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 6 - Another Normal Week : Shadows of the Past
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"The Angel appeared about two minutes ago," Hyuga reported.
"Send Recon satellite 6 to that orbit. Give us a look at this thing..." Misato was peeved. It wasn't every day that people threw a party about a promotion, even if you didn't care about it in the first place.
"Target has been sighted," Aoba confirmed, "Patching it up on the main screen."
The image of the Angel was displayed, showing the NERV technicians that it was easily four times the size of an observation satellite.
"My God, it's enormous!" Hyuga commented.
"It's impressive, alright..."
"Recon 6 is now in range," Aoba said, "Commencing analysis..."
A few seconds later, just after the analysis was complete, the satellite crumpled, as if being crushed by an invisible compacter, and the picture was soon replaced by snow.
"Was that an AT field?" Misato asked.
"Yes," Ritsuko deducted, "A new way of using one..."
"Radar has detected a high speed object heading towards the Pacific Ocean!" Aoba cried.
Ground cameras were instantly put up on the screen, which showed an orange coloured blob, descending at a great speed. Seconds later, they were staring at an immense tsunami, heading outwards from the impact point.
"That's an AT field impact..." Misato confirmed.
"It's getting smarter too," Ritsuko informed the current Acting Commander, "With every shot, it's been improving its aim."
Misato didn't need to ask her next question. "It's coming here, isn't it?"
"I'd say so."
"What if it falls on us? Will there be a third Ashinoka Lake?"
"Actually, according to our calculations, this whole area will become part of the Pacific Ocean."
"So what will we do?"
"Evacuate the city. Evacuate all non-essential staff as well. Also, prepare Evas for activation."
"The Evas?" Ritsuko asked, almost letting her shock disrupt her calm exterior, "This Angel is a huge living bomb! It could just as easily destroy the Evas as well!"
"We have no choice!" Misato growled, "Get the Evas ready! I'll brief them on their mission..."
------------------
"What!? You want us to catch it with our hands!?" Asuka didn't like this plan.
"That's right. We'll locate the Evas in the estimated drop zone, then while maintaining your AT fields, you'll catch it before it hits the ground."
"But what if it doesn't fall where you think it will?" Shinji asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Then there'll be a little 'boom'," Misato joked.
"But what if the Eva's can't handle it?" Asuka asked.
"We'll all be blown to the moon."
"What are our chances?"
"I've got no idea. Not so good, in my opinion..."
"Well, there's a lot of faith..." Cyan commented sarcastically, "If we pull this off, it'll be a miracle..."
"Miracles don't just happen, people have to make them happen."
"You're saying we have to sacrifice ourselves?" This sounded a little too philosophical for Asuka.
"I'm sorry, Asuka. We've got no other choice. This is the best plan."
"How can you call something this crazy a plan!?" Asuka was back to normal.
Misato stayed silent for a short while, saying, "I suppose I can't really...if any of you want to pull out, I'll understand."
No reaction. "I see...so you are okay with this?"
Still no reaction. "Regulations state you all have to write a will. Have you guys done so?"
"I don't need to, I won't die just yet." Asuka was first to reply.
"Neither do I. There is no point to it." Rei was next.
"Yeah, me neither." Shinji was next.
"Ditto." Cyan brought up the rear.
"Okay...but I promise to treat you all to a state dinner, okay?"
"A state dinner!?" Asuka was surprised, silently hoping that Misato wouldn't be cooking.
"Wow..."
"You won't forget, right?"
"I swear, I won't..." Misato walked away, leaving the Children to talk the situation over.
"A state dinner's supposed to impress us?" Shinji lamented.
"Who would go nuts over a stupid state dinner?" Asuka complained at Misato's stinginess. "And plus, that 'Wow' you made sounded pretty convincing to me, Shinji!"
"Hey, give Misato a little credit," Cyan requested of Asuka, "She's hard pressed as it is, she doesn't need us whining for little extras that we can live without."
Asuka resigned her tirade, and reached into her school bag. "Might as well figure out where she'll be taking us...you're coming with us, aren't you Wondergirl?"
"No..."
Shinji looked across at Rei. "Why not?"
"What are you, stupid?!" Asuka snapped at Shinji, much like she did any other time, "Rei's a vegetarian, remember?"
Cyan sighed, and walked off to the changerooms. [Damn kids...]
---------------
The elevator to the Cages had never been longer for Cyan. Usually he had either Asuka or Shinji to talk to. At least when Rei went up with him, he could have some form of conversation, regardless of how brief it was. It just so happened that he was ready to fight another Angel before everyone else, which meant that he had the privilege of going down the elevator solo.
[Back into the Eva again...This is a pretty dangerous life...] Cyan thought to himself. [At least I've made some friends here...and there's nothing left to remind me of her any more...]
The elevator stopped at the Cage, and Cyan disembarked, heading towards his Evangelion.
[And to think, two weeks ago I was worried I wouldn't get an English assignment in on time...] Cyan laughed inwardly.
----------------
Mere minutes later, Cyan was stationed on the edge of the city, waiting for the order to move out. If he squinted, he could see Shinji in Unit One, further out to his left, and Rei in Unit Zero, out to his right. He could also sense something approaching him from above, something really big...
[Must be the Angel...] he said. A window opened up on his graphical interface. "Okay," Misato briefed the pilots, "It's going to penetrate the earth's ozone layer in ten seconds. We estimate the Angel will attempt to land somewhere in Shinji's area. Run for there in...5...4...3...2...1...Move out!"
Cyan started to run, despite the immense pain that shot through his system as the Angel burst into the atmosphere. He ran on, ignoring the pain as he leapt over a set of powerlines. Asuka and Rei were proceeding through the central lake, ploughing through the water at great speed. Shinji was running through the streets, watching the sky for a visual on the Angel.
"The Angel's going to land on a hill right in front of you guys!" he said before pouring on more speed. The acceleration was incredible, as Unit One moved like a blur.
Back in the Command Centre, Maya was wide-eyed. "Unit One just went supersonic!"
Ritsuko erased the last few seconds with a few taps on the keyboard. "No it didn't," she said, glancing at Maya with a scolding look.
Shinji was first to reach it, digging his heels into the ground to brake from a speed that blew past the sound barrier. He went below the Angel, and expanded his field, lifting the Angel away from the ground. He began to strain under the weight of the Angel, but continued to push upward.
Cyan was next to reach it. He positioned himself next to Shinji, and expanded his field, Shinji slightly relieved to share the weight with someone else. Still it began to fall again.
Cyan put all his focus into keeping his field up. Suddenly, something happened that destroyed that focus. A chillingly dark voice pierced through his mind.
{Who are you?} Cyan heard in his head. {Why are you destroying my comrades?}
Cyan held his head in pain with one hand as the thoughts continued. Shinji felt the weight increase.
"Cyan! What's going on!? Put up your field!"
----------------
"What's happening!?" Ritsuko shouted.
Maya looked at the readings. "The Angel's trying to communicate with Unit Five!"
"How is that possible!? Cut off the signal input!" Misato ordered.
"We can't! It's overriding it!"
"What did you say!?"
---------------
[You want to destroy us!] Cyan thought, answering the dark voice's question, [We have to destroy you!]
{But you are one of us...}
Cyan gasped. [How can we be one of you if we don't even know what you are!?]
{I see...you still don't know what you are...} The voice fled Cyan's mind, enabling him to maintain his AT field more effectively with both arms.
Rei and Asuka approached the Angel from opposite sides. "Unit Two," Rei shouted, "Expand your field!"
"I'm already doing it!" Asuka riposted. They both reached the boys at the same time, easing the tension on them.
"You're late, ladies," Cyan grunted through the stress. [The Angel can't penetrate four AT fields, could he?]
"What now?" Shinji asked. Rei had the answer, drawing her Eva Unit's prog knife and slicing through the Angel's field.
Asuka followed suit. "Eat this, aschlugh!" she cried, while driving her retractable prog blade up into the Angel's fleshy Core. The Angel faltered, spasming with the fatal blow before detonating, albeit with a much weaker than predicted blast. Sahaquiel was defeated.
Cyan relaxed in ease. [Another one down...] Suddenly, he heard the low voice again.
{You'll see soon enough...}
----------------
"Well, this'll be interesting," Cyan said, as they walked down the street, "The first time I've tried traditional Japanese food..."
Misato gave a mock-shocked gasp. "And what do you call my food, Cyan?"
"I call that traditional Japanese poison." Asuka and Shinji gave a short laugh, as Misato lashed out against Cyan. He dodged the blow easily. Rei looked on, unsure of what to think. "Far too slow, Major," he taunted.
Misato growled, and told Cyan off. "That's it, you're paying tonight."
"Aw, come on!" Cyan complained. The reached their destination, and sat at the ramen bar.
Rei was first to order. "One garlic ramen with no roast pork."
"One shark's fin ramen with roast pork," Asuka said enthusiastically, "Supersize it!" Cyan could be heard complaining in the background.
"Don't worry, I'll pay," Misato said with a smile as she ordered curry ramen with roast beef.
"I'll have the same," Cyan said as he sat down next to Rei. Shinji ordered sweet and sour with chicken.
"So, what took you so long to get to me, Asuka?" Shinji asked.
"What!? How dare you accuse me of being lazy!" Asuka bit his head off. Soon an argument broke out, with Misato stuck right in the middle. Cyan listened in, until the least likely person addressed him directly.
"You heard it, didn't you?" Rei asked.
Cyan looked at Rei. "I'm sorry?"
"Israfel spoke to you, didn't it?"
Cyan was shocked. "Um...no..."
"Why do you lie to me?"
"I...dunno..." Cyan was silent. [How does she know what I'm thinking?] "How...did you know?"
Rei looked ahead into space. "I hear it too...every time..."
"They talk to you?"
"The Angels...the Eva...they all do..."
"Is this normal?" Cyan asked. "A-Are you supposed to hear it?"
"Ikari and Sohryu don't hear it...but if you do, then...maybe..." Rei dismissed it. "It is beyond my comprehension."
Cyan thought back to the battle, that cold voice... "Isn't it distracting?"
Rei looked at Cyan, and his attention drew to her blood red eyes. "I don't speak back."
"Wait...how did you know I talked back?" Cyan thought back to the incident. "I-I didn't even say anything!"
"I don't know..."
Cyan looked back at his ramen and sighed. "I wonder why we can hear them, and Shinji and Asuka can't..."
"Huh? Did you say something, Cyan?" Asuka interrupted.
"Huh? Oh, no, nothing," he replied.
----------------
Cyan began to think back over the twenty-four hours since the last Angel attack. Since Sahaquiel's defeat, the evil mastermind Ritsuko decided it was necessary for the pilots to undergo tests 'without the interference of the plug suits'.
[Bloody perverted bitch...] To him Asuka put it the best way: "butt naked and run through the wash cycle seventeen times". Thank God there were only two screen dividers, which meant that he went separately from the other pilots. It was during the other three's test run, however, that things got interesting. It all began with what was supposed to be 'minor erosion' that turned into something far worse. The Eleventh Angel had used this form to penetrate as far as the Pribnow Box, where the test bodies were stored, and where the other pilots were doing their test runs.
----------------
"Pilot Monteru," Gendo commanded, "Retrieve the pilots of Units Zero, One and Two, and return them here."
"Are you kidding?" Cyan complained, "Asuka would chew my ass off if I went out to her when she's naked..."
"Are you aware what happens to those who don't follow orders, Pilot Monteru?"
Cyan growled. "Okay, but don't blame me if you're short one pilot when they get back..." He turned and left.
Gendo was infuriated on the inside. [Damn smart-ass kid...]
Cyan thought it would be wise if he got their plug suits for them. Shinji's was easy enough, as they were the same gender.
['Spose I better get Asuka's and Rei's...] Cyan thought. He casually glanced around to make sure nobody could see him before he quickly ducked into the Women's changerooms.
Glancing around the alien room, Cyan scanned the lockers for one titled "Sohryu, A" or "Ayanami, R".
"Damn Kanji," he muttered. Just then, he heard voices echoing from the hallway. Cyan concealed himself behind a row of lockers. [Please don't come in here...]
As fate would have it, the door opened, and Misato entered, accompanied by Ritsuko. Pinning himself to the wall so as to minimise his shadow, Cyan crept along the face of the wall, in an effort to move away from the doorway. While he did this, he thanked Metal Gear Solid, the game that taught him almost everything he knew about stealth intrusion.
"How are we supposed to stop an Angel without the Evangelion?" Misato asked casually.
"Seeing as the Angel has taken the form similar to that of a computer chip, we might be able to find a way to overload its circuit, or trick it into executing a self destruct sequence of its own, instead of ours."
Misato made a whooshing motion with her hand, to suggest that everything Ritsuko had said went clean over her purple haired head.
Ritsuko stifled a laugh. "Basically, we get the program to delete itself."
Cyan was bored already. He snuck around to the locker area, and found Asuka's locker. Grabbing her plug suit, he was about to go to Rei's locker (which he had spotted across the hall) when the two NERV operatives walked back.
[Shit!] Cyan ran for cover, in this case the inside of Asuka's locker. He slammed the door as fast as he could without making a sound. He leaned closer to the grate, so as to look out of it.
"This is crazy!" Misato said, "You really think you can make a program that complicated, that fast?"
"Of course," Ritsuko said with all the confidence in the world. Cyan then realised that something bad was going to happen. An article of Asuka's clothing was tickling his nose.
[Aaahhh...I'm can't sneeze...not now...] "I'm not sure about this Ritsuko..." Misato said as she made for the door.
Despite his efforts, Cyan couldn't hold it back. "A-choo!" he did everything he could to conceal the noise, but it was no use. Two guns flashed from deep pockets, and concentrated on the door of Asuka's locker. [Shit! Shit! Shit shit shit shit shit!]
Misato walked slowly towards the locker, with even-paced steps. Her eyes seemed to penetrate the locker, gazing directly at Cyan. Cyan's mind began to race, thinking of all the horrible things could happen if he was caught in Asuka's locker...then cringed at the thought of what would happen if Asuka found out... Misato paused, two feet from the locker.
"Anything?" Ritsuko called out.
Misato lied. "Nothing," she said softly, barely audible to Ritsuko. Ritsuko reholstered her gun, and left the changerooms.
"If you tell Asuka..." Cyan began.
"What the fuck are you doing in here?" Misato asked quickly.
"I went to...to get...the girls'...clothes, and then you came in, and, uh..."
Misato's gun went back to his home. "If Asuka found out you wouldn't live past tomorrow. You know that, don't you?"
"Yeah..." Misato opened the locker for Cyan, and he climbed out.
"These lockers don't open from the inside," Misato said, "I just saved you a hell of a lot of embarrassment."
"Thanks," Cyan blushed, still flustered that he was caught. He went to Rei's locker, and grabbed her plug suit before turning to Misato again. "No one else hears about this, got it?"
"Sure." Cyan backed out of the door, and walked calmly until he was out of Misato's field of vision, before running as fast as he could...
-----------------
Asuka sat there, shivering in the now cold entry plug, with little to warm her but the sheer anger at being set in the middle of Ashinoka Lake in the nude. Thankfully the emergency hatch was closed.
"Aww, HOW AM I GONNA GET OUTTA HERE NAKED!?" she cried for all the world to hear, "Somebody help me! Hello?"
Her answer came as a knock on the plug suit wall. "It's me," she heard a cry from the lake, "Open the hatch so I can throw your plug suit in."
Asuka didn't believe Cyan for a second. "Yeah, so you can get a peek like you did a few days ago?"
"Yeah, that's right, I'll magically float myself out of the water so I can perve on you getting changed. We're in a lake, you know."
Asuka opened the service hatch, grumbling something along the lines of "wouldn't put it past you...". LCL ran off into the lake as the hatch opened. Shortly after, a red plug suit landed in the LCL. Asuka hurriedly grabbed it and got changed.
Cyan used the entry plug to kick off into Rei's direction, failing to hear the "Thanks," from Asuka. Being Australian, Cyan had no problem negotiating the water, and got to Rei's plug in no time. A similar procedure ensued, despite the lack of cheek from Rei. Once Cyan kicked away from Rei's plug, Asuka had jumped into the water.
"So where's the rest of the recovery team?" Asuka asked casually.
"You're looking at him," Cyan replied.
"You mean they only sent one crummy operative to collect us!? How cheap are they?" Asuka complained.
"You do know an Angel attacked, don't you?"
Asuka shut up. "Oh..." she said. Cyan began to swim for Shinji's plug.
"Y'know, I should give you credit for swimming out this far while carrying three plug suits," Asuka commented.
"Ah, I'm Austra..." Cyan almost said the A-word. "...uh, I did a lot of swimming back home. Hey, Shinji, open up!"
The third and final entry plug opened, and Cyan tossed the plug suit in. A few minutes later, Shinji poked his head over the wall of the plug.
"Uh...Cyan...I can't...swim..."
Cyan looked up at Shinji. "Ah..." [Great...my night just can't get any better...]
------------------
Cyan ended up having to swim with Shinji clinging to his back. It was tough, Shinji was a lot heavier than he looked, but he managed. Yep, two Angel attacks, Cyan's life in danger twice, busted sneaking around in the women's changerooms.... Just your average week...
He closed his eyes, and lay back on the couch, legs bent so he could fit on.
[Damn small couch...] He soon drifted off to sleep...
------------------
"SURPRISE!" the occupants of the room shouted in glee. Cyan looked around stunned, only to see Mrs. Murphy produce a large chocolate cake.
"Happy seventeenth birthday, Rory!" she beamed, holding the cake in front of her, proud of her creation. Cyan smiled, blood rushing to his face in embarrassment.
"Thanks guys," he said graciously, before doing the rounds, greeting and thanking the friends of his that masterminded the surprise party. He looked around the lounge room, covered in streamers and balloons. [Mrs. Murphy sure put in a lot of effort into this...and I only just met her...] It was only a week ago that Rory had started staying in Sale with the Murphys, saving him from catching the long bus ride from his hometown and back just to get to school.
Two girls, the shorter one with shoulder length blonde hair, the other with long dark hair, rushed to Cyan and hugged him. "Happy birthday, Rory!" they chorused, clutching onto Rory for dear life.
"Thanks for all this, Vic," he replied, addressing the shorter girl, "I presume this was you?"
"No," the longhaired one said, "It was I! Hahahah!"
"Then thanks, Zoe," he thanked her, before they took him away to talk with his other friends.
"Hey, Rory!" Benk greeted the birthday boy, his left arm wrapped over Amy's shoulder, "What's happening?"
"Not much," Cyan replied, "I just came home and, whoa!"
Cyan had just glimpsed the pile of presents, many of them a very familiar shape. "God damn, that's a lot of chocolate..."
"Well at least me and Sarah were original..." Amy piped up, referring to hers and Sarah's presents.
"Hey, there he is!" Cyan looked toward the door, to see that a few more of his friends had just walked in. "It's Chosis!"
Cyan smiled, as he already knew it would be his LANning mates, Phil, Luke and Alex. "Hey guys!" he replied, receiving his mates' presents and placing them on the pile.
"Cyan..." Cyan's head turned. A blue haired girl walked towards him, an arm beckoning him closer.
"Rei..." [Rei!? Who is that? How the hell do I know her name?] Cyan heard his old self think.
"Who are you?" Mrs. Murphy said, walking toward the mysterious girl, and reaching an arm out, "Why are you here?". As soon as she made contact, however, a rush of orange went up her arm, covering her completely before melting her body to the floor.
[What the hell!?] Cyan couldn't move as Rei walked toward him. He was oblivious to the fact that his friends had by then shared Mrs. Murphy's fate. "Who...are you?"
The girl never spoke a word, as her hands slowly looped around Cyan's back, and pushed her lips against his face. Cyan's world disintegrated around him, as he became aware of his body beginning to fade...
-----------------
"Aaagh!" Cyan sat up, sweat beading on his head. The moon shone directly through the window onto Cyan, and onto another figure.
"Gaah!" Asuka let out a surprised shriek, startled by Cyan's sudden waking. Looking around to find Cyan, she let out a whispered scolding.
"Don't scare me like that!" she said, heart still going a mile a minute.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Asuka," Cyan retorted, "I'll try not to wake up next time..."
"Don't be such a smartass!" Asuka whispered hoarsely. "Good night, Cyan..." Asuka walked back to her room, then changed her mind. She walked back, sitting on the couch before Cyan could occupy the space with his legs again.
"So, you dream as well?" Asuka said quietly.
"Yeah, I'm one of those dreaming people..." Cyan said.
"Would you quit it!?" Asuka was annoyed again, "I'm not trying to be a smartass!"
Cyan lay his head back. "Yeah, I dream...every night since I got here...I thought you were going to bed..."
"I dream too..." Asuka said quietly, "Bad memories..." They stayed in silence for a short while. After a while, the redhead broke the silence. "What do you dream about?"
"The last thing I remember from before I came here," Cyan said, "A bus crash...my friends died...and this girl was taking everyone's souls or something..."
"Whoa..." [Maybe I shouldn't have asked...what a freak...]
"You?"
"Huh?"
"What do you dream about?"
"My mother..." Asuka debated with herself whether she should tell this gaijin about her mother, but was interrupted.
"She's dead, isn't she?" Cyan asked.
"...How did you know?" Asuka was stunned.
"Mine too," Cyan said, "Brain aneurism."
Asuka bowed her head. "Suicide..."
Cyan's hand shot in front of his mouth. "I'm sorry..."
Asuka looked up, her eyes welling already. "Don't be," she said, "It isn't your fault..."
A long silence prevailed, as Asuka wiped her eyes. "Why do you pilot the EVA, Asuka?" Cyan asked casually.
"I don't know," Asuka said, "I used to think it was to show the world how great I am, so in a way, I suppose it's to prove to the world that I exist...you?"
"Because if I didn't I wouldn't have a place to stay, food to eat or any money whatsoever."
Asuka laughed. "Fair enough," she said. Her head lulled over the back of the couch. "You know, the first time I met you, I thought you were just another pervert...I mean I'd met a few back in college...but...you're not like them..."
Cyan sat up, dropping his legs onto the floor as Asuka continued. "I'd always thought that all guys were jerks, apart from Kaji of course. I'd always thought that all guys just wanted a quick fuck every now and then...but you're happy with just talking, being friends..."
Cyan was silent, while Asuka stood up. "Thank you, Cyan," she said, pecking Cyan on the cheek as she walked back to her room, "See you in the morning..."
"Good night, Asuka..." Cyan said, before curling up on the couch again and falling to sleep...
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Well, there's Chapter...(looks up to top of window...)...Six. Hopefully I'll have another update...
Listen, I've seen this work before, so I'm trying it here...I'm holding this fic hostage. If I don't get a good number of reviews, I'm discontinuing it. It's more than a little stressing to put lots of time into a project and get little or no response for it. Thanks for understanding, and thanks for the (hopefully) coming reviews.
Where Am I, Chapter 6 - Another Normal Week : Shadows of the Past
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------
"The Angel appeared about two minutes ago," Hyuga reported.
"Send Recon satellite 6 to that orbit. Give us a look at this thing..." Misato was peeved. It wasn't every day that people threw a party about a promotion, even if you didn't care about it in the first place.
"Target has been sighted," Aoba confirmed, "Patching it up on the main screen."
The image of the Angel was displayed, showing the NERV technicians that it was easily four times the size of an observation satellite.
"My God, it's enormous!" Hyuga commented.
"It's impressive, alright..."
"Recon 6 is now in range," Aoba said, "Commencing analysis..."
A few seconds later, just after the analysis was complete, the satellite crumpled, as if being crushed by an invisible compacter, and the picture was soon replaced by snow.
"Was that an AT field?" Misato asked.
"Yes," Ritsuko deducted, "A new way of using one..."
"Radar has detected a high speed object heading towards the Pacific Ocean!" Aoba cried.
Ground cameras were instantly put up on the screen, which showed an orange coloured blob, descending at a great speed. Seconds later, they were staring at an immense tsunami, heading outwards from the impact point.
"That's an AT field impact..." Misato confirmed.
"It's getting smarter too," Ritsuko informed the current Acting Commander, "With every shot, it's been improving its aim."
Misato didn't need to ask her next question. "It's coming here, isn't it?"
"I'd say so."
"What if it falls on us? Will there be a third Ashinoka Lake?"
"Actually, according to our calculations, this whole area will become part of the Pacific Ocean."
"So what will we do?"
"Evacuate the city. Evacuate all non-essential staff as well. Also, prepare Evas for activation."
"The Evas?" Ritsuko asked, almost letting her shock disrupt her calm exterior, "This Angel is a huge living bomb! It could just as easily destroy the Evas as well!"
"We have no choice!" Misato growled, "Get the Evas ready! I'll brief them on their mission..."
------------------
"What!? You want us to catch it with our hands!?" Asuka didn't like this plan.
"That's right. We'll locate the Evas in the estimated drop zone, then while maintaining your AT fields, you'll catch it before it hits the ground."
"But what if it doesn't fall where you think it will?" Shinji asked, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Then there'll be a little 'boom'," Misato joked.
"But what if the Eva's can't handle it?" Asuka asked.
"We'll all be blown to the moon."
"What are our chances?"
"I've got no idea. Not so good, in my opinion..."
"Well, there's a lot of faith..." Cyan commented sarcastically, "If we pull this off, it'll be a miracle..."
"Miracles don't just happen, people have to make them happen."
"You're saying we have to sacrifice ourselves?" This sounded a little too philosophical for Asuka.
"I'm sorry, Asuka. We've got no other choice. This is the best plan."
"How can you call something this crazy a plan!?" Asuka was back to normal.
Misato stayed silent for a short while, saying, "I suppose I can't really...if any of you want to pull out, I'll understand."
No reaction. "I see...so you are okay with this?"
Still no reaction. "Regulations state you all have to write a will. Have you guys done so?"
"I don't need to, I won't die just yet." Asuka was first to reply.
"Neither do I. There is no point to it." Rei was next.
"Yeah, me neither." Shinji was next.
"Ditto." Cyan brought up the rear.
"Okay...but I promise to treat you all to a state dinner, okay?"
"A state dinner!?" Asuka was surprised, silently hoping that Misato wouldn't be cooking.
"Wow..."
"You won't forget, right?"
"I swear, I won't..." Misato walked away, leaving the Children to talk the situation over.
"A state dinner's supposed to impress us?" Shinji lamented.
"Who would go nuts over a stupid state dinner?" Asuka complained at Misato's stinginess. "And plus, that 'Wow' you made sounded pretty convincing to me, Shinji!"
"Hey, give Misato a little credit," Cyan requested of Asuka, "She's hard pressed as it is, she doesn't need us whining for little extras that we can live without."
Asuka resigned her tirade, and reached into her school bag. "Might as well figure out where she'll be taking us...you're coming with us, aren't you Wondergirl?"
"No..."
Shinji looked across at Rei. "Why not?"
"What are you, stupid?!" Asuka snapped at Shinji, much like she did any other time, "Rei's a vegetarian, remember?"
Cyan sighed, and walked off to the changerooms. [Damn kids...]
---------------
The elevator to the Cages had never been longer for Cyan. Usually he had either Asuka or Shinji to talk to. At least when Rei went up with him, he could have some form of conversation, regardless of how brief it was. It just so happened that he was ready to fight another Angel before everyone else, which meant that he had the privilege of going down the elevator solo.
[Back into the Eva again...This is a pretty dangerous life...] Cyan thought to himself. [At least I've made some friends here...and there's nothing left to remind me of her any more...]
The elevator stopped at the Cage, and Cyan disembarked, heading towards his Evangelion.
[And to think, two weeks ago I was worried I wouldn't get an English assignment in on time...] Cyan laughed inwardly.
----------------
Mere minutes later, Cyan was stationed on the edge of the city, waiting for the order to move out. If he squinted, he could see Shinji in Unit One, further out to his left, and Rei in Unit Zero, out to his right. He could also sense something approaching him from above, something really big...
[Must be the Angel...] he said. A window opened up on his graphical interface. "Okay," Misato briefed the pilots, "It's going to penetrate the earth's ozone layer in ten seconds. We estimate the Angel will attempt to land somewhere in Shinji's area. Run for there in...5...4...3...2...1...Move out!"
Cyan started to run, despite the immense pain that shot through his system as the Angel burst into the atmosphere. He ran on, ignoring the pain as he leapt over a set of powerlines. Asuka and Rei were proceeding through the central lake, ploughing through the water at great speed. Shinji was running through the streets, watching the sky for a visual on the Angel.
"The Angel's going to land on a hill right in front of you guys!" he said before pouring on more speed. The acceleration was incredible, as Unit One moved like a blur.
Back in the Command Centre, Maya was wide-eyed. "Unit One just went supersonic!"
Ritsuko erased the last few seconds with a few taps on the keyboard. "No it didn't," she said, glancing at Maya with a scolding look.
Shinji was first to reach it, digging his heels into the ground to brake from a speed that blew past the sound barrier. He went below the Angel, and expanded his field, lifting the Angel away from the ground. He began to strain under the weight of the Angel, but continued to push upward.
Cyan was next to reach it. He positioned himself next to Shinji, and expanded his field, Shinji slightly relieved to share the weight with someone else. Still it began to fall again.
Cyan put all his focus into keeping his field up. Suddenly, something happened that destroyed that focus. A chillingly dark voice pierced through his mind.
{Who are you?} Cyan heard in his head. {Why are you destroying my comrades?}
Cyan held his head in pain with one hand as the thoughts continued. Shinji felt the weight increase.
"Cyan! What's going on!? Put up your field!"
----------------
"What's happening!?" Ritsuko shouted.
Maya looked at the readings. "The Angel's trying to communicate with Unit Five!"
"How is that possible!? Cut off the signal input!" Misato ordered.
"We can't! It's overriding it!"
"What did you say!?"
---------------
[You want to destroy us!] Cyan thought, answering the dark voice's question, [We have to destroy you!]
{But you are one of us...}
Cyan gasped. [How can we be one of you if we don't even know what you are!?]
{I see...you still don't know what you are...} The voice fled Cyan's mind, enabling him to maintain his AT field more effectively with both arms.
Rei and Asuka approached the Angel from opposite sides. "Unit Two," Rei shouted, "Expand your field!"
"I'm already doing it!" Asuka riposted. They both reached the boys at the same time, easing the tension on them.
"You're late, ladies," Cyan grunted through the stress. [The Angel can't penetrate four AT fields, could he?]
"What now?" Shinji asked. Rei had the answer, drawing her Eva Unit's prog knife and slicing through the Angel's field.
Asuka followed suit. "Eat this, aschlugh!" she cried, while driving her retractable prog blade up into the Angel's fleshy Core. The Angel faltered, spasming with the fatal blow before detonating, albeit with a much weaker than predicted blast. Sahaquiel was defeated.
Cyan relaxed in ease. [Another one down...] Suddenly, he heard the low voice again.
{You'll see soon enough...}
----------------
"Well, this'll be interesting," Cyan said, as they walked down the street, "The first time I've tried traditional Japanese food..."
Misato gave a mock-shocked gasp. "And what do you call my food, Cyan?"
"I call that traditional Japanese poison." Asuka and Shinji gave a short laugh, as Misato lashed out against Cyan. He dodged the blow easily. Rei looked on, unsure of what to think. "Far too slow, Major," he taunted.
Misato growled, and told Cyan off. "That's it, you're paying tonight."
"Aw, come on!" Cyan complained. The reached their destination, and sat at the ramen bar.
Rei was first to order. "One garlic ramen with no roast pork."
"One shark's fin ramen with roast pork," Asuka said enthusiastically, "Supersize it!" Cyan could be heard complaining in the background.
"Don't worry, I'll pay," Misato said with a smile as she ordered curry ramen with roast beef.
"I'll have the same," Cyan said as he sat down next to Rei. Shinji ordered sweet and sour with chicken.
"So, what took you so long to get to me, Asuka?" Shinji asked.
"What!? How dare you accuse me of being lazy!" Asuka bit his head off. Soon an argument broke out, with Misato stuck right in the middle. Cyan listened in, until the least likely person addressed him directly.
"You heard it, didn't you?" Rei asked.
Cyan looked at Rei. "I'm sorry?"
"Israfel spoke to you, didn't it?"
Cyan was shocked. "Um...no..."
"Why do you lie to me?"
"I...dunno..." Cyan was silent. [How does she know what I'm thinking?] "How...did you know?"
Rei looked ahead into space. "I hear it too...every time..."
"They talk to you?"
"The Angels...the Eva...they all do..."
"Is this normal?" Cyan asked. "A-Are you supposed to hear it?"
"Ikari and Sohryu don't hear it...but if you do, then...maybe..." Rei dismissed it. "It is beyond my comprehension."
Cyan thought back to the battle, that cold voice... "Isn't it distracting?"
Rei looked at Cyan, and his attention drew to her blood red eyes. "I don't speak back."
"Wait...how did you know I talked back?" Cyan thought back to the incident. "I-I didn't even say anything!"
"I don't know..."
Cyan looked back at his ramen and sighed. "I wonder why we can hear them, and Shinji and Asuka can't..."
"Huh? Did you say something, Cyan?" Asuka interrupted.
"Huh? Oh, no, nothing," he replied.
----------------
Cyan began to think back over the twenty-four hours since the last Angel attack. Since Sahaquiel's defeat, the evil mastermind Ritsuko decided it was necessary for the pilots to undergo tests 'without the interference of the plug suits'.
[Bloody perverted bitch...] To him Asuka put it the best way: "butt naked and run through the wash cycle seventeen times". Thank God there were only two screen dividers, which meant that he went separately from the other pilots. It was during the other three's test run, however, that things got interesting. It all began with what was supposed to be 'minor erosion' that turned into something far worse. The Eleventh Angel had used this form to penetrate as far as the Pribnow Box, where the test bodies were stored, and where the other pilots were doing their test runs.
----------------
"Pilot Monteru," Gendo commanded, "Retrieve the pilots of Units Zero, One and Two, and return them here."
"Are you kidding?" Cyan complained, "Asuka would chew my ass off if I went out to her when she's naked..."
"Are you aware what happens to those who don't follow orders, Pilot Monteru?"
Cyan growled. "Okay, but don't blame me if you're short one pilot when they get back..." He turned and left.
Gendo was infuriated on the inside. [Damn smart-ass kid...]
Cyan thought it would be wise if he got their plug suits for them. Shinji's was easy enough, as they were the same gender.
['Spose I better get Asuka's and Rei's...] Cyan thought. He casually glanced around to make sure nobody could see him before he quickly ducked into the Women's changerooms.
Glancing around the alien room, Cyan scanned the lockers for one titled "Sohryu, A" or "Ayanami, R".
"Damn Kanji," he muttered. Just then, he heard voices echoing from the hallway. Cyan concealed himself behind a row of lockers. [Please don't come in here...]
As fate would have it, the door opened, and Misato entered, accompanied by Ritsuko. Pinning himself to the wall so as to minimise his shadow, Cyan crept along the face of the wall, in an effort to move away from the doorway. While he did this, he thanked Metal Gear Solid, the game that taught him almost everything he knew about stealth intrusion.
"How are we supposed to stop an Angel without the Evangelion?" Misato asked casually.
"Seeing as the Angel has taken the form similar to that of a computer chip, we might be able to find a way to overload its circuit, or trick it into executing a self destruct sequence of its own, instead of ours."
Misato made a whooshing motion with her hand, to suggest that everything Ritsuko had said went clean over her purple haired head.
Ritsuko stifled a laugh. "Basically, we get the program to delete itself."
Cyan was bored already. He snuck around to the locker area, and found Asuka's locker. Grabbing her plug suit, he was about to go to Rei's locker (which he had spotted across the hall) when the two NERV operatives walked back.
[Shit!] Cyan ran for cover, in this case the inside of Asuka's locker. He slammed the door as fast as he could without making a sound. He leaned closer to the grate, so as to look out of it.
"This is crazy!" Misato said, "You really think you can make a program that complicated, that fast?"
"Of course," Ritsuko said with all the confidence in the world. Cyan then realised that something bad was going to happen. An article of Asuka's clothing was tickling his nose.
[Aaahhh...I'm can't sneeze...not now...] "I'm not sure about this Ritsuko..." Misato said as she made for the door.
Despite his efforts, Cyan couldn't hold it back. "A-choo!" he did everything he could to conceal the noise, but it was no use. Two guns flashed from deep pockets, and concentrated on the door of Asuka's locker. [Shit! Shit! Shit shit shit shit shit!]
Misato walked slowly towards the locker, with even-paced steps. Her eyes seemed to penetrate the locker, gazing directly at Cyan. Cyan's mind began to race, thinking of all the horrible things could happen if he was caught in Asuka's locker...then cringed at the thought of what would happen if Asuka found out... Misato paused, two feet from the locker.
"Anything?" Ritsuko called out.
Misato lied. "Nothing," she said softly, barely audible to Ritsuko. Ritsuko reholstered her gun, and left the changerooms.
"If you tell Asuka..." Cyan began.
"What the fuck are you doing in here?" Misato asked quickly.
"I went to...to get...the girls'...clothes, and then you came in, and, uh..."
Misato's gun went back to his home. "If Asuka found out you wouldn't live past tomorrow. You know that, don't you?"
"Yeah..." Misato opened the locker for Cyan, and he climbed out.
"These lockers don't open from the inside," Misato said, "I just saved you a hell of a lot of embarrassment."
"Thanks," Cyan blushed, still flustered that he was caught. He went to Rei's locker, and grabbed her plug suit before turning to Misato again. "No one else hears about this, got it?"
"Sure." Cyan backed out of the door, and walked calmly until he was out of Misato's field of vision, before running as fast as he could...
-----------------
Asuka sat there, shivering in the now cold entry plug, with little to warm her but the sheer anger at being set in the middle of Ashinoka Lake in the nude. Thankfully the emergency hatch was closed.
"Aww, HOW AM I GONNA GET OUTTA HERE NAKED!?" she cried for all the world to hear, "Somebody help me! Hello?"
Her answer came as a knock on the plug suit wall. "It's me," she heard a cry from the lake, "Open the hatch so I can throw your plug suit in."
Asuka didn't believe Cyan for a second. "Yeah, so you can get a peek like you did a few days ago?"
"Yeah, that's right, I'll magically float myself out of the water so I can perve on you getting changed. We're in a lake, you know."
Asuka opened the service hatch, grumbling something along the lines of "wouldn't put it past you...". LCL ran off into the lake as the hatch opened. Shortly after, a red plug suit landed in the LCL. Asuka hurriedly grabbed it and got changed.
Cyan used the entry plug to kick off into Rei's direction, failing to hear the "Thanks," from Asuka. Being Australian, Cyan had no problem negotiating the water, and got to Rei's plug in no time. A similar procedure ensued, despite the lack of cheek from Rei. Once Cyan kicked away from Rei's plug, Asuka had jumped into the water.
"So where's the rest of the recovery team?" Asuka asked casually.
"You're looking at him," Cyan replied.
"You mean they only sent one crummy operative to collect us!? How cheap are they?" Asuka complained.
"You do know an Angel attacked, don't you?"
Asuka shut up. "Oh..." she said. Cyan began to swim for Shinji's plug.
"Y'know, I should give you credit for swimming out this far while carrying three plug suits," Asuka commented.
"Ah, I'm Austra..." Cyan almost said the A-word. "...uh, I did a lot of swimming back home. Hey, Shinji, open up!"
The third and final entry plug opened, and Cyan tossed the plug suit in. A few minutes later, Shinji poked his head over the wall of the plug.
"Uh...Cyan...I can't...swim..."
Cyan looked up at Shinji. "Ah..." [Great...my night just can't get any better...]
------------------
Cyan ended up having to swim with Shinji clinging to his back. It was tough, Shinji was a lot heavier than he looked, but he managed. Yep, two Angel attacks, Cyan's life in danger twice, busted sneaking around in the women's changerooms.... Just your average week...
He closed his eyes, and lay back on the couch, legs bent so he could fit on.
[Damn small couch...] He soon drifted off to sleep...
------------------
"SURPRISE!" the occupants of the room shouted in glee. Cyan looked around stunned, only to see Mrs. Murphy produce a large chocolate cake.
"Happy seventeenth birthday, Rory!" she beamed, holding the cake in front of her, proud of her creation. Cyan smiled, blood rushing to his face in embarrassment.
"Thanks guys," he said graciously, before doing the rounds, greeting and thanking the friends of his that masterminded the surprise party. He looked around the lounge room, covered in streamers and balloons. [Mrs. Murphy sure put in a lot of effort into this...and I only just met her...] It was only a week ago that Rory had started staying in Sale with the Murphys, saving him from catching the long bus ride from his hometown and back just to get to school.
Two girls, the shorter one with shoulder length blonde hair, the other with long dark hair, rushed to Cyan and hugged him. "Happy birthday, Rory!" they chorused, clutching onto Rory for dear life.
"Thanks for all this, Vic," he replied, addressing the shorter girl, "I presume this was you?"
"No," the longhaired one said, "It was I! Hahahah!"
"Then thanks, Zoe," he thanked her, before they took him away to talk with his other friends.
"Hey, Rory!" Benk greeted the birthday boy, his left arm wrapped over Amy's shoulder, "What's happening?"
"Not much," Cyan replied, "I just came home and, whoa!"
Cyan had just glimpsed the pile of presents, many of them a very familiar shape. "God damn, that's a lot of chocolate..."
"Well at least me and Sarah were original..." Amy piped up, referring to hers and Sarah's presents.
"Hey, there he is!" Cyan looked toward the door, to see that a few more of his friends had just walked in. "It's Chosis!"
Cyan smiled, as he already knew it would be his LANning mates, Phil, Luke and Alex. "Hey guys!" he replied, receiving his mates' presents and placing them on the pile.
"Cyan..." Cyan's head turned. A blue haired girl walked towards him, an arm beckoning him closer.
"Rei..." [Rei!? Who is that? How the hell do I know her name?] Cyan heard his old self think.
"Who are you?" Mrs. Murphy said, walking toward the mysterious girl, and reaching an arm out, "Why are you here?". As soon as she made contact, however, a rush of orange went up her arm, covering her completely before melting her body to the floor.
[What the hell!?] Cyan couldn't move as Rei walked toward him. He was oblivious to the fact that his friends had by then shared Mrs. Murphy's fate. "Who...are you?"
The girl never spoke a word, as her hands slowly looped around Cyan's back, and pushed her lips against his face. Cyan's world disintegrated around him, as he became aware of his body beginning to fade...
-----------------
"Aaagh!" Cyan sat up, sweat beading on his head. The moon shone directly through the window onto Cyan, and onto another figure.
"Gaah!" Asuka let out a surprised shriek, startled by Cyan's sudden waking. Looking around to find Cyan, she let out a whispered scolding.
"Don't scare me like that!" she said, heart still going a mile a minute.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Asuka," Cyan retorted, "I'll try not to wake up next time..."
"Don't be such a smartass!" Asuka whispered hoarsely. "Good night, Cyan..." Asuka walked back to her room, then changed her mind. She walked back, sitting on the couch before Cyan could occupy the space with his legs again.
"So, you dream as well?" Asuka said quietly.
"Yeah, I'm one of those dreaming people..." Cyan said.
"Would you quit it!?" Asuka was annoyed again, "I'm not trying to be a smartass!"
Cyan lay his head back. "Yeah, I dream...every night since I got here...I thought you were going to bed..."
"I dream too..." Asuka said quietly, "Bad memories..." They stayed in silence for a short while. After a while, the redhead broke the silence. "What do you dream about?"
"The last thing I remember from before I came here," Cyan said, "A bus crash...my friends died...and this girl was taking everyone's souls or something..."
"Whoa..." [Maybe I shouldn't have asked...what a freak...]
"You?"
"Huh?"
"What do you dream about?"
"My mother..." Asuka debated with herself whether she should tell this gaijin about her mother, but was interrupted.
"She's dead, isn't she?" Cyan asked.
"...How did you know?" Asuka was stunned.
"Mine too," Cyan said, "Brain aneurism."
Asuka bowed her head. "Suicide..."
Cyan's hand shot in front of his mouth. "I'm sorry..."
Asuka looked up, her eyes welling already. "Don't be," she said, "It isn't your fault..."
A long silence prevailed, as Asuka wiped her eyes. "Why do you pilot the EVA, Asuka?" Cyan asked casually.
"I don't know," Asuka said, "I used to think it was to show the world how great I am, so in a way, I suppose it's to prove to the world that I exist...you?"
"Because if I didn't I wouldn't have a place to stay, food to eat or any money whatsoever."
Asuka laughed. "Fair enough," she said. Her head lulled over the back of the couch. "You know, the first time I met you, I thought you were just another pervert...I mean I'd met a few back in college...but...you're not like them..."
Cyan sat up, dropping his legs onto the floor as Asuka continued. "I'd always thought that all guys were jerks, apart from Kaji of course. I'd always thought that all guys just wanted a quick fuck every now and then...but you're happy with just talking, being friends..."
Cyan was silent, while Asuka stood up. "Thank you, Cyan," she said, pecking Cyan on the cheek as she walked back to her room, "See you in the morning..."
"Good night, Asuka..." Cyan said, before curling up on the couch again and falling to sleep...
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Well, there's Chapter...(looks up to top of window...)...Six. Hopefully I'll have another update...
Listen, I've seen this work before, so I'm trying it here...I'm holding this fic hostage. If I don't get a good number of reviews, I'm discontinuing it. It's more than a little stressing to put lots of time into a project and get little or no response for it. Thanks for understanding, and thanks for the (hopefully) coming reviews.