stop being such an old fuddy-duddy, Kaji. This is what all of the girls are wearing!"
Kaji sighed. [And to think I'd pinned my hopes on Cyan of getting this kid off my back...]
Later on, they had stopped for food at a small café. "So, Asuka," Kaji changed the subject, "What do you think of Cyan?"
"Oh, him? He's cute and all," Asuka reasoned, giving Kaji a glimmer of hope, until she finished with, "but nowhere near as hot as you, Kaji!"
Kaji sighed. [How am I gonna have a chance with Misato again if this girl keeps putting the moves on me!?]
"Oh, I can't wait for this school trip!" Asuka changed the subject again, "I just know we'll have a great time!"
"So, where are you going?"
"Okinawa!" Asuka said, enthusiastically, "It's gonna be awesome! We'll even get to go scuba-diving!"
"Really? Boy, it's been years since I last went diving..."
"Say, where did you go on your school trip?"
"Well, actually, we didn't have one..."
Asuka felt Kaji's pain. "Aw, that's a shame...why not?"
"Just a little thing called the Second Impact."
---------------
That night, Pen Pen floated along in the bath, relaxing in the serenity of it all, at least until a high-pitched squeal split through the apartment. "WHAT!? Did you just say that I couldn't go on the trip!?"
"Yep," Misato responded to Asuka's tirade.
"Well, why not!?"
"It's part of your job," Misato argued.
"You mean I'm on permanent standby?"
"You got it."
"What idiot decided that!?"
Misato thumbed her chest. "This one. The Operations Planning Manager." Asuka backed away, hands on her hips, looking pretty peeved about the situation. She looked across at the male equivalent of Misato, Cyan.
"Hey, Cyan!" Asuka cried, "You're a man! Stand up to her!"
"Actually, where I used to live, I went scuba diving all the time," Cyan replied, smiling. "I couldn't care less if I stay or go."
Asuka growled. "What about you?" she focused her attention on Shinji. "Stop hiding behind that cup of tea and say something!"
"Actually, you know, I kind of expected something like this..."
"So, you've already given up?"
Shinji nodded. Asuka snorted. "Pathetic! There's nothing more useless than a housebroken male..."
Cyan glared at Asuka. "And whose fault do you think that is?" Asuka turned sharply, unfamiliar with being addressed with such disrespect. "What with you riding his ass all the time! Maybe if you show him a little more respect..."
"All right! That's enough!" Misato blew her top, "I know how you feel, but there's no other way! There's no way of telling when the Angels will strike next."
"That's ridiculous!" Asuka was enraged. "What kind of Ops Planning manager are you!? Everyone knows that the best defence is a good offence! Why in hell can't we find them and attack them first?"
Cyan supported the German's argument. "She does have a point, Misato," he said.
"If there was a way, we would do it. Anyway, think of this as an opportunity to catch up on your studies."
The three pilots chorused. "Huh?"
"Do you think I don't get your report cards?" Misato flashed three memory sticks in front of her, one for each of the children. Shinji, Asuka and Cyan immediately backed away, knowing what was on them: bad grades across the board.
"Cyan isn't so bad," Misato said, "and Shinji tries everything, but you, Asuka, you just sit there during class, chatting to your friends!"
"It's not my fault..." Asuka complained.
Cyan added to Asuka's tirade. "Yeah! Where I come from, school goes from nine to three, here it's eight to five! It's ridiculous!"
"Aw, quit you whining!" Misato told the kids off, "You could at least try to adjust to Japanese school life!"
The kids backed down. Asuka contributed two more words to the conversation: "This SUCKS!"
--------------
Cyan stood at the top of the diving platform, eyeing off the pool a good ten metres below. Even now, there was a little hesitation. [I've always been scared stiff of heights...]
Cyan turned about, facing the opposite direction, edging closer to the platform's edge. Closing his eyes, he held his arms out to his sides and fell back. The sudden rush of downward motion forced adrenalin to course through his veins, as he contorted his body through the air, straightening his body just in time to enter the water flawlessly. He shot to the bottom of the pool like a bullet. When he reached the bottom, he pushed off of the floor, careening back to the surface.
Shinji watched Cyan as he swam back to the edge, boost himself out of the water, and walk back toward the platform. He turned back to his homework. [Hmph, Misato tells us all off for not doing enough work at school, and I'm the only one trying to make amends...]
"What have you got there, Shinji?" Asuka shouted from the other end of the pool.
"Basic physics primer," he replied.
"Ooh, you're such an obedient student!" Asuka mocked the Third Child once more.
"Well, I'll have to study it..." Shinji suddenly lost the ability to talk as he saw Asuka's twins, bobbing up and down as she slowed down to stop in front of him. Cyan also appreciated the terrific view from the top of the diving tower.
"Well, what do you guys think?" Asuka asked, "If not in Okinawa, let's do it here!"
"Wh-what?"
"Diving, of course!" Asuka leaned over the screen, trying to see what Shinji was working on.
"Oh, you can't solve a simple problem like that?" Asuka's hand rattled over the keyboard, sending her wobbly bits into overdrive. "There, all done."
"H-how can you solve a difficult problem like that and still get low grades on your test scores?"
"I can't read all of the Kanji yet," Asuka lamented, "I didn't have to study it in college."
"You went to college?"
"Oh yeah," Asuka said with pride, "I graduated last year. So, what's this one?"
"Oh, it's a question about thermal expansion," Shinji said, feeling blood run through his face. He knew a nosebleed wasn't too far away. Cyan saw that Shinji was in trouble, and dived away.
"Oh man, that's kid's stuff!" Asuka said, "To put it in terms you'll understand, most things expand when they get hot, and contract when they get cold."
"Uh-huh..." Shinji answered, unaware that Cyan lurked below the surface, waiting for the right moment to strike...
"So..." Asuka grinned, "If I put my hands over my breasts, would they get bigger of smaller?" Asuka demonstrated this by cupping her hands over her breasts.
Shinji felt a trickle come out of his nose. "I don't know, I don't think about things like that!"
"Aww, such a boring little boy..." Asuka whined, and walked away. Suddenly, a hand shot out of the water and clutched around Asuka ankle.
"Hey, Asuka! Come and have a dip!" Cyan laughed as he dragged the Second Child under. Asuka let out a shriek as she lost her balance and was claimed by the water. Cyan let go of Asuka's leg once she fell in, and surfaced with a broad grin on his face. Asuka surfaced, looking more than a little agitated.
"Aah! What in God's name was that for?" Asuka shouted at Cyan.
"What? You were looking so hot up there, I thought I'd cool you off!" Cyan grinned broadly.
Asuka was stunned. "Well, can't say I've heard that pick-up line before," she laughed, playfully splashing Cyan as she swam away. Cyan followed, easily catching Asuka in the water, him having more experience in the water.
Shinji gave a stifled laugh as the events unfolded in front of him. His attention then turned to Rei, exiting the pool and drying off. His eyes were transfixed on the blue haired wonder as she walked up towards the change rooms.
"Hey, Cyan!" Shinji heard a sharp cry that could only be Asuka's, "Lookie lookie!"
Shinji and Cyan's attention were now focused on Asuka. "Back roll entry!" she shouted, as she rolled back into the pool. Resurfacing, she looked up at Cyan.
"Oh yeah? How about...Bombing Run Entry!" Cyan took a long run-up, leaping over the edge of the pool, folding his body over in a pike position. Asuka could do little but cover her eyes as Cyan hit the water, creating an incredible splash. Asuka shouted as she was engulfed in a wave of water. Shinji could no longer contain himself, as he started laughing, along with Cyan. Asuka just smiled, seeing the fun in it all.
------------
Later on at home, Cyan had an empty notebook, standing outside Asuka's room, trying to ignore the questioning stares from Shinji. Suddenly, the door to Asuka's room swung open, revealing the Second Child.
"Welcome in, Cyan," she said, in a mocking welcome. Cyan walked in, and Asuka shut the door behind him. Shinji looked on, shrugged, and went back to his physics work.
Asuka glanced at the textbook in Cyan's hands. "You're not gonna take it that seriously, are you?"
"Well," Cyan said as he threw the textbook behind him, "Not if you don't want me to."
Asuka smiled. "Just sit down," she said. They sat down at Asuka's desk, ready to start Cyan's first German lesson.
"Okay," Asuka began, "Let's start with basic greetings." Asuka piled on the German accent. "Guten morgen."
Cyan repeated. "Guten morgen."
"That's 'good morning', alright?"
"Right," Cyan said. After a few more phrases, Asuka handed Cyan a small book. Upon closer inspection, Cyan saw it to be a German-English dictionary.
"Oh, thank you," Cyan showed his gratitude.
"Least I could do!" Asuka beamed. [Gotta admit, he's definitely a change from Baka-Shinji...] "I had to check up a few words you've used in it, but apart from that, it's mint condition."
"Really?" Cyan said. "I suppose that means I should get you a present as well."
Asuka just nodded. Cyan realised her plan. "You planned this from the beginning, didn't you?"
More nods. Cyan laughed. "Clever..."
Asuka's face changed from grinning to puzzled. Cyan flicked through the book, found 'clever' and translated it for her.
"Ooh," the meaning dawned on Asuka, "Thanks."
Just then, a knock echoed through the small room. "What is it, Shinji!?" Asuka cried out, irritated because her German lesson was interrupted.
"Uh, it's a call for Cyan," Shinji shouted through the door. Cyan walked to the door, and reached his hand through the opening. Grabbing the phone, he thanked Shinji and held it to his ear. "Hello?"
"Hi, Cyan, it's Misato. Listen, tell Shinji and Asuka to pack their bags and get downstairs now. We're all heading to Mt. Asama."
"Mt. Asama?" Cyan said aloud. Asuka's ears perked at the name of the place.
"Mt. Asama!?" Asuka squealed, apparently really excited, "The place with the hot springs!? Cool!"
"I take it Asuka's with you..." Misato could hear Asuka in the background.
"Uh, yeah..." Cyan confirmed Misato's suspicions. "Can I ask why we're all going?"
"The Eighth Angel has been found," Misato said over the phone, "We're launching an A-17 against it."
"A-17?" Cyan went through the special NERV commands that Ritsuko ran through with him, and gasped. "An offensive attack!? Isn't that dangerous?" Asuka also heard this, and sighed. [Of course...it's work- related...]
"Yes. Unit Two will make an attempt to capture the Angel in its current embryonic form. Unit One will be backup, and in case of emergency, we'll need a spare pilot." The Major said, referring to Cyan when she said, "spare pilot".
[This could be my first run in an Eva...] "Alright, I'll spread the word. You want me to brief the Children of the situation?" This statement of Cyan's cause a dispute from Asuka. "Hey! You're only two years older than me!"
"Oh, could you?"
"No prob, Misato," Cyan said, "They'll be down in a few minutes." Cyan pressed the 'Hang Up' button on the phone and turned to Asuka. "They've found the Eighth Angel. We pack and leave for Mt. Asama in five."
"Okay." Asuka went for her wardrobe as Cyan left to tell Shinji the news.
--------------
"The D-Type equipment hasn't been standardised for Unit Zero yet," Misato explained during the car trip to Mt. Asama, "so Rei's Eva can't participate in this operation. That's why you're here, Cyan."
Cyan acknowledged his mention, while Misato continued. "The operation will begin at ten-hundred hours tomorrow. Before we head there, we have to familiarise you with the D-Type equipment." The last sentence was directed at Asuka.
"Okay..." she said, cautiously. Cyan looked across at Asuka, then thought about what the possible changes are between regular and D-Type Evangelions. [Well, Asuka mentioned hot springs, so Mt. Asama is probably volcanic... Maybe D-Type is for extreme heat? All that extra coolant...] Cyan laughed, having received a mental image of Asuka in a bloated plug suit.
"What's so funny, Cyan?" Asuka asked, in regular Asuka tone.
"Nothing," Cyan said.
-------------
"WHAT THE HELL!?" Asuka had just triggered her heat-resistant plug suit for the first time. Sure enough, it was almost exactly as Cyan predicted. All of the extra coolant overfilled the suit, giving the appearance that Asuka was a whale-ass.
"Your Eva should be ready now," Ritsuko said calmly. Asuka walked through the corridor to her Eva's holding cage.
"Nooo!" Asuka wailed. Her Eva donned a similar heat-resistant 'fat' suit, and Asuka disapproved.
"Quit your complaining," Ritsuko scolded the girl sharply, "This exoskeleton is designed for conditions of extreme environmental duress, not high fashion."
"No way! I'm not getting into it!"
"Listen, Asuka, you don't have to be so vain," Cyan tried to coerce Asuka back into the job, "Would you rather boil yourself alive in the lava?"
Asuka quietened down, much to the surprise of everyone else in the room, Misato and Ritsuko in particular. [Did he just tame Asuka?]
"Listen," Cyan continued, "I'm not exactly comfortable in this plug suit either. I hate tight clothes... But who really cares what you look like? All that matters is what you do in it."
"...You're right," Asuka agreed, "Let me at it!"
Misato and Ritsuko were left dumbfounded. Asuka strode toward her Eva. She turned around. "Well? What are we waiting for?"
"We're waiting for tomorrow?" Ritsuko said. "We don't start until ten- hundred. Get a good sleep, Asuka."
--------------
The next day, Cyan was up at five am. How could he sleep? Today could be his first battle against an Angel. Realising that he was up far too early, he tried to go back to sleep. Alas, he couldn't.
[Ah, dammit.] He got up, and walked to the kitchen, ready to fix himself some breakfast. Grabbing a box of cereal, he poured himself a bowl. Grabbing a carton of milk, he poured it into the bowl of cereal, and sat down to eat.
While eating, Cyan began to think. [I wonder if they'll even need me here after all... Asuka seems confident enough in the Eva, and Shinji...well, he doesn't seem all that tough, but he shouldn't have any problems... Ah well, looks like I'll have to wait...]
After breakfast, Cyan went into the living room, and went for the katana. Removing the sheath, Cyan fell into the attack stance again, and repeated his katas. Deciding to be more adventurous considering that the new 'arena' had brick walls instead of flimsy particleboard, Cyan utilised his interactive techniques, running along the face of the wall, boosting off it, hacking and slashing with the blade. To finish off, he ran up the wall and flipped off it, executing a textbook jewel kick, before finally stopping.
Cyan was surprised at the sound of applause from behind him. He pivoted on the spot, and saw Misato, with a beer can already in her hand.
"Bravo," she said, "I've never seen anyone do that with those before."
Cyan blushed. "I'll say. I've never done that wall flip before. Maybe those workouts are paying off..."
Misato winked. "I told you we'd get you in shape!"
"Um, thanks?" Cyan resheathed the sword and placed it back in the frame.
"You know, if you just ask, we can organise a proper tutor for you," Misato told Cyan, "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but Unit Five's main hand-to- hand weapon will be a high-frequency katana, so you're gonna get real training in the use of it eventually."
"Thanks," Cyan commented, "but I've already undergone training. Or didn't you think I was quite efficient enough just before?"
"Um, no, it's just..." Misato began to mumble.
"I'm sorry," Cyan apologised for his cheek, "I just don't get enough sleep..."
"That's alright."
"I suppose I could use some lessons, though," Cyan admitted, "I am a little rusty."
"I only offered because it's NERV policy for all employees to learn a form of martial arts," Misato explained, "If you want to take up any other form, just ask me."
"Alright," Cyan said. "Now, you want some breakfast apart from that can of beer?"
Misato stuck her tongue out at Cyan and walked off. Cyan went back to his room to get a towel, so that he could get first shower.
When he got out, Shinji and Asuka were awake. "About time!" Asuka declared, as she charged into the shower once Cyan was out. Shinji looked on, uncaring, simply enjoying his tea. Asuka slammed the door behind her, as Cyan went to his room and got dressed. Shinji turned to face Misato, now dressed in official NERV uniform.
Misato shouted out to Cyan. "You might as well change straight into your plug suit."
"Can I wear regular clothes outside it?" came the shout from Cyan's room.
"Sure," Misato said, "Just make sure you can strip off in a hurry."
"Okay." Shinji bit into his second bit of toast while Misato shouted out to Asuka.
"Did you hear that, Asuka?" she shouted.
"Yeah, I hear you!" Misato sighed, cracking open a third can of beer for the morning.
"Misato, you have a mission in about two hours," Shinji said, "Aren't you supposed to be sober for that?"
"Ah, shut up." Misato took another deep scull of Yebisu. Cyan walked out of his room, wearing navy tracksuit pants over his teal and black plug suit and pulling a light grey t-shirt over his top half.
"Pretty smart, Cyan!" Misato commented on the plug suit.
"Yeah, I don't mind the colour myself," Cyan said, checking his sleeves, the only exposed part of the plug suit. "Let's just hope I don't have to use it today..."
"Yeah, being a backup for these two..." Misato quietly took another slurp from her can. At that time, Asuka came out, fully suited up for battle.
"Hey, guys! How, Misato!" Asuka greeted the gathering. "Are we ready to go?"
"I suppose we better head off now," Misato checked her watch. "Okay, let's move out!"
-----------
"Asuka, do you understand your mission?" Ritsuko asked.
"Affirmative, Doctor," she said, full of confidence, as she pressed the anti-heat activator. Her figure swelled out to that of a small whale. Shinji barely covered a snicker. Asuka jerked her head around.
"As soon as I'm out of this God-awful plug suit," Asuka threatened, "you're dead!"
"Really?" Shinji took his newfound bravado to new heights. "What'll you do? Roll over onto me?"
"Just what are you implying, Shinji!? Perverse hentai!"
Shinji, realising the error of his words, took it back hastily. "No, I didn't mean it like that..!"
Ritsuko was getting impatient. "Just get in your Evas already!" Shinji and Asuka nodded, while Cyan watched them walk off.
"Looks like you're putting up with me, then," Cyan commented.
"Ah, you're not so bad," Ritsuko said, "Hell, you've been the only one so far to keep Asuka in check apart from Kaji..."
"Speaking of which," Ritsuko heard Asuka say over her comm link, "Where is Kaji?"
Misato got angry at the mention of that jerk. "God's Gift won't be here, thank God..."
"Aww," Asuka whined, "I was hoping he'd see my first real triumph..."
A blue pulse radiated light from over the volcano. "Laser operation complete," Maya confirmed, "Now, lowering Eva Unit Two into the lava."
Cyan spotted something in the sky. "Jets..?"
"They're JSSDF fighters," Ritsuko explained, "They're here if something goes wrong."
"What? Provide support fire?"
"Nope. Vaporise the entire area with N2 mines." Maya said grimly.
"What!?" Cyan was clearly upset. [I dunno what the hell an N2 mine is, but I'm guessing it's bad...] "What kind of jerk-off would order that?"
"Commander Ikari," Ritsuko said.
"Shinji's dad?" Cyan was stunned. [He would kill his own son? What kind of father is he?]
Cyan's attention was brought back to the panel of video monitors in front of him. He could see everything: direct video feeds from both Eva Units, a camera mounted on Eva Unit Two's shoulder to see into the lava, digital displays of everything from the coolant pipe outputs, remaining power in both Units...he could see everything.
"Talk about hot!" Asuka's video feed spoke. "Hey, Shinji!"
Shinji head looked down into the lava. Asuka split the Eva's legs. "A perfect Scissors Dive!" she cried as her Eva plunged into the incinerating depths. Shinji and Cyan sighed, wondering when Asuka would grow up.
-------------
"Unit Two is at the estimated target depth," Maya reported.
"Asuka, do you see anything?" Misato asked.
"Can't see a thing...switching to CT monitor." The vision mode in her Eva switched over. "Jeez, even with this on I can barely see anything!" She looked around carefully. "No, it's not here..."
"Looks like we've underestimated the speed of the undercurrent," Ritsuko concluded, "How much further down can she go?"
"Only another four hundred metres," Makoto said, "After that, there's no telling what kind of damage would be done."
"Hmm..." Misato looked toward the monitor. "Asuka, you're going to have to go deeper. Can you handle it?"
"Of course!" Asuka replied, with her usual can-do attitude.
"Right." Misato turned back to the team. "Continue to descend!"
------------
"Unit Two has reached maximum safe depth," Maya reported.
"But we still haven't made contact with the Angel," Misato complained. "Continue to descend."
"Major!" Hyuga spoke up, "Have you forgotten that there's a human being in there!?"
"Didn't you hear me?" Misato took authority. "I said, 'descend'."
"Don't worry," Cyan said to Hyuga, "Asuka can handle it."
The comm link crackled into life. "Damn right I can handle it!" Asuka said, with a newfound determination, "I'm not coming back without an Angel!"
"Asuka, how are you feeling?" Misato showed some compassion towards Asuka's situation.
"Nice and toasty," came the reply, "I just want to end this and take another shower."
"There's a nice hot spring near here," Misato offered, "We'll go as soon as you're done here."
"Okay..."
--------------
"Unit is now at corrected target depth," Maya said, "If it isn't here, we're going home."
"Wait! I see it!" Asuka said, excitedly. "Readying the cage..."
The whole NERV crew watched in anticipation and dread as Unit Two moved in to ensnare the Angel embryo. After a few tense minutes, the cage closed around Sandalphon.
"Angel capture complete," Maya breathed a sigh of relief, "No problems detected."
"Alright, Asuka!" Cyan shouted.
"Good work, Asuka," Misato said, albeit not with as much enthusiasm, "Bring her in, and we can go home."
"Roger that!" Asuka said, as her unit ascended.
Ritsuko and Misato inhaled a large breath of relief. "Finally...that's lifted a lot of pressure," Misato said.
"I'll say. Just imagine what would happen if we'd failed..."
"Yeah...Second Impact, all over again..."
Suddenly, Cyan's hand shot to his gut. "Unh..." he said, dismissing the pain as a stomachache. "I think I need something to drink..."
Almost an instant later, alarm klaxons went off. Misato and Ritsuko's eyes shot to the monitor. A terrified Asuka was wide eyed. "It's gone crazy!"
Watching the external camera confirmed it: the Angel was hatching!
"Asuka! You don't have any other alternative! You have to destroy the Angel at all costs!" Ritsuko barked.
"That's what I've been waiting for you to say!" Asuka reached for her prog knife. "C'mon, you bastard," she challenged the Angel, "Come at me!"
The Angel didn't hesitate, and it shot straight at Asuka, who barely had time to dodge. "Holy shit, he's fast!"
"The extreme heat must've disfigured its molecular structure!" Maya concluded.
"I'm in trouble..." Asuka waited for the Angel to make another pass, before trying to gut it with the knife. Unfortunately for her, the knife broke on the hard shell of the Angel.
"Unit Two has lost the progressive knife!" Aoba shouted, "She's completely defenceless!"
"Wind her in! Hopefully the Angel will follow..."
"No! I'll beat it...but how..."
Cyan thought hard. "Asuka, think physics!"
Shinji piped in. "Thermal expansion!"
Asuka got the drift, and ripped one of the five coolant pipes from her fat suit. The Angel charged into Asuka's Unit, copping a full face of coolant. Despite this, the Angel clung onto Eva Unit Two.
"What now?" Asuka shouted.
"Shinji, throw your knife down to Asuka!" Misato commanded.
"Here it goes!" Shinji reared back, and threw the knife as hard as he could. It splashed into the lava, making a bee-line straight down to Asuka. "Knife arrival in twenty seconds!"
"Hurry up, you stupid knife!" Asuka cried out, then shrieked as the Angel's mouth opened onto Unit Two's faceplate, displaying a large amount of teeth.
"Asuka, concentrate the coolant on the Core!" Cyan gave the girl advice. As the knife arrived, Asuka moved her right hand and the coolant pipe straight over the Angel's Core, and grabbed the knife with the other.
"Die, you bastard!" Asuka brought the knife down hard, penetrating the weakened Core and destroying it. She watched as the defeated Angel's corpse burned to a crisp. However, on its way down, its tail cut through three of the remaining four coolant pipes, her only lead out of the volcano.
"Oh no! It can't take Eva Unit Two's weight!" Ritsuko shouted, "She's gonna fall!"
"Dr. Akagi! Cut all pain sensors to Unit One, and get Shinji to dive in after her!" Cyan offered his idea to Ritsuko.
"But we'll seriously damage Unit One..."
"You'll seriously damage Asuka if you don't do it!"
"Shinji, did you get that?" Misato asked as Ritsuko followed Cyan's directive.
"I'm on it!" Shinji said as he dived in after Unit Two, in which Asuka had given up all hope.
"Is this it?" she wondered as the last pipe burst. She started to descend into the fiery depths, until the Eva's hand was caught.
"Huh?" Asuka looked up into the eyes of Unit One. "Shinji...you idiot..." she said, thankful for saving her life, "You show-off..."
-----------
The next day, a delivery truck rolled up to their temporary house in Mt. Asama. The man knocked at the door, and a young boy in trousers and a shirt answered the door.
"Are you, uh, any of these people?" he offered Shinji the clipboard that held his, Misato's, Asuka's and Cyan's names on it.
"Yeah, I'm Shinji," he said, as he signed the delivery. Handing the clipboard back, he looked at the big box at his feet. "What could this be? It's from Kaji..."
Suddenly, the box burst open by itself, and Pen Pen jumped out, eagerly looking for something.
Shinji smiled. "The springs are over that way," he said.
-----------
The warm water lapped around Cyan's waist as he sat in the springs. It caused an unfamiliar tingling sensation against his new scar. [This scar's changed everything for me,] he thought, [If I wasn't impaled that day, I probably never would've been an Eva pilot...] Cyan pulled the towel over his groin in the water and lay back in the water. After all, in his country, they didn't have many public bathtubs...
Across the pool, Shinji was relaxing. [Aaaaaahhhh...this feels like heaven!]
Misato interrupted his tranquil thoughts. "Hey, can one of you guys hear me?" she shouted from the other side of the division.
Shinji sat up. "Yes, ma'am!"
"Can you throw over the body shampoo? We ran out of ours!" Asuka shouted from over the divider.
"Okay," Shinji obliged as he picked up the bottle. "I'm throwing it over now!"
"Roger!" He pitched it over. Seconds later, a cry of pain echoed through the area. "Ow! You hit me, you idiot!"
"Sorry..." he said quietly. Asuka continued her tirade. "And in my most private parts, too!"
"Aw, let me take a look at it..!" Misato mothered Asuka, giving the two boys very wrong ideas. Misato didn't stop there, either. "Ooh, your skin's so soft and smooth, Asuka!"
Cyan ignored her guardian. [She's probably just saying that...] At least until he heard Asuka squeal in surprise.
"Stop it! That tickles!" she laughed, and a few seconds later, "No, don't touch me there!"
Shinji's face flushed red. Cyan was thanking his own common sense that he bought a towel into the hot springs themselves, otherwise he would've been in a very inauspicious situation, like Shinji was across the water.
When Shinji realised that was happening to him, he crouched down in the water very quickly. "Thermal expansion," he lamented, "How embarrassing..."
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Next chapter, construction of Eva Unit Five is completed, and Cyan is given his first experience inside his Eva. But, during the test run, enemies of NERV cut the power supply to the Geofront! Cyan is a sitting duck while the Ninth Angel approaches! Can Shinji, Asuka and Rei get to their Evangelions in time to fend off this new threat? See for yourself in the next episode of Where Am I?!
Where Am I? : Chapter 3 - Signing Away Your Life : You Mean I Can't Go On The Trip!?
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Cyan sat alone in the entry plug. It was definitely a unique experience for him, sitting with his entire form underwater (or at least under LCL), and being able to breathe perfectly fine. His hands rested on the control yokes to his sides, having been told that it was through the use of these that he would be able to control his Evangelion. [LCL, Second Impact, Evangelion, Angel... All of these new terms I've never heard of before...] He reached one of his hands to his gut, as the plug suit that Dr. Akagi had supplied to him was a little tight there.
"Cyan, stop trying to make breathing room," Ritsuko scolded the Sixth Child, "With the workout program we have planned for you, those few pounds will fall off in no time."
[Well, that sounds promising...] "Hai..."
"Okay, now this test body will operate in exactly the same way as your Eva will. Everything you experience in this will be exactly as it will be in your real Eva."
"Hai..."
"Okay, we've just finished uploading your personal data, so we're ready for the test run. We're going to run through the basics of piloting with you. First, synchronisation."
"Hai..." This was getting boring fast.
"The Eva is a living entity, much like yourself. To be able to operate it, you will need to synchronise your heart, mind and soul with that of the Evangelion..."
"How do I do that?" Cyan asked.
"We've learned that breathing in sync with the Eva helps a lot. In a minute, a metronome will appear in front of you. It will move at a rate close to the Eva's breathing patterns. Try to match it with your breathing."
Cyan looked ahead. Sure enough, a digital metronome appeared in front of him, moving fairly slowly. [I suppose a monster such as an Eva doesn't have to breathe so often...] Cyan started to mimic the breathing pattern appearing in front of him.
Up in the Pribnow Box, Ritsuko watched Cyan's synchrograph with interest. Ritsuko was impressed with Cyan's steady rate of improvement.
"Already 53%? This kid's good..." Misato shared Ritsuko's amazement.
Ritsuko leaned toward the speaker. "Okay, that's great work, Cyan," she said, "Okay, now we go to movement. Try to maintain that breathing pattern through the rest of the training, while you move the Eva's arm. Grab the control yoke, and pull it backwards. This will send your brainwaves directly to the Eva."
"Okay..." Cyan took hold of the control yokes in front of him, and pulled back. While doing this, he thought about moving his right arm, just like Ritsuko told him to. The crew watched as the test body's arm twitched, and then moved in front of the body itself.
"Is it working?" Cyan asked from the plug.
"Yes, you're doing great!" Misato beamed at the Evangelion newbie via the direct video feed.
Cyan smiled. [Pretty soon I'll have my very own Evangelion...]
--------------
"Lucky! I'm so glad I'm going shopping with you, Kaji!" Asuka clung to Kaji's arm as he strolled through the busy mall.
"Yeah, it's a thrill a minute with you," Kaji said, his sarcastic tone difficult to pick up, because of his regular melodramatic tone. Minutes later, Kaji realised where they were heading.
"Hey, wait a second," Kaji question the young German, "Isn't this the swimsuit section?"
"Uh-huh! What do you think of this one?" Asuka held up a tiny red and white two-piece.
Kaji laughed. "Aren't you just a little young to be wearing something like that, Asuka?"
Asuka mock-frowned. "Aw, stop being such an old fuddy-duddy, Kaji. This is what all of the girls are wearing!"
Kaji sighed. [And to think I'd pinned my hopes on Cyan of getting this kid off my back...]
Later on, they had stopped for food at a small café. "So, Asuka," Kaji changed the subject, "What do you think of Cyan?"
"Oh, him? He's cute and all," Asuka reasoned, giving Kaji a glimmer of hope, until she finished with, "but nowhere near as hot as you, Kaji!"
Kaji sighed. [How am I gonna have a chance with Misato again if this girl keeps putting the moves on me!?]
"Oh, I can't wait for this school trip!" Asuka changed the subject again, "I just know we'll have a great time!"
"So, where are you going?"
"Okinawa!" Asuka said, enthusiastically, "It's gonna be awesome! We'll even get to go scuba-diving!"
"Really? Boy, it's been years since I last went diving..."
"Say, where did you go on your school trip?"
"Well, actually, we didn't have one..."
Asuka felt Kaji's pain. "Aw, that's a shame...why not?"
"Just a little thing called the Second Impact."
---------------
That night, Pen Pen floated along in the bath, relaxing in the serenity of it all, at least until a high-pitched squeal split through the apartment. "WHAT!? Did you just say that I couldn't go on the trip!?"
"Yep," Misato responded to Asuka's tirade.
"Well, why not!?"
"It's part of your job," Misato argued.
"You mean I'm on permanent standby?"
"You got it."
"What idiot decided that!?"
Misato thumbed her chest. "This one. The Operations Planning Manager." Asuka backed away, hands on her hips, looking pretty peeved about the situation. She looked across at the male equivalent of Misato, Cyan.
"Hey, Cyan!" Asuka cried, "You're a man! Stand up to her!"
"Actually, where I used to live, I went scuba diving all the time," Cyan replied, smiling. "I couldn't care less if I stay or go."
Asuka growled. "What about you?" she focused her attention on Shinji. "Stop hiding behind that cup of tea and say something!"
"Actually, you know, I kind of expected something like this..."
"So, you've already given up?"
Shinji nodded. Asuka snorted. "Pathetic! There's nothing more useless than a housebroken male..."
Cyan glared at Asuka. "And whose fault do you think that is?" Asuka turned sharply, unfamiliar with being addressed with such disrespect. "What with you riding his ass all the time! Maybe if you show him a little more respect..."
"All right! That's enough!" Misato blew her top, "I know how you feel, but there's no other way! There's no way of telling when the Angels will strike next."
"That's ridiculous!" Asuka was enraged. "What kind of Ops Planning manager are you!? Everyone knows that the best defence is a good offence! Why in hell can't we find them and attack them first?"
Cyan supported the German's argument. "She does have a point, Misato," he said.
"If there was a way, we would do it. Anyway, think of this as an opportunity to catch up on your studies."
The three pilots chorused. "Huh?"
"Do you think I don't get your report cards?" Misato flashed three memory sticks in front of her, one for each of the children. Shinji, Asuka and Cyan immediately backed away, knowing what was on them: bad grades across the board.
"Cyan isn't so bad," Misato said, "and Shinji tries everything, but you, Asuka, you just sit there during class, chatting to your friends!"
"It's not my fault..." Asuka complained.
Cyan added to Asuka's tirade. "Yeah! Where I come from, school goes from nine to three, here it's eight to five! It's ridiculous!"
"Aw, quit you whining!" Misato told the kids off, "You could at least try to adjust to Japanese school life!"
The kids backed down. Asuka contributed two more words to the conversation: "This SUCKS!"
--------------
Cyan stood at the top of the diving platform, eyeing off the pool a good ten metres below. Even now, there was a little hesitation. [I've always been scared stiff of heights...]
Cyan turned about, facing the opposite direction, edging closer to the platform's edge. Closing his eyes, he held his arms out to his sides and fell back. The sudden rush of downward motion forced adrenalin to course through his veins, as he contorted his body through the air, straightening his body just in time to enter the water flawlessly. He shot to the bottom of the pool like a bullet. When he reached the bottom, he pushed off of the floor, careening back to the surface.
Shinji watched Cyan as he swam back to the edge, boost himself out of the water, and walk back toward the platform. He turned back to his homework. [Hmph, Misato tells us all off for not doing enough work at school, and I'm the only one trying to make amends...]
"What have you got there, Shinji?" Asuka shouted from the other end of the pool.
"Basic physics primer," he replied.
"Ooh, you're such an obedient student!" Asuka mocked the Third Child once more.
"Well, I'll have to study it..." Shinji suddenly lost the ability to talk as he saw Asuka's twins, bobbing up and down as she slowed down to stop in front of him. Cyan also appreciated the terrific view from the top of the diving tower.
"Well, what do you guys think?" Asuka asked, "If not in Okinawa, let's do it here!"
"Wh-what?"
"Diving, of course!" Asuka leaned over the screen, trying to see what Shinji was working on.
"Oh, you can't solve a simple problem like that?" Asuka's hand rattled over the keyboard, sending her wobbly bits into overdrive. "There, all done."
"H-how can you solve a difficult problem like that and still get low grades on your test scores?"
"I can't read all of the Kanji yet," Asuka lamented, "I didn't have to study it in college."
"You went to college?"
"Oh yeah," Asuka said with pride, "I graduated last year. So, what's this one?"
"Oh, it's a question about thermal expansion," Shinji said, feeling blood run through his face. He knew a nosebleed wasn't too far away. Cyan saw that Shinji was in trouble, and dived away.
"Oh man, that's kid's stuff!" Asuka said, "To put it in terms you'll understand, most things expand when they get hot, and contract when they get cold."
"Uh-huh..." Shinji answered, unaware that Cyan lurked below the surface, waiting for the right moment to strike...
"So..." Asuka grinned, "If I put my hands over my breasts, would they get bigger of smaller?" Asuka demonstrated this by cupping her hands over her breasts.
Shinji felt a trickle come out of his nose. "I don't know, I don't think about things like that!"
"Aww, such a boring little boy..." Asuka whined, and walked away. Suddenly, a hand shot out of the water and clutched around Asuka ankle.
"Hey, Asuka! Come and have a dip!" Cyan laughed as he dragged the Second Child under. Asuka let out a shriek as she lost her balance and was claimed by the water. Cyan let go of Asuka's leg once she fell in, and surfaced with a broad grin on his face. Asuka surfaced, looking more than a little agitated.
"Aah! What in God's name was that for?" Asuka shouted at Cyan.
"What? You were looking so hot up there, I thought I'd cool you off!" Cyan grinned broadly.
Asuka was stunned. "Well, can't say I've heard that pick-up line before," she laughed, playfully splashing Cyan as she swam away. Cyan followed, easily catching Asuka in the water, him having more experience in the water.
Shinji gave a stifled laugh as the events unfolded in front of him. His attention then turned to Rei, exiting the pool and drying off. His eyes were transfixed on the blue haired wonder as she walked up towards the change rooms.
"Hey, Cyan!" Shinji heard a sharp cry that could only be Asuka's, "Lookie lookie!"
Shinji and Cyan's attention were now focused on Asuka. "Back roll entry!" she shouted, as she rolled back into the pool. Resurfacing, she looked up at Cyan.
"Oh yeah? How about...Bombing Run Entry!" Cyan took a long run-up, leaping over the edge of the pool, folding his body over in a pike position. Asuka could do little but cover her eyes as Cyan hit the water, creating an incredible splash. Asuka shouted as she was engulfed in a wave of water. Shinji could no longer contain himself, as he started laughing, along with Cyan. Asuka just smiled, seeing the fun in it all.
------------
Later on at home, Cyan had an empty notebook, standing outside Asuka's room, trying to ignore the questioning stares from Shinji. Suddenly, the door to Asuka's room swung open, revealing the Second Child.
"Welcome in, Cyan," she said, in a mocking welcome. Cyan walked in, and Asuka shut the door behind him. Shinji looked on, shrugged, and went back to his physics work.
Asuka glanced at the textbook in Cyan's hands. "You're not gonna take it that seriously, are you?"
"Well," Cyan said as he threw the textbook behind him, "Not if you don't want me to."
Asuka smiled. "Just sit down," she said. They sat down at Asuka's desk, ready to start Cyan's first German lesson.
"Okay," Asuka began, "Let's start with basic greetings." Asuka piled on the German accent. "Guten morgen."
Cyan repeated. "Guten morgen."
"That's 'good morning', alright?"
"Right," Cyan said. After a few more phrases, Asuka handed Cyan a small book. Upon closer inspection, Cyan saw it to be a German-English dictionary.
"Oh, thank you," Cyan showed his gratitude.
"Least I could do!" Asuka beamed. [Gotta admit, he's definitely a change from Baka-Shinji...] "I had to check up a few words you've used in it, but apart from that, it's mint condition."
"Really?" Cyan said. "I suppose that means I should get you a present as well."
Asuka just nodded. Cyan realised her plan. "You planned this from the beginning, didn't you?"
More nods. Cyan laughed. "Clever..."
Asuka's face changed from grinning to puzzled. Cyan flicked through the book, found 'clever' and translated it for her.
"Ooh," the meaning dawned on Asuka, "Thanks."
Just then, a knock echoed through the small room. "What is it, Shinji!?" Asuka cried out, irritated because her German lesson was interrupted.
"Uh, it's a call for Cyan," Shinji shouted through the door. Cyan walked to the door, and reached his hand through the opening. Grabbing the phone, he thanked Shinji and held it to his ear. "Hello?"
"Hi, Cyan, it's Misato. Listen, tell Shinji and Asuka to pack their bags and get downstairs now. We're all heading to Mt. Asama."
"Mt. Asama?" Cyan said aloud. Asuka's ears perked at the name of the place.
"Mt. Asama!?" Asuka squealed, apparently really excited, "The place with the hot springs!? Cool!"
"I take it Asuka's with you..." Misato could hear Asuka in the background.
"Uh, yeah..." Cyan confirmed Misato's suspicions. "Can I ask why we're all going?"
"The Eighth Angel has been found," Misato said over the phone, "We're launching an A-17 against it."
"A-17?" Cyan went through the special NERV commands that Ritsuko ran through with him, and gasped. "An offensive attack!? Isn't that dangerous?" Asuka also heard this, and sighed. [Of course...it's work- related...]
"Yes. Unit Two will make an attempt to capture the Angel in its current embryonic form. Unit One will be backup, and in case of emergency, we'll need a spare pilot." The Major said, referring to Cyan when she said, "spare pilot".
[This could be my first run in an Eva...] "Alright, I'll spread the word. You want me to brief the Children of the situation?" This statement of Cyan's cause a dispute from Asuka. "Hey! You're only two years older than me!"
"Oh, could you?"
"No prob, Misato," Cyan said, "They'll be down in a few minutes." Cyan pressed the 'Hang Up' button on the phone and turned to Asuka. "They've found the Eighth Angel. We pack and leave for Mt. Asama in five."
"Okay." Asuka went for her wardrobe as Cyan left to tell Shinji the news.
--------------
"The D-Type equipment hasn't been standardised for Unit Zero yet," Misato explained during the car trip to Mt. Asama, "so Rei's Eva can't participate in this operation. That's why you're here, Cyan."
Cyan acknowledged his mention, while Misato continued. "The operation will begin at ten-hundred hours tomorrow. Before we head there, we have to familiarise you with the D-Type equipment." The last sentence was directed at Asuka.
"Okay..." she said, cautiously. Cyan looked across at Asuka, then thought about what the possible changes are between regular and D-Type Evangelions. [Well, Asuka mentioned hot springs, so Mt. Asama is probably volcanic... Maybe D-Type is for extreme heat? All that extra coolant...] Cyan laughed, having received a mental image of Asuka in a bloated plug suit.
"What's so funny, Cyan?" Asuka asked, in regular Asuka tone.
"Nothing," Cyan said.
-------------
"WHAT THE HELL!?" Asuka had just triggered her heat-resistant plug suit for the first time. Sure enough, it was almost exactly as Cyan predicted. All of the extra coolant overfilled the suit, giving the appearance that Asuka was a whale-ass.
"Your Eva should be ready now," Ritsuko said calmly. Asuka walked through the corridor to her Eva's holding cage.
"Nooo!" Asuka wailed. Her Eva donned a similar heat-resistant 'fat' suit, and Asuka disapproved.
"Quit your complaining," Ritsuko scolded the girl sharply, "This exoskeleton is designed for conditions of extreme environmental duress, not high fashion."
"No way! I'm not getting into it!"
"Listen, Asuka, you don't have to be so vain," Cyan tried to coerce Asuka back into the job, "Would you rather boil yourself alive in the lava?"
Asuka quietened down, much to the surprise of everyone else in the room, Misato and Ritsuko in particular. [Did he just tame Asuka?]
"Listen," Cyan continued, "I'm not exactly comfortable in this plug suit either. I hate tight clothes... But who really cares what you look like? All that matters is what you do in it."
"...You're right," Asuka agreed, "Let me at it!"
Misato and Ritsuko were left dumbfounded. Asuka strode toward her Eva. She turned around. "Well? What are we waiting for?"
"We're waiting for tomorrow?" Ritsuko said. "We don't start until ten- hundred. Get a good sleep, Asuka."
--------------
The next day, Cyan was up at five am. How could he sleep? Today could be his first battle against an Angel. Realising that he was up far too early, he tried to go back to sleep. Alas, he couldn't.
[Ah, dammit.] He got up, and walked to the kitchen, ready to fix himself some breakfast. Grabbing a box of cereal, he poured himself a bowl. Grabbing a carton of milk, he poured it into the bowl of cereal, and sat down to eat.
While eating, Cyan began to think. [I wonder if they'll even need me here after all... Asuka seems confident enough in the Eva, and Shinji...well, he doesn't seem all that tough, but he shouldn't have any problems... Ah well, looks like I'll have to wait...]
After breakfast, Cyan went into the living room, and went for the katana. Removing the sheath, Cyan fell into the attack stance again, and repeated his katas. Deciding to be more adventurous considering that the new 'arena' had brick walls instead of flimsy particleboard, Cyan utilised his interactive techniques, running along the face of the wall, boosting off it, hacking and slashing with the blade. To finish off, he ran up the wall and flipped off it, executing a textbook jewel kick, before finally stopping.
Cyan was surprised at the sound of applause from behind him. He pivoted on the spot, and saw Misato, with a beer can already in her hand.
"Bravo," she said, "I've never seen anyone do that with those before."
Cyan blushed. "I'll say. I've never done that wall flip before. Maybe those workouts are paying off..."
Misato winked. "I told you we'd get you in shape!"
"Um, thanks?" Cyan resheathed the sword and placed it back in the frame.
"You know, if you just ask, we can organise a proper tutor for you," Misato told Cyan, "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but Unit Five's main hand-to- hand weapon will be a high-frequency katana, so you're gonna get real training in the use of it eventually."
"Thanks," Cyan commented, "but I've already undergone training. Or didn't you think I was quite efficient enough just before?"
"Um, no, it's just..." Misato began to mumble.
"I'm sorry," Cyan apologised for his cheek, "I just don't get enough sleep..."
"That's alright."
"I suppose I could use some lessons, though," Cyan admitted, "I am a little rusty."
"I only offered because it's NERV policy for all employees to learn a form of martial arts," Misato explained, "If you want to take up any other form, just ask me."
"Alright," Cyan said. "Now, you want some breakfast apart from that can of beer?"
Misato stuck her tongue out at Cyan and walked off. Cyan went back to his room to get a towel, so that he could get first shower.
When he got out, Shinji and Asuka were awake. "About time!" Asuka declared, as she charged into the shower once Cyan was out. Shinji looked on, uncaring, simply enjoying his tea. Asuka slammed the door behind her, as Cyan went to his room and got dressed. Shinji turned to face Misato, now dressed in official NERV uniform.
Misato shouted out to Cyan. "You might as well change straight into your plug suit."
"Can I wear regular clothes outside it?" came the shout from Cyan's room.
"Sure," Misato said, "Just make sure you can strip off in a hurry."
"Okay." Shinji bit into his second bit of toast while Misato shouted out to Asuka.
"Did you hear that, Asuka?" she shouted.
"Yeah, I hear you!" Misato sighed, cracking open a third can of beer for the morning.
"Misato, you have a mission in about two hours," Shinji said, "Aren't you supposed to be sober for that?"
"Ah, shut up." Misato took another deep scull of Yebisu. Cyan walked out of his room, wearing navy tracksuit pants over his teal and black plug suit and pulling a light grey t-shirt over his top half.
"Pretty smart, Cyan!" Misato commented on the plug suit.
"Yeah, I don't mind the colour myself," Cyan said, checking his sleeves, the only exposed part of the plug suit. "Let's just hope I don't have to use it today..."
"Yeah, being a backup for these two..." Misato quietly took another slurp from her can. At that time, Asuka came out, fully suited up for battle.
"Hey, guys! How, Misato!" Asuka greeted the gathering. "Are we ready to go?"
"I suppose we better head off now," Misato checked her watch. "Okay, let's move out!"
-----------
"Asuka, do you understand your mission?" Ritsuko asked.
"Affirmative, Doctor," she said, full of confidence, as she pressed the anti-heat activator. Her figure swelled out to that of a small whale. Shinji barely covered a snicker. Asuka jerked her head around.
"As soon as I'm out of this God-awful plug suit," Asuka threatened, "you're dead!"
"Really?" Shinji took his newfound bravado to new heights. "What'll you do? Roll over onto me?"
"Just what are you implying, Shinji!? Perverse hentai!"
Shinji, realising the error of his words, took it back hastily. "No, I didn't mean it like that..!"
Ritsuko was getting impatient. "Just get in your Evas already!" Shinji and Asuka nodded, while Cyan watched them walk off.
"Looks like you're putting up with me, then," Cyan commented.
"Ah, you're not so bad," Ritsuko said, "Hell, you've been the only one so far to keep Asuka in check apart from Kaji..."
"Speaking of which," Ritsuko heard Asuka say over her comm link, "Where is Kaji?"
Misato got angry at the mention of that jerk. "God's Gift won't be here, thank God..."
"Aww," Asuka whined, "I was hoping he'd see my first real triumph..."
A blue pulse radiated light from over the volcano. "Laser operation complete," Maya confirmed, "Now, lowering Eva Unit Two into the lava."
Cyan spotted something in the sky. "Jets..?"
"They're JSSDF fighters," Ritsuko explained, "They're here if something goes wrong."
"What? Provide support fire?"
"Nope. Vaporise the entire area with N2 mines." Maya said grimly.
"What!?" Cyan was clearly upset. [I dunno what the hell an N2 mine is, but I'm guessing it's bad...] "What kind of jerk-off would order that?"
"Commander Ikari," Ritsuko said.
"Shinji's dad?" Cyan was stunned. [He would kill his own son? What kind of father is he?]
Cyan's attention was brought back to the panel of video monitors in front of him. He could see everything: direct video feeds from both Eva Units, a camera mounted on Eva Unit Two's shoulder to see into the lava, digital displays of everything from the coolant pipe outputs, remaining power in both Units...he could see everything.
"Talk about hot!" Asuka's video feed spoke. "Hey, Shinji!"
Shinji head looked down into the lava. Asuka split the Eva's legs. "A perfect Scissors Dive!" she cried as her Eva plunged into the incinerating depths. Shinji and Cyan sighed, wondering when Asuka would grow up.
-------------
"Unit Two is at the estimated target depth," Maya reported.
"Asuka, do you see anything?" Misato asked.
"Can't see a thing...switching to CT monitor." The vision mode in her Eva switched over. "Jeez, even with this on I can barely see anything!" She looked around carefully. "No, it's not here..."
"Looks like we've underestimated the speed of the undercurrent," Ritsuko concluded, "How much further down can she go?"
"Only another four hundred metres," Makoto said, "After that, there's no telling what kind of damage would be done."
"Hmm..." Misato looked toward the monitor. "Asuka, you're going to have to go deeper. Can you handle it?"
"Of course!" Asuka replied, with her usual can-do attitude.
"Right." Misato turned back to the team. "Continue to descend!"
------------
"Unit Two has reached maximum safe depth," Maya reported.
"But we still haven't made contact with the Angel," Misato complained. "Continue to descend."
"Major!" Hyuga spoke up, "Have you forgotten that there's a human being in there!?"
"Didn't you hear me?" Misato took authority. "I said, 'descend'."
"Don't worry," Cyan said to Hyuga, "Asuka can handle it."
The comm link crackled into life. "Damn right I can handle it!" Asuka said, with a newfound determination, "I'm not coming back without an Angel!"
"Asuka, how are you feeling?" Misato showed some compassion towards Asuka's situation.
"Nice and toasty," came the reply, "I just want to end this and take another shower."
"There's a nice hot spring near here," Misato offered, "We'll go as soon as you're done here."
"Okay..."
--------------
"Unit is now at corrected target depth," Maya said, "If it isn't here, we're going home."
"Wait! I see it!" Asuka said, excitedly. "Readying the cage..."
The whole NERV crew watched in anticipation and dread as Unit Two moved in to ensnare the Angel embryo. After a few tense minutes, the cage closed around Sandalphon.
"Angel capture complete," Maya breathed a sigh of relief, "No problems detected."
"Alright, Asuka!" Cyan shouted.
"Good work, Asuka," Misato said, albeit not with as much enthusiasm, "Bring her in, and we can go home."
"Roger that!" Asuka said, as her unit ascended.
Ritsuko and Misato inhaled a large breath of relief. "Finally...that's lifted a lot of pressure," Misato said.
"I'll say. Just imagine what would happen if we'd failed..."
"Yeah...Second Impact, all over again..."
Suddenly, Cyan's hand shot to his gut. "Unh..." he said, dismissing the pain as a stomachache. "I think I need something to drink..."
Almost an instant later, alarm klaxons went off. Misato and Ritsuko's eyes shot to the monitor. A terrified Asuka was wide eyed. "It's gone crazy!"
Watching the external camera confirmed it: the Angel was hatching!
"Asuka! You don't have any other alternative! You have to destroy the Angel at all costs!" Ritsuko barked.
"That's what I've been waiting for you to say!" Asuka reached for her prog knife. "C'mon, you bastard," she challenged the Angel, "Come at me!"
The Angel didn't hesitate, and it shot straight at Asuka, who barely had time to dodge. "Holy shit, he's fast!"
"The extreme heat must've disfigured its molecular structure!" Maya concluded.
"I'm in trouble..." Asuka waited for the Angel to make another pass, before trying to gut it with the knife. Unfortunately for her, the knife broke on the hard shell of the Angel.
"Unit Two has lost the progressive knife!" Aoba shouted, "She's completely defenceless!"
"Wind her in! Hopefully the Angel will follow..."
"No! I'll beat it...but how..."
Cyan thought hard. "Asuka, think physics!"
Shinji piped in. "Thermal expansion!"
Asuka got the drift, and ripped one of the five coolant pipes from her fat suit. The Angel charged into Asuka's Unit, copping a full face of coolant. Despite this, the Angel clung onto Eva Unit Two.
"What now?" Asuka shouted.
"Shinji, throw your knife down to Asuka!" Misato commanded.
"Here it goes!" Shinji reared back, and threw the knife as hard as he could. It splashed into the lava, making a bee-line straight down to Asuka. "Knife arrival in twenty seconds!"
"Hurry up, you stupid knife!" Asuka cried out, then shrieked as the Angel's mouth opened onto Unit Two's faceplate, displaying a large amount of teeth.
"Asuka, concentrate the coolant on the Core!" Cyan gave the girl advice. As the knife arrived, Asuka moved her right hand and the coolant pipe straight over the Angel's Core, and grabbed the knife with the other.
"Die, you bastard!" Asuka brought the knife down hard, penetrating the weakened Core and destroying it. She watched as the defeated Angel's corpse burned to a crisp. However, on its way down, its tail cut through three of the remaining four coolant pipes, her only lead out of the volcano.
"Oh no! It can't take Eva Unit Two's weight!" Ritsuko shouted, "She's gonna fall!"
"Dr. Akagi! Cut all pain sensors to Unit One, and get Shinji to dive in after her!" Cyan offered his idea to Ritsuko.
"But we'll seriously damage Unit One..."
"You'll seriously damage Asuka if you don't do it!"
"Shinji, did you get that?" Misato asked as Ritsuko followed Cyan's directive.
"I'm on it!" Shinji said as he dived in after Unit Two, in which Asuka had given up all hope.
"Is this it?" she wondered as the last pipe burst. She started to descend into the fiery depths, until the Eva's hand was caught.
"Huh?" Asuka looked up into the eyes of Unit One. "Shinji...you idiot..." she said, thankful for saving her life, "You show-off..."
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The next day, a delivery truck rolled up to their temporary house in Mt. Asama. The man knocked at the door, and a young boy in trousers and a shirt answered the door.
"Are you, uh, any of these people?" he offered Shinji the clipboard that held his, Misato's, Asuka's and Cyan's names on it.
"Yeah, I'm Shinji," he said, as he signed the delivery. Handing the clipboard back, he looked at the big box at his feet. "What could this be? It's from Kaji..."
Suddenly, the box burst open by itself, and Pen Pen jumped out, eagerly looking for something.
Shinji smiled. "The springs are over that way," he said.
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The warm water lapped around Cyan's waist as he sat in the springs. It caused an unfamiliar tingling sensation against his new scar. [This scar's changed everything for me,] he thought, [If I wasn't impaled that day, I probably never would've been an Eva pilot...] Cyan pulled the towel over his groin in the water and lay back in the water. After all, in his country, they didn't have many public bathtubs...
Across the pool, Shinji was relaxing. [Aaaaaahhhh...this feels like heaven!]
Misato interrupted his tranquil thoughts. "Hey, can one of you guys hear me?" she shouted from the other side of the division.
Shinji sat up. "Yes, ma'am!"
"Can you throw over the body shampoo? We ran out of ours!" Asuka shouted from over the divider.
"Okay," Shinji obliged as he picked up the bottle. "I'm throwing it over now!"
"Roger!" He pitched it over. Seconds later, a cry of pain echoed through the area. "Ow! You hit me, you idiot!"
"Sorry..." he said quietly. Asuka continued her tirade. "And in my most private parts, too!"
"Aw, let me take a look at it..!" Misato mothered Asuka, giving the two boys very wrong ideas. Misato didn't stop there, either. "Ooh, your skin's so soft and smooth, Asuka!"
Cyan ignored her guardian. [She's probably just saying that...] At least until he heard Asuka squeal in surprise.
"Stop it! That tickles!" she laughed, and a few seconds later, "No, don't touch me there!"
Shinji's face flushed red. Cyan was thanking his own common sense that he bought a towel into the hot springs themselves, otherwise he would've been in a very inauspicious situation, like Shinji was across the water.
When Shinji realised that was happening to him, he crouched down in the water very quickly. "Thermal expansion," he lamented, "How embarrassing..."
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Next chapter, construction of Eva Unit Five is completed, and Cyan is given his first experience inside his Eva. But, during the test run, enemies of NERV cut the power supply to the Geofront! Cyan is a sitting duck while the Ninth Angel approaches! Can Shinji, Asuka and Rei get to their Evangelions in time to fend off this new threat? See for yourself in the next episode of Where Am I?!