Author's note -
Just a short one this time guys. It takes the place of episode twenty-one. Most of this takes place in Fuyutski's mind and is from his point of view.
You're right DSZ, the next Angel is going to be a hell of a bugger to write, and a hell of a test of my skill. I just hope I can do it justice.
From now on, I think I'll make it one episode per chapter. Also, do any of you know what nationality Fuyutski is? His surname sounds eastern European.
Disclaimer -
All the characters contained in this story are copyright GAINAX, Project EVA, Movic, and any other company and/or division associated with the creation and/or production of Neon Genesis Evangelion. A.D.Vision holds the copyrights to the translated version of Neon Genesis Evangelion. All characters are used WITHOUT the permission of the aforementioned institutions.
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IMPACT
A sequel to "A Question Of..."
By Room3
Chapter 05 - "Sowing The Seeds"
Kaji stood in the phone booth, looking out over the countryside that surrounded him as the phone rang. He wasn't exactly sure why he was calling her, but he felt he needed to.
"Hi!" Misato's voice said cheerfully over the phone as the answering machine kicked in. "I'm not in right now, so leave your message after the beep. Buh-bye!" Kaji sighed and, after the tone, left a message. Hanging up, he took a card out of his shirt pocket and stared at it.
My last assignment, he thought. It's red...just like blood!
--------------
"Commander Fuyutski was abducted?!" Misato asked as she sat at her desk. Before her were two agents from Nerv Intelligence. One of them had his hand inside his jacket, obviously prepared to pull his gun if she should cause them any problems.
"Yes. It happened about two hours ago," the other agent told her. "The vice-commander was last seen in the 8th district."
"That's inside this installation," the major replied. "What the hell were you idiots in Intelligence doing?"
"Someone inside this organisation must have been involved," he told her. "We appreciate your co-operation in this."
"Someone who could outwit Section 2?" Misato muttered. "Oh no, you don't think..."
"Ryoji Kaji," the agent informed her. "He's the suspected mastermind behind this plot."
"So, that's why you came for me," the major commented.
"We believe that you can help us," he told her. "As your colleagues, we regret the necessity of including the Director of Operations as a suspect, but that is the nature of our profession." As he spoke, Misato took out her gun and ID card and placed them on the desk in front of her.
"And, of course, considering my relationship with him, it's a natural precaution," the major replied flippantly, resting her chin on the back of her wrist.
"Your co-operation would be appreciated."
--------------
Fuyutski had been sat on the chair for what seemed like hours. His arms, tied behind him, were going numb from the pressure of the handcuffs. The chamber was in darkness, the only light coming from an illuminated square directly beneath him.
"It's been a while," a familiar voice said.
"Are your invitations always so violent, Chairman Keele?" Fuyutski asked, putting a name to the voice. A monolith with the number 01 appeared before him.
"There are a number of matters we need to discuss outside of Commander Ikari's hearing," Keele told him. "The nature of your 'procurement' was necessary."
"You haven't changed at all," the professor chuckled. "And how this affects me is inconsequential." Another monolith appeared, this one number 07.
"The subject to be addressed has already become an active issue," a voice from it said in a thick eastern European accent. "Thus, these measures were inevitable." A monolith numbered 03 appeared
"Please understand our situation," an almost British sounding voice said.
"Ah, now this is surprising," Fuyutski commented as another eight monoliths appeared around him. "Not the committee, but Seele itself."
"Creating a new god is not on our agenda," the voice from the monolith 09 said. "We hope that you will co-operate, Professor Fuyutski."
Professor Fuyutski... the second-in-command of Nerv thought. He closed his eyes and smiled, remembering a day long ago.
----FUYUTSKI'S MIND------------------------------
"It's nice to have a chance to have a drink outside for a change," the Dean of the school I was working for back in 1999 commented.
I'd just been telling him how three of my students had convinced me to have a drink with them. I'd responded somewhat absently.
"You know, you're a brilliant scientist, but you don't place enough value in your relationships with others," he told me.
He was right. I didn't.
"I'm sorry sir," I apologised.
"Some how I doubt that," the Dean replied. "However, there's a young bio-engineering student who's just written a very interesting paper. Her name is Ikari. Have you heard about her before?"
I hadn't.
"I've told her about your work and she asked if she could meet you," he told me. "She'll be calling you soon and I'd like you to take her on as a research assistant."
I wasn't too happy about him telling me to do that but I agreed, sounding far more enthusiastic for the idea than I felt. There was no point arguing with him, he was as stubborn a man as I have ever met.
--------------
I met with her a few days later, spending the night before going through her lengthy paper.
"I read your paper last night. There were a few things I have questions about but it's really, really very intriguing," I told her. She was sat opposite me in my lab.
"Oh thank you very much sir," she replied, pleased.
I have to admit, I couldn't help but feel attracted to her, despite the age difference.
"And your full name is Yui Ikari, right?" I asked, feeling somewhat stupid for asking.
"Yes sir," she answered, smiling.
"So...what are you're career plans?" I asked, putting the papers I'd been looking through on the desk. "Would you like to go into corporate research or join a schools research facility?"
I couldn't help but hope she wanted to join the team I was working for. Thinking back, I think she could tell.
"Well I haven't really thought about it much," she told me. "And in my case, there may be a third option to be considered."
I was surprised by that. I didn't understand what she could mean. I have to admit to being a little naive back then.
"I'm thinking about getting married and having children," she told me. "Of course that's assuming that I meet the right person."
-------------------------------------------------
"The inclusion of an S2 organ has allowed Evangelion Unit 01 to achieve it's ultimate form," a voice from monolith 02 commented.
"A living god. Created by man. What blasphemy!" the British voice from 03 replied.
"The creation of a supreme-being is unacceptable," Keele added.
"Man must not create gods," the thickly accented 07 stated.
"No one should possess such power," 02 said.
"Can we trust Gendo Ikari?" 09 asked.
Gendo Ikari, Fuyutski thought.
----FUYUTSKI'S MIND------------------------------
Of course, when I first met him, his name wasn't Ikari. It was Rokubungi, Gendo Rokubungi. My first encounter with him was when I had to bail him out after he'd been arrested. I had been surprised to learn that I'd been appointed his advisor. My first impression of him was that he was a rogue bull, with a short tether.
"I've been hearing some interesting things about you professor," he said after I got him out. "I've been wanting to meet you for some time."
"Well, getting drunk and starting a fight isn't the best introduction!" I told him.
"I didn't have a chance to say anything before they jumped me," he informed me. "I'm not used to being like professor, but I'm quite familiar with hatred."
"Well, your problems are none of my concern," I told him, walking away from the police station.
"And you're exactly the kind of person that I expected Professor Fuyutski to be," he replied, following me.
--------------
Yui and I were out hiking a few months later when she told me her news. Back then, there were still seasons in this country. It was autumn.
"Are you serious?" I asked her, surprised by what she'd told me.
"Yes sir," she replied. "I've been dating Gendo Rokubungi. A lot."
When she told me that, I couldn't hide my shock.
"It's rather hard imagining you and him being together," I told her.
"He's really very nice!" she assured me. "It's just that no one really knows him...quite the way I do. You oughta try, sir."
"In this case, I think that ignorance might be bliss," I replied.
"Are you upset that I told him to list you as his councillor?" she asked.
"Well... I'll admit that he's...interesting," I commented. "I just don't like him."
--------------
It was generally believed by most people, including myself, that the real object of Gendo's overtures to Yui was her obvious scientific talents. That, and the support of the secret organisation that was arranging funding for her projects. That organisation was called Seele.
--------------
Early in the year 2000, Second Impact occurred. The rest of the year was pure chaos. The first year of the 21st century was a... Well, what can I say? It's a time I still find hard to talk about, even today. I'm not sure how I managed to get through it, but I did...somehow.
--------------
The following year, I was picked to be part of the team sent to Antarctica to investigate what had happened. What was once a continent of ice was gone, with just a few icebergs littered here and there. That was where I met him again.
"Professor Fuyutski," A voice from behind called. I'd been staring out of the bridge's view port. I turned around.
"I don't believe it! You're alive?" I asked, shocked at who I saw. Gendo Rokubungi. "I'd heard that you were with the Katsuragi research team when the disaster occurred."
"Fortunately, I returned to Japan one day before the...incident happened," he told me.
To be honest, I found it hard to believe him.
"Is that so?" I asked, returning my gaze to the world outside. "Mr. Rokubungi, you're a very..."
"Excuse me, but I've changed my name," he told me, interrupting me.
I looked at him and he passed me a small card.
"A postcard?" I asked "Not a business card?"
I was shocked by what it said. He and Yui had got married.
"Ikari?! Gendo Ikari?!" I asked, struggling to believe that the gentle Yui could have married the man who stood before me.
"My wife has been asking me to send you this for a while now," he said. "She's still quite a fan of yours."
"Quite an honour, considering," I commented, putting the card in my pocket. "So how is Yui doing? Why isn't she on this expedition?"
"Oh Yui wanted to come as well, but we have a child to consider now," Gendo told me.
How I'm not sure, but somehow I managed to keep my composure.
We left the bridge and descended into the interior of the investigation ship.
"There are a lot of ugly rumours about this organisation you work for," I said as we walked. "Seele, or whatever it's called. I don't like the way it bullies the committee."
"I'm afraid that it's necessary. An organisation can't have too many scruples in this day and age," he replied, sure of himself.
"It may be true that Second Impact has changed a lot of things, but if this official investigation team had been composed solely of Seele personnel, there would have been trouble!" I responded, losing my temper. "Were the rest of us just invited for political convenience?" I asked, staring at him.
He just smiled. For some reason, that one smile filled me with more dread than I'd ever known.
-------------------------------------------------
Misato wrapped her arms around her knees as she sat in the dark cell. I hate the darkness! she thought. All it does it bring back my most painful memories.
----FUYUTSKI'S MIND------------------------------
I couldn't help but feel sorry of the pour young girl as she sat in the room I was looking into. The room was almost overwhelmingly bright, as if trying to illuminate a darkness buried deep within her. It looked like she'd been crying.
"Who is she?" I asked the man stood next to me. He was another member of the investigation team, but I forget his name.
"The only survivor of the research team," he told me. "Her name is Misato Katsuragi."
"Katsuragi? You mean Dr. Katsuragi's daughter?" I asked him, surprised.
"Yes. But she hasn't said a word in two years," he informed me.
"How terrible," I commented, feeling worse of the girl than I had.
"She saw hell firsthand," he continued. "Her physical wounds could be healed, but repairing the damage done to her mind will take time."
I knew he was right, but I could longer bear to watch her sat there and walked away.
"The results of our investigation aren't easy to analyse," I told him, passing a folder to him. "This giant of light is but one of many mysteries," I added, pointing to an image on one of the pages.
--------------
Later that year, the United Nations would make an official declaration - Second Impact had been caused by a massive meteorite strike on Antarctica. For someone who knew what I knew, those announcements were obvious fabrications. Seele, and a man named Lorenz Keele, were behind the cover-up. It became my goal...my obsession to find the real answers, the truth that was being suppressed, even if my former student Yui was involved as well.
--------------
The next time I saw Gendo Ikari was in 2003. He had been made the Chief of Research and the Director of the Artificial Evolution Laboratories in Hakone. I went there to confront him with what I'd learned. But nothing I knew could prepare me for what I found.
"Why did you conceal the existence of the giant?" I demanded.
He was sat at his desk in his office, smiling at me. That smile only infuriated me more.
"You knew Second Impact was going to happen, didn't you? You can talk all you want to about how it was just luck...that you returned one day before it occurred, but how do you explain the fact that you brought back all the expeditions records and findings!" I continued, reaching for my briefcase. "I know for a fact that your personal files contain more than we recovered Ikari!"
I opened my case and threw a number of papers at him.
"I'm surprised that these weren't destroyed," he replied calmly.
"Sloppy housework," I responded. "I've checked into your estate as well. Bringing up a child and educating him is expensive, but isn't this a bit much for a civil servant?"
"Very impressive Professor Fuyutski. Perhaps you should be teaching economics," he told me.
It took all my self-restraint from grabbing him and pounding the truth out of him.
"I'm going to go public with the real truth about you, Seele, Second Impact and the Dead Sea Scrolls," I informed him. "What you've done is completely inexcusable!"
"As you wish," he replied, getting to his feet. "But first there's something I'd like to show you."
--------------
That was when I first saw the Geo Front. It was amazing to see as we descended down to it. These days, it just seems so mundane.
"We didn't make this," he told me as the railcar we rode in descended. "Someone, or something, else excavated this cavity, although 89% of it was buried."
"Then... This was originally a giant sphere?" I asked, unsure of what he was telling me.
"Yes. This Geo Front is what has been consuming the total resources of the human race," he informed me.
--------------
I was surprised to see Dr. Naoko Akagi in the lab before me when the lift opened. I'd worked with her before, prior Second Impact. She was a genius when it came to computers.
"This is the ideal place for advancing our research towards creating the ultimate bio-computer system," she told when I made it clear I was surprised she was there. "I'm going to name them the Magi."
"The Magi? The three wise men of the east?" I asked. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"
"No," she replied, "it's over this way." She got up from the console she'd been working at. "Ritsuko, I'll be right back," she added, looking a dark-haired teenager stood in the corner.
That was my introduction to Ritsuko Akagi. Looking back, it's hard to believe the woman she came to be, considering how she was as a child.
--------------
Gendo and Akagi led me into a dark room. When the light was switched on, I saw something I couldn't believe.
"Unbelievable," I muttered, looking at the giant hands, head and spine before me. "Is this the giant of light?"
"No," the doctor told me. "In Gehirn, we refer to the Second Impact giant as Adam, but this isn't the one."
"Then...what is this?" I asked, curious.
It was that curiosity of mine that got where I am now.
"This is what man has created from Adam," she told me. "Eva."
"Eva?" I enquired.
"The operation to revive Adam is referred to as 'Project E'," Gendo said. "This is Eva Unit 00, our system prototype," he added, pointing to the thing behind me.
"Prototype? Prototype of what?" I wanted to know.
"Fuyutski, will you join us in creating a new genesis for mankind?" He asked me.
That question intrigued me for days. I couldn't stop thinking about it. What had he meant by 'a new genesis for mankind'?
--------------
Less than a month later, I joined Gehirn. My original intent was to find out exactly what they were up to, to learn their secrets. And, perhaps, to be the voice of reason I felt was sorely lacking within the organisation. But somewhere along the line, I stopped doubting what they were doing, and started to believe in it.
When and how it happened, I don't know, but I began to agree with their ideas, to understand their point of view. I'm not really sure if I intended to go public with what I learned from working with them. I thought about it. But I kept putting it off and putting it off, until I finally stopped considering it.
Perhaps that was what Gendo had intended that day when he first showed me Unit 00. I've always thought of him as manipulative, willing to do anything for the cause he believes in. Perhaps I'm just another victim of his games. Or perhaps I'm just deluding myself. Perhaps I allowed myself to be manipulated, to be convinced. I have to admit I felt there was something lacking in my life up to then.
Back then, I thought he trusted me with everything. Every secret, every little detail of his plans. And until recently, I still believed it. But I was wrong. He didn't tell me his plan to implant the S2 organ in Unit 01. I had to learn that from Major Katsuragi. I can't help but wonder what else he's keeping from me. And what it could mean for the future.
Gendo Ikari...perhaps he really is the most dangerous man on the planet.
-------------------------------------------------
"Uh, ma'am?" Maya asked, looking at Dr. Akagi. They were in Unit 01's cage, and the doctor was staring up at the face of the Evangelion. She appeared lost in thought.
"Oh, sorry," Ritsuko replied. "I zoned out." She looked at Maya and began to walk away. "Let's proceed with the test. Limit it to twenty five percent power this time."
"I've haven't seen Major Katsuragi today," Maya commented as they exited the cage. The lieutenant was concerned. It wasn't like the major not to show up. True, she was late sometimes, but she always showed.
"Uh... Neither have I," Ritsuko replied.
----FUYUTSKI'S MIND------------------------------
Working with Gendo, I began to feel I knew him. Even that I understood him. But in 2004 that was to change. When Yui was lost to us.
We were in one of the underground labs when it happened. Yui had been looking forward to that day for months. All her hard work was about to pay off, or so we thought.
I remember, I was surprised to see a young boy smiling at Naoko when I entered the control room. Gendo was sat at his desk, apparently checking something on the console in front of him.
"Why is there a child in here?!" I asked as I took my usual position behind Gendo.
Naoko looked at me, from her face it was clear she was as unhappy as I was about his presence.
"That's Commander Ikari's son," she told me.
"Ikari, this isn't a day-care centre," I told him, looking at him.
It's surprising how easy it was for me to call him by her surname. A habit I started at some point. I'm not sure when.
"This is an important event," I commented.
"I'm sorry Professor. I'm the one who brought Shinji here," Yui told me, looking up from whatever it was she was checking.
"But Yui, this is your experiment today," I replied.
"That's why I brought him! I want to show him how bright the future will be," she told me.
Those words were one of the last things Yui Ikari would ever say. The experiment started out okay. Everything seemed to be under control, but... Life has a way of showing you just who is really in control.
A part of me has never really gotten over her loss. Probably the part of me that was attracted to her when we'd first met.
--------------
"Where have you been all week?" I asked Gendo as I entered his office.
Ever since the accident, the commander had been missing. Things had been in chaos at Gehirn.
"I understand your grief," I told him, "but you must know that your wife no longer belongs to you alone."
And I wasn't lying. I felt as if a part of me had died that day. And, I think, the best part of Gendo did too.
"I know," he replied softly. "Fuyutski, as of today we will begin the new project. I have already made the proposal to Chairman Keele."
"You...you mean it's approved?!" I asked, shocked.
"Yes," he told me. "That which has never been achieved. The path to becoming one with God. The Human Instrumentality Project."
The Human Instrumentality Project. Such an innocuous name for such an ambitious a project. Everything happened so fast after that, that I never had the chance to think about what we were doing. What we were planning on doing. If I had... To be honest, I don't know what I would have done. By then, I trusted Gendo. I believed in him.
--------------
I think it was in 2005 when I learned of the friendship between Naoko Akagi's daughter and Misato Katsuragi. I was relieved to find out that the mute little girl I had seen all those years earlier on the research ship had recovered from the trauma she had suffered. She was studying at the Tokyo-2 University. What she was studying, I never did bother to find out. To be honest, there didn't seem much point. I didn't think I'd ever see her again.
--------------
A few years later, Ritsuko Akagi joined her mother at Gehirn. I was surprised by how much she'd changed in her time at university, and not just her hair colour. Naoko had just finished what she called her 'Magi theorems' and the machines themselves were beginning to take shape.
There were a lot of rumours at that time. Rumours surrounding the commander and Naoko. I never gave them much thought. Gendo seemed so committed to the project that I didn't think he ever thought about anything else.
--------------
It was six years after Yui's death, in 2010, that I first met Rei Ayanami. She was just a little girl, no older than Shinji. When Gendo told me he was going to be taking care of her, and that she was the daughter of an acquaintance, I was surprised. He'd abounded Shinji shortly after the accident. If he wanted to take care of a child, why didn't he take care of his own son? Despite all I wanted to say, I kept my peace.
She was a pleasant enough child. Quiet, but cheerful. She never spoke about her family, and never has. Not surprising really, considering. It wasn't until a few years later that Gendo told me the truth about her.
Almost everyone who met her commented that she looked familiar to them, that she reminded them of someone. I agreed, but couldn't put my finger on it though.
--------------
"Do you realise all of her records have been deleted?" Naoko asked me.
We were alone in the command centre at the time. Most of the systems had yet to be installed, and there was very little lighting.
"Huh? Whose records?" I asked, puzzled.
"Rei's," she informed me. "There's nothing about her anywhere!"
"I'm sure there's a reason for it," I replied, looking away.
She sighed and sat down.
"Why are you so interested anyway?" I asked her.
She looked at me. There was something about her look that bothered me.
"Because she looks like Yui," she told me.
I was shocked when she said that. Images of their faces flashed in my mind and, in that instant, I knew she was right. Rei's resemblance to someone was something I'd put out of my mind a few days after meeting her. Obviously, Naoko hadn't.
When I asked Gendo about it later that day, he just smiled.
--------------
A few months later, the Magi were complete. The night before they were to be turned on, tragedy struck. To this day I don't know what really happened that night. All I know is what the security division told me. That Naoko Akagi had been found dead in the morning. That she'd committed suicide by jumping from the top of the command centre, and landing on Balthasar.
The question 'why' still bothers me. She was brilliant, and had such plans for the future. Why would she throw it all away?
Her daughter was the last person to see Naoko alive. They'd talked about the Magi, and about Misato Katsuragi joining Gehirn in Germany. When Ritsuko had left, her mother was alive, and she had seemed happy to her daughter.
Misato Katsuragi joining Gehirn. It seemed almost ironic really. Her father had been killed leading an expedition for Gehirn. In a very real way, Gehirn was responsible for his death. And now his daughter, the only one of the research team to survive Second Impact, was now part of Gehirn.
--------------
The Instrumentality committee would later dissolve the Gehirn research organisation. In order to execute the Human Instrumentality Project, a new organisation was formed. Everyone who worked for Gehirn was transferred into this new organisation, which they called Nerv.
-------------------------------------------------
Fuyutski jumped when the door behind him opened. He'd been sat on the chair, in the darkness, for hours. He looked over his shoulder, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light.
"Is that you?" he asked the silhouette he could see in the doorway.
"Yes it is," it replied, revealing itself to be Ryoji Kaji. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" He walked over and bent down, releasing Fuyutski's hands from the cuffs.
"You know, this action will probably result in your death," Kouzou told him, rubbing his wrists.
"All I want is to get closer to the truth," the younger man informed him. "To have it in my grasp."
"Knowing the truth can be a dangerous thing," the professor told him, getting to his feet.
"That's true!" Kaji replied flippantly.
--------------
Misato was still sat in the dark cell, trying to keep her mind away from the painful memories that threatened to overwhelm her. The light came on and the door opened. An agent of Nerv Intelligence walked over to her.
"Here," he said, holding out a tray. "Thank you for your co-operation." Misato looked at the tray. In it were her gun and ID card. She looked up at the agent.
"Is it over?" she asked.
"Yes it is," he replied. "A solution to the problem has been found."
"I see," the major said, getting to her feet. She took her gun and card, placing them in her inside pocket. "Where is he?"
"I wouldn't know that," the agent replied, leaving the cell. Misato sighed and followed him out.
--------------
Kaji looked at his watch. He was starting to get a little impatient. He'd been waiting for more than fifteen minutes now. A sound to his right made him look in that direction.
"Oh hi," he said cheerfully. "You're a little late, aren't you?" he asked. The figure before him pointed a gun and pulled the trigger.
--------------
"I'm home," Misato said quietly as she entered the apartment. As she took off her shoes, she noticed how quiet it was, and that the lights were all out. She wandered into the kitchen. On the table was a note. She picked it up. It read -
'Dear Misato, Shinji and I have gone out with Toji and Hikari. Be back later. See ya. Asuka'
The major dropped the note back on the table and walked over to the fridge. She took a beer and sat down at the table, opening it. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on her clenched hands, appearing to all the world as if she was praying. After a few moments, she opened her eyes.
A flicker of red caught her eye. Looking up, she noticed the light flashing on the answer phone. Her breath catching in her throat, she stood up and leaned over the table. Her hand trembled as she reached for the 'play' button. She forced herself to push it, despite wanting to run away from it, despite fearing what the message was.
"Katsuragi, it's me," Kaji's voice said, issuing from the speaker of the machine. "I'm sure you're listening to this message, especially after I caused you so much trouble. Sorry. Please tell Ritsu I'm sorry too." Misato's heart sank as he spoke, her breath catching in her throat. She tried desperately to hold her emotions in check.
"And there's one more thing to trouble you with," Kaji's voice continued. "I've been growing...flowers. I'd appreciate it if you could water them for me. Shinji knows where they are.
"Katsuragi, the truth is with you. Don't hesitate. Move ahead. If I can see you again, I will say the words I could not say eight years ago. Bye." Misato control broke down. Her tears ran free, falling on the table.
"You fool!" she cried, her knees giving way, shunting the table a little. "You were always such a fool!" The major rested her head on her crossed arms, lost completely in the pain she felt. "God dammit! Why?"
She fell to the floor, curling into a foetal position, her body wracked by sobs.
--------------
"Be quiet," Asuka told Shinji as he closed the front door. It was late and the two pilots were sneaking in. The boy looked along the hall as he bent down to remove his shoes. The lights were off.
"What the heck is that smell?" he asked the redhead. She tipped her head back and sniffed the air.
"Eurgh!" she exclaimed quietly. She pinched her nose. "It smells like a brewery in here!" The two wandered into the living room and Shinji switched on the light.
They were shocked at the sight that greeted them. The room was a mess. The furniture had been drastically rearranged. Cushions were scattered everywhere, as if they had been thrown around. Empty beer cans littered the floor, some upright, other on their sides. Shinji managed to avoid them as he walked over to the window and opened it, hoping to get rid of the smell.
"It's even worse in the kitchen," Asuka told him, sticking her head through the doorway. "It looks like a bomb site!" She shook her head. "What the hell happened?!"
"I dunno," the boy replied, going into the kitchen. Asuka wasn't kidding, he thought as he took in the state of the kitchen. Empty beer cans were everywhere. The table was on its back; its legs in the air like some kind of dead animal. The chairs were all over the place. Shinji grabbed a bin bag and went back into the living room.
"We might as well get this done now," he said, making a start picking up the empty cans. "It'll be a lot worse in the morning."
"I guess you're right," Asuka sighed and began to pick up the cushions. As the third-child cleared the floor, the redhead tidied the furniture, returning it to its original positions. Once the living room was done, they went into the kitchen.
The first thing they did was put the table back upright. Then they cleared away the cans. By the time they'd picked all the cans up, the bag was full. Asuka noticed the answering machine on the floor by the sink. It looked as if it had landed there after being thrown.
"I'll take it out in the morning," the boy said, tying a knot in the top of the rubbish bag. The German picked up the answer phone and placed it back on the table. The top was cracked from hitting something, but it was still working.
"I wonder what the message is?" the second-child muttered, noticing the flashing light.
"Play it," Shinji suggested, joining her at the table. The redhead pressed the 'play' button. They listened as Kaji's voice filled the quiet apartment.
"Weird. What was that all about?" Asuka asked after the message had ended.
"I dunno," the boy replied. "But we'd best get to bed. We've got school in the morning."
"You're right," the second-child replied. "We can ask Misato in the morning." They left the kitchen and headed to their respective bedrooms. "Goodnight Shinji," Asuka said as she slid open the door to her room.
"Goodnight Asuka," the boy replied. "I love you," he added, sliding his door shut. The German smiled, feeling a warmth rise at his words. She closed her door and got ready for bed.
She refused to allow herself to worry about the state of the apartment or Kaji's message, preferring to recall the pleasant evening she and Shinji had shared. Having Toji and Hikari with them had given the couple a freedom to express their love for each other they hadn't known before. It might be some time before they could have that again, but she would have her memories to keep her going until they could.
To be continued...
Next Chapter -
Asuka's past comes back to haunt her.
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Well, what do you think? Please contact me with your comments. I'll try to answer any questions in the author notes for the next chapter.
If you want to discuss something with me, please send me an e-mail. My address is CEO_Room3@Hotmail.com. I'll do my best to respond to all correspondence.
The next chapter is gonna take me a while, as I want to get it right. Please be patient.
Just a short one this time guys. It takes the place of episode twenty-one. Most of this takes place in Fuyutski's mind and is from his point of view.
You're right DSZ, the next Angel is going to be a hell of a bugger to write, and a hell of a test of my skill. I just hope I can do it justice.
From now on, I think I'll make it one episode per chapter. Also, do any of you know what nationality Fuyutski is? His surname sounds eastern European.
Disclaimer -
All the characters contained in this story are copyright GAINAX, Project EVA, Movic, and any other company and/or division associated with the creation and/or production of Neon Genesis Evangelion. A.D.Vision holds the copyrights to the translated version of Neon Genesis Evangelion. All characters are used WITHOUT the permission of the aforementioned institutions.
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IMPACT
A sequel to "A Question Of..."
By Room3
Chapter 05 - "Sowing The Seeds"
Kaji stood in the phone booth, looking out over the countryside that surrounded him as the phone rang. He wasn't exactly sure why he was calling her, but he felt he needed to.
"Hi!" Misato's voice said cheerfully over the phone as the answering machine kicked in. "I'm not in right now, so leave your message after the beep. Buh-bye!" Kaji sighed and, after the tone, left a message. Hanging up, he took a card out of his shirt pocket and stared at it.
My last assignment, he thought. It's red...just like blood!
--------------
"Commander Fuyutski was abducted?!" Misato asked as she sat at her desk. Before her were two agents from Nerv Intelligence. One of them had his hand inside his jacket, obviously prepared to pull his gun if she should cause them any problems.
"Yes. It happened about two hours ago," the other agent told her. "The vice-commander was last seen in the 8th district."
"That's inside this installation," the major replied. "What the hell were you idiots in Intelligence doing?"
"Someone inside this organisation must have been involved," he told her. "We appreciate your co-operation in this."
"Someone who could outwit Section 2?" Misato muttered. "Oh no, you don't think..."
"Ryoji Kaji," the agent informed her. "He's the suspected mastermind behind this plot."
"So, that's why you came for me," the major commented.
"We believe that you can help us," he told her. "As your colleagues, we regret the necessity of including the Director of Operations as a suspect, but that is the nature of our profession." As he spoke, Misato took out her gun and ID card and placed them on the desk in front of her.
"And, of course, considering my relationship with him, it's a natural precaution," the major replied flippantly, resting her chin on the back of her wrist.
"Your co-operation would be appreciated."
--------------
Fuyutski had been sat on the chair for what seemed like hours. His arms, tied behind him, were going numb from the pressure of the handcuffs. The chamber was in darkness, the only light coming from an illuminated square directly beneath him.
"It's been a while," a familiar voice said.
"Are your invitations always so violent, Chairman Keele?" Fuyutski asked, putting a name to the voice. A monolith with the number 01 appeared before him.
"There are a number of matters we need to discuss outside of Commander Ikari's hearing," Keele told him. "The nature of your 'procurement' was necessary."
"You haven't changed at all," the professor chuckled. "And how this affects me is inconsequential." Another monolith appeared, this one number 07.
"The subject to be addressed has already become an active issue," a voice from it said in a thick eastern European accent. "Thus, these measures were inevitable." A monolith numbered 03 appeared
"Please understand our situation," an almost British sounding voice said.
"Ah, now this is surprising," Fuyutski commented as another eight monoliths appeared around him. "Not the committee, but Seele itself."
"Creating a new god is not on our agenda," the voice from the monolith 09 said. "We hope that you will co-operate, Professor Fuyutski."
Professor Fuyutski... the second-in-command of Nerv thought. He closed his eyes and smiled, remembering a day long ago.
----FUYUTSKI'S MIND------------------------------
"It's nice to have a chance to have a drink outside for a change," the Dean of the school I was working for back in 1999 commented.
I'd just been telling him how three of my students had convinced me to have a drink with them. I'd responded somewhat absently.
"You know, you're a brilliant scientist, but you don't place enough value in your relationships with others," he told me.
He was right. I didn't.
"I'm sorry sir," I apologised.
"Some how I doubt that," the Dean replied. "However, there's a young bio-engineering student who's just written a very interesting paper. Her name is Ikari. Have you heard about her before?"
I hadn't.
"I've told her about your work and she asked if she could meet you," he told me. "She'll be calling you soon and I'd like you to take her on as a research assistant."
I wasn't too happy about him telling me to do that but I agreed, sounding far more enthusiastic for the idea than I felt. There was no point arguing with him, he was as stubborn a man as I have ever met.
--------------
I met with her a few days later, spending the night before going through her lengthy paper.
"I read your paper last night. There were a few things I have questions about but it's really, really very intriguing," I told her. She was sat opposite me in my lab.
"Oh thank you very much sir," she replied, pleased.
I have to admit, I couldn't help but feel attracted to her, despite the age difference.
"And your full name is Yui Ikari, right?" I asked, feeling somewhat stupid for asking.
"Yes sir," she answered, smiling.
"So...what are you're career plans?" I asked, putting the papers I'd been looking through on the desk. "Would you like to go into corporate research or join a schools research facility?"
I couldn't help but hope she wanted to join the team I was working for. Thinking back, I think she could tell.
"Well I haven't really thought about it much," she told me. "And in my case, there may be a third option to be considered."
I was surprised by that. I didn't understand what she could mean. I have to admit to being a little naive back then.
"I'm thinking about getting married and having children," she told me. "Of course that's assuming that I meet the right person."
-------------------------------------------------
"The inclusion of an S2 organ has allowed Evangelion Unit 01 to achieve it's ultimate form," a voice from monolith 02 commented.
"A living god. Created by man. What blasphemy!" the British voice from 03 replied.
"The creation of a supreme-being is unacceptable," Keele added.
"Man must not create gods," the thickly accented 07 stated.
"No one should possess such power," 02 said.
"Can we trust Gendo Ikari?" 09 asked.
Gendo Ikari, Fuyutski thought.
----FUYUTSKI'S MIND------------------------------
Of course, when I first met him, his name wasn't Ikari. It was Rokubungi, Gendo Rokubungi. My first encounter with him was when I had to bail him out after he'd been arrested. I had been surprised to learn that I'd been appointed his advisor. My first impression of him was that he was a rogue bull, with a short tether.
"I've been hearing some interesting things about you professor," he said after I got him out. "I've been wanting to meet you for some time."
"Well, getting drunk and starting a fight isn't the best introduction!" I told him.
"I didn't have a chance to say anything before they jumped me," he informed me. "I'm not used to being like professor, but I'm quite familiar with hatred."
"Well, your problems are none of my concern," I told him, walking away from the police station.
"And you're exactly the kind of person that I expected Professor Fuyutski to be," he replied, following me.
--------------
Yui and I were out hiking a few months later when she told me her news. Back then, there were still seasons in this country. It was autumn.
"Are you serious?" I asked her, surprised by what she'd told me.
"Yes sir," she replied. "I've been dating Gendo Rokubungi. A lot."
When she told me that, I couldn't hide my shock.
"It's rather hard imagining you and him being together," I told her.
"He's really very nice!" she assured me. "It's just that no one really knows him...quite the way I do. You oughta try, sir."
"In this case, I think that ignorance might be bliss," I replied.
"Are you upset that I told him to list you as his councillor?" she asked.
"Well... I'll admit that he's...interesting," I commented. "I just don't like him."
--------------
It was generally believed by most people, including myself, that the real object of Gendo's overtures to Yui was her obvious scientific talents. That, and the support of the secret organisation that was arranging funding for her projects. That organisation was called Seele.
--------------
Early in the year 2000, Second Impact occurred. The rest of the year was pure chaos. The first year of the 21st century was a... Well, what can I say? It's a time I still find hard to talk about, even today. I'm not sure how I managed to get through it, but I did...somehow.
--------------
The following year, I was picked to be part of the team sent to Antarctica to investigate what had happened. What was once a continent of ice was gone, with just a few icebergs littered here and there. That was where I met him again.
"Professor Fuyutski," A voice from behind called. I'd been staring out of the bridge's view port. I turned around.
"I don't believe it! You're alive?" I asked, shocked at who I saw. Gendo Rokubungi. "I'd heard that you were with the Katsuragi research team when the disaster occurred."
"Fortunately, I returned to Japan one day before the...incident happened," he told me.
To be honest, I found it hard to believe him.
"Is that so?" I asked, returning my gaze to the world outside. "Mr. Rokubungi, you're a very..."
"Excuse me, but I've changed my name," he told me, interrupting me.
I looked at him and he passed me a small card.
"A postcard?" I asked "Not a business card?"
I was shocked by what it said. He and Yui had got married.
"Ikari?! Gendo Ikari?!" I asked, struggling to believe that the gentle Yui could have married the man who stood before me.
"My wife has been asking me to send you this for a while now," he said. "She's still quite a fan of yours."
"Quite an honour, considering," I commented, putting the card in my pocket. "So how is Yui doing? Why isn't she on this expedition?"
"Oh Yui wanted to come as well, but we have a child to consider now," Gendo told me.
How I'm not sure, but somehow I managed to keep my composure.
We left the bridge and descended into the interior of the investigation ship.
"There are a lot of ugly rumours about this organisation you work for," I said as we walked. "Seele, or whatever it's called. I don't like the way it bullies the committee."
"I'm afraid that it's necessary. An organisation can't have too many scruples in this day and age," he replied, sure of himself.
"It may be true that Second Impact has changed a lot of things, but if this official investigation team had been composed solely of Seele personnel, there would have been trouble!" I responded, losing my temper. "Were the rest of us just invited for political convenience?" I asked, staring at him.
He just smiled. For some reason, that one smile filled me with more dread than I'd ever known.
-------------------------------------------------
Misato wrapped her arms around her knees as she sat in the dark cell. I hate the darkness! she thought. All it does it bring back my most painful memories.
----FUYUTSKI'S MIND------------------------------
I couldn't help but feel sorry of the pour young girl as she sat in the room I was looking into. The room was almost overwhelmingly bright, as if trying to illuminate a darkness buried deep within her. It looked like she'd been crying.
"Who is she?" I asked the man stood next to me. He was another member of the investigation team, but I forget his name.
"The only survivor of the research team," he told me. "Her name is Misato Katsuragi."
"Katsuragi? You mean Dr. Katsuragi's daughter?" I asked him, surprised.
"Yes. But she hasn't said a word in two years," he informed me.
"How terrible," I commented, feeling worse of the girl than I had.
"She saw hell firsthand," he continued. "Her physical wounds could be healed, but repairing the damage done to her mind will take time."
I knew he was right, but I could longer bear to watch her sat there and walked away.
"The results of our investigation aren't easy to analyse," I told him, passing a folder to him. "This giant of light is but one of many mysteries," I added, pointing to an image on one of the pages.
--------------
Later that year, the United Nations would make an official declaration - Second Impact had been caused by a massive meteorite strike on Antarctica. For someone who knew what I knew, those announcements were obvious fabrications. Seele, and a man named Lorenz Keele, were behind the cover-up. It became my goal...my obsession to find the real answers, the truth that was being suppressed, even if my former student Yui was involved as well.
--------------
The next time I saw Gendo Ikari was in 2003. He had been made the Chief of Research and the Director of the Artificial Evolution Laboratories in Hakone. I went there to confront him with what I'd learned. But nothing I knew could prepare me for what I found.
"Why did you conceal the existence of the giant?" I demanded.
He was sat at his desk in his office, smiling at me. That smile only infuriated me more.
"You knew Second Impact was going to happen, didn't you? You can talk all you want to about how it was just luck...that you returned one day before it occurred, but how do you explain the fact that you brought back all the expeditions records and findings!" I continued, reaching for my briefcase. "I know for a fact that your personal files contain more than we recovered Ikari!"
I opened my case and threw a number of papers at him.
"I'm surprised that these weren't destroyed," he replied calmly.
"Sloppy housework," I responded. "I've checked into your estate as well. Bringing up a child and educating him is expensive, but isn't this a bit much for a civil servant?"
"Very impressive Professor Fuyutski. Perhaps you should be teaching economics," he told me.
It took all my self-restraint from grabbing him and pounding the truth out of him.
"I'm going to go public with the real truth about you, Seele, Second Impact and the Dead Sea Scrolls," I informed him. "What you've done is completely inexcusable!"
"As you wish," he replied, getting to his feet. "But first there's something I'd like to show you."
--------------
That was when I first saw the Geo Front. It was amazing to see as we descended down to it. These days, it just seems so mundane.
"We didn't make this," he told me as the railcar we rode in descended. "Someone, or something, else excavated this cavity, although 89% of it was buried."
"Then... This was originally a giant sphere?" I asked, unsure of what he was telling me.
"Yes. This Geo Front is what has been consuming the total resources of the human race," he informed me.
--------------
I was surprised to see Dr. Naoko Akagi in the lab before me when the lift opened. I'd worked with her before, prior Second Impact. She was a genius when it came to computers.
"This is the ideal place for advancing our research towards creating the ultimate bio-computer system," she told when I made it clear I was surprised she was there. "I'm going to name them the Magi."
"The Magi? The three wise men of the east?" I asked. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"
"No," she replied, "it's over this way." She got up from the console she'd been working at. "Ritsuko, I'll be right back," she added, looking a dark-haired teenager stood in the corner.
That was my introduction to Ritsuko Akagi. Looking back, it's hard to believe the woman she came to be, considering how she was as a child.
--------------
Gendo and Akagi led me into a dark room. When the light was switched on, I saw something I couldn't believe.
"Unbelievable," I muttered, looking at the giant hands, head and spine before me. "Is this the giant of light?"
"No," the doctor told me. "In Gehirn, we refer to the Second Impact giant as Adam, but this isn't the one."
"Then...what is this?" I asked, curious.
It was that curiosity of mine that got where I am now.
"This is what man has created from Adam," she told me. "Eva."
"Eva?" I enquired.
"The operation to revive Adam is referred to as 'Project E'," Gendo said. "This is Eva Unit 00, our system prototype," he added, pointing to the thing behind me.
"Prototype? Prototype of what?" I wanted to know.
"Fuyutski, will you join us in creating a new genesis for mankind?" He asked me.
That question intrigued me for days. I couldn't stop thinking about it. What had he meant by 'a new genesis for mankind'?
--------------
Less than a month later, I joined Gehirn. My original intent was to find out exactly what they were up to, to learn their secrets. And, perhaps, to be the voice of reason I felt was sorely lacking within the organisation. But somewhere along the line, I stopped doubting what they were doing, and started to believe in it.
When and how it happened, I don't know, but I began to agree with their ideas, to understand their point of view. I'm not really sure if I intended to go public with what I learned from working with them. I thought about it. But I kept putting it off and putting it off, until I finally stopped considering it.
Perhaps that was what Gendo had intended that day when he first showed me Unit 00. I've always thought of him as manipulative, willing to do anything for the cause he believes in. Perhaps I'm just another victim of his games. Or perhaps I'm just deluding myself. Perhaps I allowed myself to be manipulated, to be convinced. I have to admit I felt there was something lacking in my life up to then.
Back then, I thought he trusted me with everything. Every secret, every little detail of his plans. And until recently, I still believed it. But I was wrong. He didn't tell me his plan to implant the S2 organ in Unit 01. I had to learn that from Major Katsuragi. I can't help but wonder what else he's keeping from me. And what it could mean for the future.
Gendo Ikari...perhaps he really is the most dangerous man on the planet.
-------------------------------------------------
"Uh, ma'am?" Maya asked, looking at Dr. Akagi. They were in Unit 01's cage, and the doctor was staring up at the face of the Evangelion. She appeared lost in thought.
"Oh, sorry," Ritsuko replied. "I zoned out." She looked at Maya and began to walk away. "Let's proceed with the test. Limit it to twenty five percent power this time."
"I've haven't seen Major Katsuragi today," Maya commented as they exited the cage. The lieutenant was concerned. It wasn't like the major not to show up. True, she was late sometimes, but she always showed.
"Uh... Neither have I," Ritsuko replied.
----FUYUTSKI'S MIND------------------------------
Working with Gendo, I began to feel I knew him. Even that I understood him. But in 2004 that was to change. When Yui was lost to us.
We were in one of the underground labs when it happened. Yui had been looking forward to that day for months. All her hard work was about to pay off, or so we thought.
I remember, I was surprised to see a young boy smiling at Naoko when I entered the control room. Gendo was sat at his desk, apparently checking something on the console in front of him.
"Why is there a child in here?!" I asked as I took my usual position behind Gendo.
Naoko looked at me, from her face it was clear she was as unhappy as I was about his presence.
"That's Commander Ikari's son," she told me.
"Ikari, this isn't a day-care centre," I told him, looking at him.
It's surprising how easy it was for me to call him by her surname. A habit I started at some point. I'm not sure when.
"This is an important event," I commented.
"I'm sorry Professor. I'm the one who brought Shinji here," Yui told me, looking up from whatever it was she was checking.
"But Yui, this is your experiment today," I replied.
"That's why I brought him! I want to show him how bright the future will be," she told me.
Those words were one of the last things Yui Ikari would ever say. The experiment started out okay. Everything seemed to be under control, but... Life has a way of showing you just who is really in control.
A part of me has never really gotten over her loss. Probably the part of me that was attracted to her when we'd first met.
--------------
"Where have you been all week?" I asked Gendo as I entered his office.
Ever since the accident, the commander had been missing. Things had been in chaos at Gehirn.
"I understand your grief," I told him, "but you must know that your wife no longer belongs to you alone."
And I wasn't lying. I felt as if a part of me had died that day. And, I think, the best part of Gendo did too.
"I know," he replied softly. "Fuyutski, as of today we will begin the new project. I have already made the proposal to Chairman Keele."
"You...you mean it's approved?!" I asked, shocked.
"Yes," he told me. "That which has never been achieved. The path to becoming one with God. The Human Instrumentality Project."
The Human Instrumentality Project. Such an innocuous name for such an ambitious a project. Everything happened so fast after that, that I never had the chance to think about what we were doing. What we were planning on doing. If I had... To be honest, I don't know what I would have done. By then, I trusted Gendo. I believed in him.
--------------
I think it was in 2005 when I learned of the friendship between Naoko Akagi's daughter and Misato Katsuragi. I was relieved to find out that the mute little girl I had seen all those years earlier on the research ship had recovered from the trauma she had suffered. She was studying at the Tokyo-2 University. What she was studying, I never did bother to find out. To be honest, there didn't seem much point. I didn't think I'd ever see her again.
--------------
A few years later, Ritsuko Akagi joined her mother at Gehirn. I was surprised by how much she'd changed in her time at university, and not just her hair colour. Naoko had just finished what she called her 'Magi theorems' and the machines themselves were beginning to take shape.
There were a lot of rumours at that time. Rumours surrounding the commander and Naoko. I never gave them much thought. Gendo seemed so committed to the project that I didn't think he ever thought about anything else.
--------------
It was six years after Yui's death, in 2010, that I first met Rei Ayanami. She was just a little girl, no older than Shinji. When Gendo told me he was going to be taking care of her, and that she was the daughter of an acquaintance, I was surprised. He'd abounded Shinji shortly after the accident. If he wanted to take care of a child, why didn't he take care of his own son? Despite all I wanted to say, I kept my peace.
She was a pleasant enough child. Quiet, but cheerful. She never spoke about her family, and never has. Not surprising really, considering. It wasn't until a few years later that Gendo told me the truth about her.
Almost everyone who met her commented that she looked familiar to them, that she reminded them of someone. I agreed, but couldn't put my finger on it though.
--------------
"Do you realise all of her records have been deleted?" Naoko asked me.
We were alone in the command centre at the time. Most of the systems had yet to be installed, and there was very little lighting.
"Huh? Whose records?" I asked, puzzled.
"Rei's," she informed me. "There's nothing about her anywhere!"
"I'm sure there's a reason for it," I replied, looking away.
She sighed and sat down.
"Why are you so interested anyway?" I asked her.
She looked at me. There was something about her look that bothered me.
"Because she looks like Yui," she told me.
I was shocked when she said that. Images of their faces flashed in my mind and, in that instant, I knew she was right. Rei's resemblance to someone was something I'd put out of my mind a few days after meeting her. Obviously, Naoko hadn't.
When I asked Gendo about it later that day, he just smiled.
--------------
A few months later, the Magi were complete. The night before they were to be turned on, tragedy struck. To this day I don't know what really happened that night. All I know is what the security division told me. That Naoko Akagi had been found dead in the morning. That she'd committed suicide by jumping from the top of the command centre, and landing on Balthasar.
The question 'why' still bothers me. She was brilliant, and had such plans for the future. Why would she throw it all away?
Her daughter was the last person to see Naoko alive. They'd talked about the Magi, and about Misato Katsuragi joining Gehirn in Germany. When Ritsuko had left, her mother was alive, and she had seemed happy to her daughter.
Misato Katsuragi joining Gehirn. It seemed almost ironic really. Her father had been killed leading an expedition for Gehirn. In a very real way, Gehirn was responsible for his death. And now his daughter, the only one of the research team to survive Second Impact, was now part of Gehirn.
--------------
The Instrumentality committee would later dissolve the Gehirn research organisation. In order to execute the Human Instrumentality Project, a new organisation was formed. Everyone who worked for Gehirn was transferred into this new organisation, which they called Nerv.
-------------------------------------------------
Fuyutski jumped when the door behind him opened. He'd been sat on the chair, in the darkness, for hours. He looked over his shoulder, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the light.
"Is that you?" he asked the silhouette he could see in the doorway.
"Yes it is," it replied, revealing itself to be Ryoji Kaji. "It's been a while, hasn't it?" He walked over and bent down, releasing Fuyutski's hands from the cuffs.
"You know, this action will probably result in your death," Kouzou told him, rubbing his wrists.
"All I want is to get closer to the truth," the younger man informed him. "To have it in my grasp."
"Knowing the truth can be a dangerous thing," the professor told him, getting to his feet.
"That's true!" Kaji replied flippantly.
--------------
Misato was still sat in the dark cell, trying to keep her mind away from the painful memories that threatened to overwhelm her. The light came on and the door opened. An agent of Nerv Intelligence walked over to her.
"Here," he said, holding out a tray. "Thank you for your co-operation." Misato looked at the tray. In it were her gun and ID card. She looked up at the agent.
"Is it over?" she asked.
"Yes it is," he replied. "A solution to the problem has been found."
"I see," the major said, getting to her feet. She took her gun and card, placing them in her inside pocket. "Where is he?"
"I wouldn't know that," the agent replied, leaving the cell. Misato sighed and followed him out.
--------------
Kaji looked at his watch. He was starting to get a little impatient. He'd been waiting for more than fifteen minutes now. A sound to his right made him look in that direction.
"Oh hi," he said cheerfully. "You're a little late, aren't you?" he asked. The figure before him pointed a gun and pulled the trigger.
--------------
"I'm home," Misato said quietly as she entered the apartment. As she took off her shoes, she noticed how quiet it was, and that the lights were all out. She wandered into the kitchen. On the table was a note. She picked it up. It read -
'Dear Misato, Shinji and I have gone out with Toji and Hikari. Be back later. See ya. Asuka'
The major dropped the note back on the table and walked over to the fridge. She took a beer and sat down at the table, opening it. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on her clenched hands, appearing to all the world as if she was praying. After a few moments, she opened her eyes.
A flicker of red caught her eye. Looking up, she noticed the light flashing on the answer phone. Her breath catching in her throat, she stood up and leaned over the table. Her hand trembled as she reached for the 'play' button. She forced herself to push it, despite wanting to run away from it, despite fearing what the message was.
"Katsuragi, it's me," Kaji's voice said, issuing from the speaker of the machine. "I'm sure you're listening to this message, especially after I caused you so much trouble. Sorry. Please tell Ritsu I'm sorry too." Misato's heart sank as he spoke, her breath catching in her throat. She tried desperately to hold her emotions in check.
"And there's one more thing to trouble you with," Kaji's voice continued. "I've been growing...flowers. I'd appreciate it if you could water them for me. Shinji knows where they are.
"Katsuragi, the truth is with you. Don't hesitate. Move ahead. If I can see you again, I will say the words I could not say eight years ago. Bye." Misato control broke down. Her tears ran free, falling on the table.
"You fool!" she cried, her knees giving way, shunting the table a little. "You were always such a fool!" The major rested her head on her crossed arms, lost completely in the pain she felt. "God dammit! Why?"
She fell to the floor, curling into a foetal position, her body wracked by sobs.
--------------
"Be quiet," Asuka told Shinji as he closed the front door. It was late and the two pilots were sneaking in. The boy looked along the hall as he bent down to remove his shoes. The lights were off.
"What the heck is that smell?" he asked the redhead. She tipped her head back and sniffed the air.
"Eurgh!" she exclaimed quietly. She pinched her nose. "It smells like a brewery in here!" The two wandered into the living room and Shinji switched on the light.
They were shocked at the sight that greeted them. The room was a mess. The furniture had been drastically rearranged. Cushions were scattered everywhere, as if they had been thrown around. Empty beer cans littered the floor, some upright, other on their sides. Shinji managed to avoid them as he walked over to the window and opened it, hoping to get rid of the smell.
"It's even worse in the kitchen," Asuka told him, sticking her head through the doorway. "It looks like a bomb site!" She shook her head. "What the hell happened?!"
"I dunno," the boy replied, going into the kitchen. Asuka wasn't kidding, he thought as he took in the state of the kitchen. Empty beer cans were everywhere. The table was on its back; its legs in the air like some kind of dead animal. The chairs were all over the place. Shinji grabbed a bin bag and went back into the living room.
"We might as well get this done now," he said, making a start picking up the empty cans. "It'll be a lot worse in the morning."
"I guess you're right," Asuka sighed and began to pick up the cushions. As the third-child cleared the floor, the redhead tidied the furniture, returning it to its original positions. Once the living room was done, they went into the kitchen.
The first thing they did was put the table back upright. Then they cleared away the cans. By the time they'd picked all the cans up, the bag was full. Asuka noticed the answering machine on the floor by the sink. It looked as if it had landed there after being thrown.
"I'll take it out in the morning," the boy said, tying a knot in the top of the rubbish bag. The German picked up the answer phone and placed it back on the table. The top was cracked from hitting something, but it was still working.
"I wonder what the message is?" the second-child muttered, noticing the flashing light.
"Play it," Shinji suggested, joining her at the table. The redhead pressed the 'play' button. They listened as Kaji's voice filled the quiet apartment.
"Weird. What was that all about?" Asuka asked after the message had ended.
"I dunno," the boy replied. "But we'd best get to bed. We've got school in the morning."
"You're right," the second-child replied. "We can ask Misato in the morning." They left the kitchen and headed to their respective bedrooms. "Goodnight Shinji," Asuka said as she slid open the door to her room.
"Goodnight Asuka," the boy replied. "I love you," he added, sliding his door shut. The German smiled, feeling a warmth rise at his words. She closed her door and got ready for bed.
She refused to allow herself to worry about the state of the apartment or Kaji's message, preferring to recall the pleasant evening she and Shinji had shared. Having Toji and Hikari with them had given the couple a freedom to express their love for each other they hadn't known before. It might be some time before they could have that again, but she would have her memories to keep her going until they could.
To be continued...
Next Chapter -
Asuka's past comes back to haunt her.
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Well, what do you think? Please contact me with your comments. I'll try to answer any questions in the author notes for the next chapter.
If you want to discuss something with me, please send me an e-mail. My address is CEO_Room3@Hotmail.com. I'll do my best to respond to all correspondence.
The next chapter is gonna take me a while, as I want to get it right. Please be patient.