Author's note -
Here we are guys, chapter 06. The replacement for episode 22. This one was hard to do, as I fully anticipated it would be. Hopefully, I've managed to do it justice. If you can think of any way for me to improve it, let me know.
Well, I hope that last chapter made sense to you all. As for the tittle... Well, I'm sure you guys can figure out what it means.
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.
=================================================================================================
IMPACT
A sequel to "A Question Of..."
By Room3
Chapter 06 - "Rite Of Passage"
Asuka sat down on the edge of Shinji's bed, careful not to wake the boy. Looking at his sleeping face, she smiled, thinking how peaceful he looked. She reached forward and softly ran the back of her hand down his cheek.
God, I love you so much Shinji! she thought. She leaned over him and gently placed her lips on his. I wish I could stay here like this forever, she mused, pulling back. Sat upright, she put her hand on the shoulder nearest her and gave it a shake.
"Huh?! Wha'?" the third-child muttered sleepily, opening his eyes a little.
"Time to get up Shinji," she said softly. "It's morning."
"Already?" he asked, looking into her eyes.
"Uh-huh," Asuka replied, getting up. "You've got time to shower and get changed before breakfast is ready," she added, leaving his room. Shinji sat up in bed as she slid the door closed behind her.
Misato must be out, he thought, otherwise she wouldn't dare wake me up like this. Throwing the covers aside, he got to his feet and began his preparations for the day ahead.
--------------
The two pilots were just preparing to leave for school when the doorbell rang. Asuka opened the front door and was surprised to find Hikari and Toji outside.
"Hey guys," she said, regaining her composure, "what are you doing here?"
"I thought the four of us might walk to school together," Hikari said. "I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all," the German assured her. "Come on in," she added, stepping aside. "We'll be ready in a few moments." She closed the door and led them into the living room.
"Hi," Shinji said, turning off the television. He got up and walked over to Asuka, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and resting his head on her shoulder.
"I take it Misato's not here then," Toji commented, lowering himself onto the arm of the couch. He leant his crutches against the seat and sighed. I'll be glad to be rid of those! he thought.
"She left before we got up," the redhead replied, leaning her head against Shinji's, revelling in the freedom to demonstrate her love to others. She chose not to say anything about the condition of the apartment the night before, still now knowing the reason for it.
"You guys wanna go out again this evening?" Toji asked, snaking his arm around Hikari's waist and pulling his girlfriend against him.
"I don't think we'll be able to," Asuka informed him, putting her hands on tops of Shinji's. "We've got a synch-test this afternoon."
"And they may want to run a test on Unit 01 as well," the third-child added. He gave Asuka's neck a quick kiss and released his hold on her. The German shivered slightly as the boy kissed her and instantly missed the feel of his arms around her.
"We'd best be going," Shinji continued, passing Asuka her school bag and grabbing his own. Toji, with help from Hikari, got to his feet. The class rep then picked up their bags and led the way out of the apartment.
As Shinji closed the front door behind them, Asuka grabbed his free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. He looked at her and smiled. A short distance away, Hikari watched and smiled also. The foursome got into the lift and descended to street-level.
As the group exited the apartment block, the pilots released each other's hands and drifted apart a few steps, regretting the necessity as they did so.
--------------
"I'm surprised Major Katsuragi isn't here," Maya commented during the synch-test, looking up from her console. "She's never missed one before!"
"I'm sure she has her reasons," Ritsuko told her assistant, trying to sound more confident than she was. She too was puzzled by the absence of Misato, but refused to let it bother her, focusing instead on the work she had to do. The door of the lab opened, and Dr. Akagi looked over, expecting to see the major.
"How are they doing?" Kouzou Fuyutski asked, walking over to the console Lieutenant Ibuki was working at.
What the hell is he doing here? Ritsuko thought, busying herself writing notes on the clipboard in her arms. She leant over Maya's console. "Shinji and Asuka have managed to increase their scores by a couple of points each," she informed the professor.
"What about Rei?" he asked, looking through the observation window and into the chamber the synch-test was taking place in.
"Her score hasn't increased since the last harmonics test," the blonde-haired doctor informed him.
"Hmm, that makes it, what? Three test without an increase?" he asked, crossing his arms.
"The last time Rei increased her test score was four tests ago," Maya replied. Fuyutski sighed.
"Was there something else sir?" Akagi asked politely.
"Hmm? No, no. Thank you," the second in command of Nerv replied and left the lab.
"What was that all about?" Ibuki asked as the door closed behind him.
--------------
Major Katsuragi stood in Evangelion Unit 01's cage, staring up at the face of the robot. She knew the synch-test was occurring, but she didn't feel she could cope with it at that moment. She was lost in thought, eyes locked on the demonic visage before her.
The Eva series was created from the Angel known as 'Adam'. Now, in order to defeat the Angels, we are employing the same forces that caused the Second Impact and wiped out half the human race. Only humans could be so foolish as to attempt to harness the engine of our own destruction, she mused. I hate the Eva's!
"Is our revenge worth this?" she muttered.
"Major Katsuragi!" a male voice called from the right. Looking over, she saw Makato Hyugo stood at the entrance to the cage. His expression made it clear he had something he wanted to say. Misato sighed and walked over to him.
"Outside," she muttered as she passed him.
--------------
"They've started construction on the all the Eva's through Unit 13?" the major asked. She was sat on a park bench outside headquarters, apparently resting. "At seven different locations around the world?"
"Yeah. The information I've got came via Shanghai," Makato replied, leaning against the back of the bench. His arms were crossed and his head was down. "My source is reliable."
"Why the hell are they speeding up the construction process now?" Misato mused, confused.
"Well, we have lost two Eva's recently," the bespectacled technician said, "and Unit 01 is currently out of action. So I'd assume their accelerating the schedule for the purpose of creating a reserve force."
"Perhaps... But we've been getting parts from Germany that were originally intended for Eva Units 05 and 06. They've been spending an awful lot of cash lately!"
"And that's after they just doubled the existing budget! I think the executives are being driven by something," Makato commented.
"Yeah, I can almost feel the committee's impatience behind this," Katsuragi responded.
"Do you think they're doing this in anticipation of having to intercept multiple Angels at once rather than the singular probes we've seen thus far?" the technician asked, worried.
"It's possible," the major answered. "But that there's no reason for them to be doing it outside of official channels."
----FLASHBACK--------------------------
"There are more secrets buried at headquarters than you could possibly imagine," Ryoji Kaji had told her. He'd put his right arm around her waist and began walking through the park they were in, forcing her to accompany him. Realising the purpose of his actions, she had fallen in line with his ruse and had leant into his embrace, removing her hands from her pockets and slipping her arm around his waist. She had felt his hand in her jacket pocket and looked at him.
"A gift," he'd told her, noticing her expression. "It'll point the way and open the door," he had added cryptically. He'd removed his hand and replaced it on her hip. "Just be careful who you trust."
----END OF FLASHBACK-------------------
Misato sighed sadly, memories of Kaji filling her mind. She forced them away, unwilling to give in to the pain she felt over his loss.
"There's got to be some other reason for this!" the major said, gritting her teeth and doing her best to control the anger and bitterness that filled her.
--------------
Dinner that evening was the first time the three occupants of the apartment had seen each other for a few days. Misato had the meal cooked and on the table when the two pilots had got home from the library, where they had been doing research for a school assignment.
"Sorry about the mess last night guys," the major said as the two children sat down at the kitchen table. "I had a bad day and needed to blow off a little steam."
"That's okay," Shinji assured her, picking up the chopsticks and making a tentative start on the food on his plate. He had absolutely no idea what it was, or what it was meant to be.
"No it isn't," Misato responded. "I shouldn't have left it for you guys to clear up."
"It's fine. Really," the third-child told his guardian. Asuka sighed inwardly as she ate, trying not to taste the food.
I don't think he's ever gonna change, she thought. Not that I really want him to! The German distracted herself from the flavour of her meal by listening to the radio that Misato had playing in the background.
"So, what did you guys get up to last night?" Katsuragi asked.
"Nothing much," Asuka told her guardian casually. "Just went to see some old movie. Then we had dinner."
----FLASHBACK--------------------------
"You know Asuka, there's one thing I've got to ask?" Hikari has said as the two girls had made their way to the table the boys had chosen.
"Oh? And what might that be?" the redhead had enquired, curious.
"How good a kisser is Shinji?" the class rep had asked her. Asuka had merely smiled at first.
"Well, you know, I don't have any experience to compare him to," the second-child had informed her friend. "But as far as I'm concerned, he's a great kisser."
"I thought he would be," Hikari had commented.
"Oh. Why?" the pilot had asked, wanting to know what the class rep was getting at.
"Because he's so thoughtful and sensitive," Horaki had explained. "He's always so concerned with others."
"He sure is," Asuka had responded as the two reached the table at which the Toji and Shinji were waiting for them at.
----END OF FLASHBACK-------------------
"So, you guys were just there as chaperones?" Misato asked her. Shinji didn't recognise the term and looked puzzled.
"Yep," the redhead replied. The major picked up the can of beer in front of her and took a long drink, half draining it. The phone started ringing.
"Asuka, could you get that?" Misato asked, putting food into her mouth.
"Why should I get it?" the German asked, slightly peeved. "It's probably just Kaji calling for you. You should answer your own phone."
"He won't call again," the major told her, swallowing the mouthful she had been chewing, She barely kept her sadness from her voice.
"Huh?! What do you mean?" the second-child inquired. Misato was silent, not trusting her voice. In the background, the phone continued to ring. Shinji got up, groaning. He wished the answer phone still worked, but Misato had broken it last night.
"Yes? Hello?" he asked, answering the phone. He walked back over to the table. "It's a call from Germany Asuka," the third-child told the girl. "I think it's your mother."
"A call for me? My mother?" she asked, looking at him slightly puzzled. "Gimme that!" she snapped, snatching the phone from him. She stood up and walked to the doorway to the living room. "Hello? Hello mutte!" she said cheerfully. Shinji listened as she spoke enthusiastically to the person on the other end of the line in German.
When she speaks in a language I can't understand, Asuka seems to be a different person, the boy thought. He wondered if she'd ever share that part of herself with him. "Asuka's mother," he muttered sadly, an image of his own mother's grave marker appearing in his mind's eye.
--------------
Almost half an hour later, Asuka hung up. She closed her eyes and shook her head. Misato had retired to the living room and the television could be heard in the background.
"Wow, you two were on the phone for quite a while," Shinji commented. The German looked over at him.
"Well, it was just a routine communication," she told him.
"I wish I talked to my family," he replied, wistfully.
"It's...overrated," Asuka assured him, closing her eyes. "And it's just for show. She's not my real mother anyway." She opened her eyes and looked deeply into his.
"Huh? What's the matter?" he asked.
"It's nothing," the redhead replied flatly.
"Come on. Remember, we said we'd talk about anything," the boy reminded her. She sighed.
"I just wish she'd stop calling," she told him. "It's not like I hate her or anything! I...I just feel like..." she trailed off. "I dunno." She shook her head to clear it. "I'll tell you when I figure it out myself," she told him. He nodded, accepting that course of action. Asuka smiled and headed for the living room, pausing to squeeze the boy's shoulder as she passed.
--------------
"Asuka's lost a couple of points," Maya commented as the harmonics test neared completion the next day. Since the last Angel's attack, they had stepped up the frequency of the tests, mainly because there were so few students still attending school that most classes had been cancelled. Ritsuko leant over her console and checked the figures for herself.
"Asuka's not feeling well today," Misato said softly. She was stood behind Makato, staring at the observation window, her arms crossed. "It's her period."
"Synch ratios aren't influenced by physical changes," Ritsuko informed her. "The problem's deeper, in her sub-consciousness." She straightened up and looked at Misato. "Did anything happen last night?"
"No, not really," the major replied. "She did get a call from Germany. Her stepmother..."
"I see," Akagi replied as Katsuragi trailed off. "You really should try to get her to talk about it," she suggested. "It might help her."
"I suppose," Misato sighed. "How are the others?"
"Shinji's gained another point," Lieutenant Ibuki informed her, "and Rei..."
"What about her?" the major asked, fearing the worst.
"Her score is the same as it was yesterday. It's the same as it has been for the last five tests," the blonde doctor answered. Misato grimaced.
"Maybe she just needs some more combat experience," she suggested.
"Maybe," Dr. Akagi responded. She tapped a button on Maya's console. "Okay Asuka, Rei, you guys are all done for today," she said over the now open intercom. "Shinji, we're going to run another test in Unit 01."
--------------
"Why do I have to suffer through this just because I'm a girl?!" she exclaimed, clutching her abdomen. She was bent over a sink in one of the ladies bathrooms, dressed in her school uniform. She looked into the mirror before her. "It's not like I want to have children anyway!"
--------------
"It doesn't feel any different than yesterday," the third-child informed Ritsuko as he sat in his entry plug.
"Good," her voice replied over the intercom. "We're going to increase the power output to seventy five percent."
"Okay," Shinji said, closing his eyes and clearing his mind. Try as he might, he couldn't tell when the output from Unit 01's new S2 organ increased.
"Power output holding steady at seventy five percent," Maya's voice announced over the intercom. Shinji opened his eyes and sighed.
"How does that feel?" Ritsuko asked.
"To be honest, I can't tell anything's changed," the boy informed her. "It feels just the same as it did against the last Angel."
"Then that means we've calibrated it properly," the doctor replied. "We're gonna try increasing it to full power slowly. If you feel anything, tell us. Got it?"
"Yeah," the third-child responded. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind again. The sound of his own breathing filled his ears, coupled with the low-pitched hum that emanated from the Eva itself. A sound that the boy found reassuring and calming, although he didn't know why.
"Power output is now at one hundred percent," Maya's voice said a short time later. Shinji opened his eyes. As far as he was concerned, there was no difference, and told Ritsuko as much.
"Okay. We're done now Shinji," Ritsuko replied. "I'll have to analyse these results, but I don't think we need to run anymore tests. Unit 01 is fully operational and ready for combat."
--------------
The next day, both Shinji and Asuka were stood in Unit 02's cage, dressed in their plug-suits, awaiting the next synch-test. Headquarters was busy, with teams of technicians running all over the place, performing maintenance. The red Eva's cage was the only place the two could find any peace.
"Eva Unit 02's signals all read nominal," a male voice announced over the intercom.
"Of course it's nominal!" Asuka muttered. "It hasn't done anything for the last month!" She sounded disgusted to the boy stood next to her.
"Are you okay Asuka?" Shinji asked, worried. He hadn't heard that tone from her for a few weeks. She sighed and shook her head before answering.
"It's..." she started, but trailed off, too embarrassed to tell him the truth. She sighed again and looked him in the eye. "I just feel a little off, that's all." She closed the distance between them. "I'll be fine," the German told the boy, giving his left shoulder a gentle squeeze. They both jumped as the red alert siren began wailing.
"All personnel, go to first stage alert! Prepare for aerial assault," a voice announced over the intercom.
"An Angel?" Asuka asked, looking to the left. "Another one?"
--------------
"We have visual confirmation of the Angel," Shigeru Aoba announced, calling an image from one of Nerv's satellites on to the main screen. A small white mass was visible. "Maximum magnification." The Angel appeared. It glowed white and looked to Major Katsuragi like some kind of impressionistic bird.
"It's orbit is just outside our defence envelope," Makato Hyugo informed the personnel manning the command centre.
"And it's maintaining a constant distance from us," Shigeru added. Misato had her arms crossed and was looking at the display, a stern expression on her face.
"So... Does that mean it's looking for a nice, comfy place to land?" she asked, sounding almost flippant. "Or that it's going to destroy us from way up there?"
"We can't attack it from this distance," Makato said, looking over his shoulder at her.
"Yeah. And, unless it decides to come into our range, there's not much we can do offensively," the major replied, sounding more like her normal self. She sighed. "The Eva's weren't designed to combat an enemy still in orbit." She looked over at Maya. "Eva status?"
"Units 02 and 00 are ready for launch," the lieutenant replied.
"Launch Unit 02," Misato ordered. "Equip it for a long range assault." Commands were entered into the consoles. "Asuka, I want you to snipe it," she added, leaning over Makato console and activating the intercom.
"Got it," the second-child responded calmly. Makato watched his console as the red Evangelion launched.
"Excuse me, aren't we going to use Unit 01?" he asked.
"Unit 01 stays in cryo-stasis," the major informed him, shaking her head. "Those are Commander Ikari's orders." She looked over her shoulder at Fuyutski and Ikari, in their usual positions. And after what's happened, he'd better accept that, she thought.
From Unit 01's cage, Shinji listened in. His head was down. Although the entry plug had been inserted, the Eva was powered down.
--------------
Up on the surface, it was raining heavily. Unit 02 was stood out in the open, waiting as a positron rifle rose up out of the ground before it. The Eva grabbed the weapon and positioned it for firing.
In the cockpit, a viewfinder had swung down, covering the top of Asuka's face. On it, two sets of crosshairs move as she took aim. The Angel appeared as a small dot in the centre.
"The target is still out of range," she heard Shigeru announce over the intercom.
"Damn!" she exclaimed, getting impatient. "Why are you so slow? Come and fight Angel!" Suddenly, the dot that was the Angel began to glow. Asuka gasped in horror as a beam of white light engulfed the Eva.
--------------
"The enemy has a particle beam weapon?" Misato asked, yelling to be heard over the wailing red alert sirens sounding throughout the command centre.
"No," Shigeru answered, checking his console. "No thermal emissions detected." Maya looked over at the major.
"Abnormal reading in Asuka's psycho-graph," she informed the pilot's guardian. "Mental contamination imminent."
"It's attacking across the ego borderline," Ritsuko added, looking at Ibuki's console. "The Angel's understand our psychology that well?!"
--------------
In her cockpit, Asuka squinted to avoid being blinded by the bright light that was filling it. Warning messages were flashing on the side displays, but she ignored them.
"God damn you!" she cursed, trying to aim. She shook her head, trying to clear it but it didn't help. She began to feel light-headed and confusion took hold. She gritted her teeth and pulled the trigger. The shots from the rifling flew through the sky towards the Angel, but failed to hit their target, arching below it.
"Asuka's positron beam dissipating," Maya's voice said over the intercom.
"It's not working! It's too far out of range!" Makato's added.
The German, however, was oblivious to their comments. She was bent over, hands over her face. Sweat was pouring down her face and she was crying out in confusion as her mind ran in circles, alternating between pain, terror, sadness, loneliness, helplessness and emptiness. All the feelings Asuka hated.
--------------
Outside, Unit 02 was staggering backwards and forwards, firing wildly. It's shots exploded throughout the city, demolishing several buildings. After about six explosions, the rifle ran out of ammunition.
--------------
"Damn! Her rifle's out of ammunition," Shigeru informed his superiors.
"What's that beam made of?" Misato asked, one hand on the back of Makato's chair, looking over his shoulder.
"It's some kind of energy oscillation using a visible wavelength," the bespectacled technician replied. "It's similar to an AT Field."
"How's Asuka?" Dr. Akagi asked.
"The mental contamination is crossing her ego borderline!" Lieutenant Ibuki told her. On the main display, the Evangelion was bent over, clutching its head and shuddering. The positron rifle lay at its feet.
--------------
"NO! Don't! Don't come into me!" Asuka screamed as she felt something reaching into her mind. She cried out as a kaleidoscope of painful images flashed though her mind. The cockpit bucked and twisted as the Eva moved around. Another flash of images was accompanied by another scream. Then again. And again. And again. Tears began to stream down the girl's face as the most painful and horrific images were paraded through her mind's eye time and again.
"Get out of my mind!" she screamed, squeezing her head in an attempt to make the presence she felt leave. "Please! God! It's raping my mind!"
--------------
In the command centre, everyone was frozen in shock at hearing the cries coming from the proud second-child.
"Asuka!" Misato cried.
"Psycho-graph critical!" Maya said, checking her console. She didn't like what she saw.
"We've got to get Asuka out of there immediately," Ritsuko exclaimed. "Her mind is going to be permanently damaged."
"Asuka retreat!" Misato yelled.
"She can't," Ibuki informed her. "The beam is interfering with the nerve impulses."
"Eject the entry plug," Katsuragi ordered. The lieutenant quickly began typing commands into her console.
"It's not working," she informed the major. "The signal's not getting through."
"Dammit!" Misato cursed. "Rei, hurry!"
--------------
Above the surface, Unit 00 was positioning a more powerful positron rifle, using a building for support. The rifle was longer than the Eva was tall, and steam was discharging from it as it was prepared for firing. All around, the rain continued to pour, making the ground slick.
"Accelerator synchronisation initiated," a male voice announced over the intercom.
"Voltage is increasing," a female voice added. "Approaching pressure zone."
"Compulsory focus convergence activated," the male said.
"Compensation for the Earth's rotation and gravity, zero point zero three," the female technician related.
"Pressure in the chamber is at maximum," the male announced. Inside the cockpit, Unit 00's viewfinder had been lowered into place over Rei's head.
"Release the final safety lock. All personnel, prepare for firing," Makato ordered. Rei grit her teeth and fired. The blue Eva staggered backward as the force of the blast unbalanced it. The beam from the rifle punched through the clouds and sped towards the Angel.
--------------
Back in the command centre, the personnel present held their breath as they watched the beam approach the Angel on the main display.
"It's no good!" Shigeru yelled as the beam hit the Angel's AT Field and scattered around it. "There wasn't enough energy to penetrate its AT Field. It's too far from our weapons."
"We're at maximum power output," Makato responded. "We can't get any more power!"
"Unit 02's psycho-graph is getting weaker," Maya cried, checking her console. Ritsuko leaned over her shoulder.
"What's the status on the LCL mind barrier?" the doctor asked.
"Negative," the lieutenant informed her. "We can't even hope for a buffering effect."
"Switch to life support only," Akagi ordered. "Don't let it feedback into her."
"I'll try," Ibuki replied softly as she began to type commands into her console.
Somehow that ray's scanning on her mental wavelength. Are the Angel's trying to analyse what's inside a human mind? Ritsuko mused, straightening up and staring at the image on the main display.
--------------
The second-child found herself looking a younger version of herself. The child was holding on to a stuffed toy in the shape of a monkey, head tilted backwards, crying her eyes out.
Why am I crying? I swore that I wouldn't cry anymore, Asuka thought. Everything went dark, then the young girl was stood with the monkey on the floor behind her, looking stern. A man was bent down in front of her.
"What's wrong Asuka?" the man asked the little girl. "This was a present from your new mother," he continued, gesturing to the stuffed toy. Its belly had been ripped open and the stuffing was sticking out. "Don't you like it?"
"No!" the young Asuka replied.
"No? But...why not?" the man asked. The second-child stamped on the toy.
"Because I'm not a child!" she cried, hand on her hips. The man was embracing the younger Asuka. "I grew up faster than other people. I didn't need a stupid stuffed toy."
There was a disorientating flash of images, confusing Asuka. The sound of a woman laughing assaulted her ears. It only took a moment for her to recognise the voice. It belonged to her mother.
"Please look at me!" the young Asuka cried. "I'm begging you mama. Don't stop being my mother!"
"Asuka," her mother's voice called.
"Mama. Mama," the young girl cried.
"Come to heaven with me," the girl's mother said and began laughing again.
"No. Please! Please don't kill me," young Asuka responded. "No. I'm not mama's doll." The young girl appeared before the second-child, her back turned to her. "I'll think for myself and live for myself."
"No! Don't make me remember that!" Asuka cried, holding her arms against her chest, trying to force the images from her mind. "I wanted to forget those things! Don't uncover them! I don't want those terrible memories anymore! Stop this! Please. Stop it now!"
--------------
Asuka had curled into a ball in her Eva's cockpit, trying to protect herself from the Angel's intrusion in her mind. The only sounds were the hum of the robots systems and the girl's breathing.
"My mind...is being eaten away," she sobbed. "Shinji!" she called, desperate to hear the boy's voice. "It's unravelling my mind. What will I do? It's defiling my mind!"
Unit 02 had stopped moving and was bent over, like a puppet whose strings have been cut. The rifle still lay at its feet. The light from its eyes dimmed.
--------------
Emergency alerts began to flash on the main display in the command centre, sirens wailing.
"Unit 02 has ceased activation!" a female technician cried over the noise. "The life support system has crashed!"
"Pilot's mind entering danger zone," Maya yelled.
"Position constant," Shigeru announced. "The target hasn't moved yet."
"The possibility of the target coming into Unit 00's range is zero point zero zero two percent," Makato read from his console.
"Could we air lift Unit 00 and try an airborne attack?" Misato mused, arms crossed. "No, that wouldn't work," she sighed, discarding the idea. "If the Angel attacked we'd be defenceless."
"Misato!" Shinji's voice cried over the intercom. "Let me go out in Unit 01."
"Forget it!" Fuyutski replied, leaning on the commander's desk. "This Angel's ability to attack the pilot's mind, it's...it's too dangerous!"
"Correct," Gendo said. "We cannot allow Unit 01 to be touched by an Angel." A video link to Unit 01 appeared on the main display.
"But that can't happen as long as I'm not defeated," the boy replied.
"There is no guarantee of that," his father informed him.
"If we don't do something," Shinji insisted, leaning forward, "Asuka will die!" The commander thought for a moment, slightly surprised by his son's insistence.
"That is true," he responded. "Rei, go to Dogma and get the Lance."
"Use the Lance of Longinus? You can't do that Ikari!" Fuyutski told him, staring at the commander.
"There is no other way to destroy a target that remains in orbit, beyond the reach of our AT Fields," Gendo informed him. "Proceed." Below, Dr. Akagi, Shigeru Aoba and Major Katsuragi were staring at him.
"But I thought that if Adam and Eva were to come into contact it would cause the Third Impact. We can't take that chance commander! It's much too dangerous!" the major yelled up at him. Commander Ikari sat in silence.
So that story was another lie, Misato thought, looking away, rage boiling within her. But if contact with an Angel didn't cause Second Impact, then what did?
Makato was checking data on his console. He was disturbed by what had just been said. Why the hell would the commander risk causing Third Impact? he wondered. A voice link to Unit 01 opened, startling him.
"Makato, help me," the third-child pleaded.
"I can't," he whispered, not wishing to be heard by his colleagues.
"Please Makato," Shinji begged. "I've got to help Asuka!" The bespectacled technician was amazed by the boy's tone.
"Trust Rei. She'll save her," he assured Shinji.
"She's gonna take too long," the third-child replied, sounding even more desperate. "I can help Asuka now!" There was silence for a few seconds. "Please!" Makato thought about it for a few moments, then began entering commands in to his console.
If something like this won't cause Third Impact, then... What really happened to cause Second Impact? Misato mused as she watched Unit 00's progress towards Terminal Dogma.
"Ikari. It's too early to use the Lance," Fuyutski whispered in the commander's ear. He was leant over his shoulder.
"The committee has already started to mass produce Eva's," Gendo replied softly. "This is our chance Fuyutski."
"Our chance? But..."
"We cannot make time run backwards, but we can spur it's course forward with our own hands," Ikari replied.
"The old men won't allow this Ikari," Kouzou commented.
"Therefore we must finish this before Seele has time to act!" the commander muttered in response. "After all, it is not acceptable to lose Unit 02 at this time."
"But you just can't use the Lance of Longinus without getting Seele's approval first," the professor insisted. "You're asking for trouble!"
"The need is the justification," Gendo calmly informed Fuyutski. "There are no other factors to consider."
" 'The need'?" Kouzou asked, straightening up. "You've just been looking for a convenient excuse, haven't you?" A cry from below pre-empted any further discussion.
"Sir! Unit 01 is in the launch cradle!" Shigeru announced.
"What?!" Fuyutski asked shocked.
"Shinji, return Unit 01 to it's cage," Gendo said.
"No!" Shinji's voice yelled over the intercom.
"That is an order," the boy's father continued. The only response he got was static.
"We've lost the data link to Unit 01," Shigeru informed the commander.
"Dammit," Ikari cursed.
"Unit 01 is launching," Makato added as his console showed the Eva's progress to the surface. Good luck Shinji, he thought.
--------------
Unit 01 rose to the surface as the torrential downpour continued, no umbilical cable connected to its back. As soon as the launch cradle released the Evangelion, Shinji rushed it over to Unit 02. He reached for the red Eva, intending to pull it clear of the beam, but was unable to enter the beam. No matter how hard the boy tried, he could not get the purple robot's hand to penetrate the Angel's beam.
He growled and turned away.
--------------
"What the hell's he doing?" Misato asked as she watched Unit 01 walk away from Unit 02. "Is he giving up?"
"Asuka's EEG dropping to zero point zero six," Makato announced.
"We're past the limits of the life support system," Maya added.
"Unit 00 is passing through vent two," Shigeru informed the major, having been tracking the blue Eva's progress. "She'll be coming to the surface any moment now."
--------------
Unit 01 turned and faced Unit 02. Inside the purple Eva's cockpit, Shinji took a deep breath and readied himself. Unit 01 suddenly charged towards the red Eva at full speed. When it was only a few metres away, it launched itself at Unit 02, arms outstretched.
The purple Eva passed into the Angel's beam and continued to fly towards Unit 02. As they collided, Shinji wrapped his Eva's arms around Unit 02's waist, locking them together. Unit 01's momentum carried them clear of the beam. They smashed into a building behind, levelling it as they rolled along the ground.
A few metres away, Unit 00 rose to the surface on a lift. In it's hands it clutched the Lance of Longinus. It was in a crouched position.
--------------
"So that's the Lance of Longinus," Misato muttered as she looked at the red object Unit 00 carried on the main display.
"Unit 00 is in position to throw," Shigeru announced.
"Target sighted. Error corrections have been made," Makato added.
"Starting countdown," a female voice announced.
--------------
Unit 00 stood up, holding the Lance in both hands overhead. The rain lashed at the robot.
"Ten seconds from zero," the female voice continued over the intercom. Unit 00 positioned the Lance as if it was a javelin, ready to throw. The beam of light began to track towards the two Eva's that were in heap on the road as the countdown began. Spotting the beam heading their way, Shinji used Unit 01 to cover Asuka's machine.
As the countdown reached one, Unit 00's foot shifted slightly. At zero, Rei gritted her teeth and leaned backwards. The Lance's prongs twisted together to form a single spike and the blue robot took a couple of steps forward and threw the Lance.
The Lance of Longinus flew upwards, passing through the storm clouds and obliterating them. As it streaked through the atmosphere, it began to glow an angry red. The Lance impacted the Angel's AT Field, tearing straight through it and skewering the Angel. There was a bright flash, and the Angel was gone.
--------------
"Target annihilated," Shigeru informed the command centre, impressed by the power that had just been demonstrated.
"I need a status update on the Lance," Fuyutski said, leaning on Ikari's desk.
"It reached escape velocity," Makato informed him, looking back at the professor. "It's now moving into a lunar orbit sir."
"So it's almost impossible to recover now?" Kouzou asked.
"Right," Hyugo confirmed. "There are no methods available for recovering an object of that much mass."
"Unit 02's psycho-graph is returning to normal," Maya informed Misato.
"What's Asuka's status?" the major enquired.
"We've confirmed that the pilot is alive, but she's unconscious," Makato replied. "She'll be transferred to the infirmary as soon as possible. They'll keep her in quarantine for the time being, because of the contamination."
"Yeah!" Misato replied softly.
--------------
Major Katsuragi felt a certain degree of trepidation as she walked down the infirmary corridor. It was a journey she had made many times before, but that was generally to see Shinji. But this time it was different. This time, it was to see Asuka. Asuka, who, only two days ago, had suffered the most horrendous ordeal at the hands of the last Angel, an ordeal which could only be described as 'mind rape'. Misato didn't know what she could do or say to help the girl. She felt powerless, a feeling she despised.
Reaching the door, she stopped and cleared her mind, not willing to add her own anxieties to Asuka's problems. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the handle. As she was about to turn it, the sound of voices within stopped her. Although she couldn't tell what they were saying, she knew the voices belonged to Asuka and Shinji. Peering through the small window in the wooden door, she was surprised by the scene that greeted her.
The stool, on which Shinji sat, had been pulled right up against the head of the bed. Asuka was sat up in the bed, but her head was lowered. The most surprising aspect of the scene was that Shinji held Asuka's right hand in his own. His left hand was stroking her hair as they spoke in hushed tones. The second-child looked up at him. She had a bandage on her head.
That must be where she cut her head on the control carriage, Misato mused, noticing the dressing. The boy got to his feet, leant over the girl and kissed her softly on the forehead. The German, instead of slapping the boy, as Misato would have expected, merely smiled and put her right hand to his face.
What the hell is this?! Misato wondered, backing away from the door in shock. What the hell's going on?! She backed against the wall and shook her head in disbelief, unable to accept the tenderness of what she had just witnessed. The door opened.
"I'll see you later," Shinji said, smiling, as he stepped through the open doorway. He closed the door and noticed the major. His smile faded, replaced by a look of surprise that he quickly masked. "Uh, Misato... Hi," he said, trying to sound anything other than surprised and worried by her presence. Trying, and failing.
"How is she?" Katsuragi asked, her tone neutral.
"Huh? Oh, she's...she's fine," he stammered. The major stood upright and stared him directly in the eye.
"How long has this been going on?" she asked calmly.
"How long has what been going on?" the boy asked, trying to sound innocent and avoiding eye contact. Dammit! he silently cursed. She must've seen us.
"Don't play games Shinji! I'm not in the mood," Misato told him, losing control of her temper. The look on her face chilled him, and the child decided it was wiser to be honest.
"Since that weekend you spent at Dr. Akagi's," he informed his guardian, leaning against the wall opposite the door he'd just exited.
"I see," the major replied, folding her arms. "Have the two of you slept together?"
"Huh? What?" the third-child asked, puzzled.
"Sex Shinji. Have the two of you had sex?" she clarified.
"No!" the boy all but yelled in response, his face clearly conveying the shook he felt at her question. "We're too young of that sort of thing!"
"Yes, you are," Misato said, sighing. "I'm sorry Shinji, but I had to ask. You better get going." The boy nodded and began to walk off. "Oh, and Shinji!" He turned and looked at her. "Ritsuko wants to run a test on Unit 01 this afternoon." Shinji's shoulders visibly slumped. "Don't worry, I'll tell Asuka you'll see her tomorrow." He nodded and continued down the hall. Smiling to herself, Misato opened the door and entered Asuka's room.
--------------
Ritsuko looked up from her computer as the door to her office opened. She spun her chair around and watched Misato walk in, perplexed by the expression on her face.
"Hey Ritsuko," the major said flatly, perching on the edge of the doctor's desk.
"Hi Misato," Akagi responded cheerfully. "What's up?"
"I need you to tell me something," Misato told her.
"Oh? And what's that?" Ritsuko enquired, picking up a mug of coffee that was sat on the desk.
"I need you to tell me if Asuka's still a virgin," Katsuragi informed the blonde. Akagi had just taken a slip of coffee when the major spoke and launched into a coughing fit, spraying the contents of her mouth over the floor in front of her.
"You want me to tell you WHAT?!" Ritsuko demanded, bring her coughing under control.
"I need to know if Asuka is a virgin," Misato stated. "I know you can tell from her medical reports."
"There is such a thing as patient/doctor confidentiality, you know."
"Trust me Ritsuko, I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important," the major replied. "I know she had her medical a few days ago."
"She did. But that's not the point," Ritsuko told her friend, putting the mug back on the desk. She sighed and shook her head. "I'll tell you what. You tell me why you need to know, and if I think it's a good enough reason, I'll tell you."
"Only if you promise not to pass it on," Misato sighed, rubbing her temples.
"Misato..."
"I'm serious Ritsuko," the major told her firmly.
"Fine," the doctor sighed. "Provided it won't endanger anyone."
"It won't. I need to know because...because I just found out Shinji and Asuka are a couple," Katsuragi said.
"You're serious, aren't you?" the doctor asked, looking her friend in the face.
"I wish I wasn't!" Misato replied, sounding depressed.
"How long?"
"Since that weekend I spent at your place."
"Have you asked either of them?" Ritsuko enquired.
"I asked Shinji," the major replied, "but it's not the sort of thing you tell your parent or guardian." Ritsuko turned her chair round and started entering commands into her computer.
"At the time of her last medical," she informed Misato, reading the relevant medical file, "Asuka Langley Sohryu was a virgin." The major sighed heavily, visibly relieved. Dr. Akagi closed the file and turned back to her friend. "So, what are you going to do now?" she asked.
"I wish I knew," Misato replied.
"You know, I should have expected something like this," Ritsuko commented, leaning back in the chair.
"What do you mean?" Katsuragi enquired, looking at the doctor.
"Remember how they defeated the sixth Angel?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
"Both of them beat their synch-ratio records during that battle, remember?" Ritsuko reminded Misato.
"Yeah, they did," the major replied, looking forward and staring off into space. "Never did figure out how though."
"Because they didn't just synchronise with Unit 02, but also with each other," the doctor in formed her.
"They did?" Katsuragi asked, surprised.
"Uh-huh," Ritsuko responded, nodding.
"So, do you think that caused this relationship?" the major asked, the implications dawning on her.
"It's possible," Ritsuko answered, getting to her feet. "It could also be that it just demonstrates their compatibility." She picked up her mug and drained it. "Either way," she said, putting the mug back on the table, "it shows that the encounters with the Angels have much further reaching implications than we realised." She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'd better get ready for Unit 01's test," she muttered.
"Remember, don't tell anyone," Misato reminded her.
"I won't. But what are you going to do about it?" the blonde doctor asked. Misato sighed and stood up.
"I'll tell you when I figure that out," she replied, walking to the door.
To be continued...
Next Chapter -
The truth about the dummy plug.
=================================================================================================
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.
Here we are guys, chapter 06. The replacement for episode 22. This one was hard to do, as I fully anticipated it would be. Hopefully, I've managed to do it justice. If you can think of any way for me to improve it, let me know.
Well, I hope that last chapter made sense to you all. As for the tittle... Well, I'm sure you guys can figure out what it means.
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.
=================================================================================================
IMPACT
A sequel to "A Question Of..."
By Room3
Chapter 06 - "Rite Of Passage"
Asuka sat down on the edge of Shinji's bed, careful not to wake the boy. Looking at his sleeping face, she smiled, thinking how peaceful he looked. She reached forward and softly ran the back of her hand down his cheek.
God, I love you so much Shinji! she thought. She leaned over him and gently placed her lips on his. I wish I could stay here like this forever, she mused, pulling back. Sat upright, she put her hand on the shoulder nearest her and gave it a shake.
"Huh?! Wha'?" the third-child muttered sleepily, opening his eyes a little.
"Time to get up Shinji," she said softly. "It's morning."
"Already?" he asked, looking into her eyes.
"Uh-huh," Asuka replied, getting up. "You've got time to shower and get changed before breakfast is ready," she added, leaving his room. Shinji sat up in bed as she slid the door closed behind her.
Misato must be out, he thought, otherwise she wouldn't dare wake me up like this. Throwing the covers aside, he got to his feet and began his preparations for the day ahead.
--------------
The two pilots were just preparing to leave for school when the doorbell rang. Asuka opened the front door and was surprised to find Hikari and Toji outside.
"Hey guys," she said, regaining her composure, "what are you doing here?"
"I thought the four of us might walk to school together," Hikari said. "I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all," the German assured her. "Come on in," she added, stepping aside. "We'll be ready in a few moments." She closed the door and led them into the living room.
"Hi," Shinji said, turning off the television. He got up and walked over to Asuka, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind and resting his head on her shoulder.
"I take it Misato's not here then," Toji commented, lowering himself onto the arm of the couch. He leant his crutches against the seat and sighed. I'll be glad to be rid of those! he thought.
"She left before we got up," the redhead replied, leaning her head against Shinji's, revelling in the freedom to demonstrate her love to others. She chose not to say anything about the condition of the apartment the night before, still now knowing the reason for it.
"You guys wanna go out again this evening?" Toji asked, snaking his arm around Hikari's waist and pulling his girlfriend against him.
"I don't think we'll be able to," Asuka informed him, putting her hands on tops of Shinji's. "We've got a synch-test this afternoon."
"And they may want to run a test on Unit 01 as well," the third-child added. He gave Asuka's neck a quick kiss and released his hold on her. The German shivered slightly as the boy kissed her and instantly missed the feel of his arms around her.
"We'd best be going," Shinji continued, passing Asuka her school bag and grabbing his own. Toji, with help from Hikari, got to his feet. The class rep then picked up their bags and led the way out of the apartment.
As Shinji closed the front door behind them, Asuka grabbed his free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. He looked at her and smiled. A short distance away, Hikari watched and smiled also. The foursome got into the lift and descended to street-level.
As the group exited the apartment block, the pilots released each other's hands and drifted apart a few steps, regretting the necessity as they did so.
--------------
"I'm surprised Major Katsuragi isn't here," Maya commented during the synch-test, looking up from her console. "She's never missed one before!"
"I'm sure she has her reasons," Ritsuko told her assistant, trying to sound more confident than she was. She too was puzzled by the absence of Misato, but refused to let it bother her, focusing instead on the work she had to do. The door of the lab opened, and Dr. Akagi looked over, expecting to see the major.
"How are they doing?" Kouzou Fuyutski asked, walking over to the console Lieutenant Ibuki was working at.
What the hell is he doing here? Ritsuko thought, busying herself writing notes on the clipboard in her arms. She leant over Maya's console. "Shinji and Asuka have managed to increase their scores by a couple of points each," she informed the professor.
"What about Rei?" he asked, looking through the observation window and into the chamber the synch-test was taking place in.
"Her score hasn't increased since the last harmonics test," the blonde-haired doctor informed him.
"Hmm, that makes it, what? Three test without an increase?" he asked, crossing his arms.
"The last time Rei increased her test score was four tests ago," Maya replied. Fuyutski sighed.
"Was there something else sir?" Akagi asked politely.
"Hmm? No, no. Thank you," the second in command of Nerv replied and left the lab.
"What was that all about?" Ibuki asked as the door closed behind him.
--------------
Major Katsuragi stood in Evangelion Unit 01's cage, staring up at the face of the robot. She knew the synch-test was occurring, but she didn't feel she could cope with it at that moment. She was lost in thought, eyes locked on the demonic visage before her.
The Eva series was created from the Angel known as 'Adam'. Now, in order to defeat the Angels, we are employing the same forces that caused the Second Impact and wiped out half the human race. Only humans could be so foolish as to attempt to harness the engine of our own destruction, she mused. I hate the Eva's!
"Is our revenge worth this?" she muttered.
"Major Katsuragi!" a male voice called from the right. Looking over, she saw Makato Hyugo stood at the entrance to the cage. His expression made it clear he had something he wanted to say. Misato sighed and walked over to him.
"Outside," she muttered as she passed him.
--------------
"They've started construction on the all the Eva's through Unit 13?" the major asked. She was sat on a park bench outside headquarters, apparently resting. "At seven different locations around the world?"
"Yeah. The information I've got came via Shanghai," Makato replied, leaning against the back of the bench. His arms were crossed and his head was down. "My source is reliable."
"Why the hell are they speeding up the construction process now?" Misato mused, confused.
"Well, we have lost two Eva's recently," the bespectacled technician said, "and Unit 01 is currently out of action. So I'd assume their accelerating the schedule for the purpose of creating a reserve force."
"Perhaps... But we've been getting parts from Germany that were originally intended for Eva Units 05 and 06. They've been spending an awful lot of cash lately!"
"And that's after they just doubled the existing budget! I think the executives are being driven by something," Makato commented.
"Yeah, I can almost feel the committee's impatience behind this," Katsuragi responded.
"Do you think they're doing this in anticipation of having to intercept multiple Angels at once rather than the singular probes we've seen thus far?" the technician asked, worried.
"It's possible," the major answered. "But that there's no reason for them to be doing it outside of official channels."
----FLASHBACK--------------------------
"There are more secrets buried at headquarters than you could possibly imagine," Ryoji Kaji had told her. He'd put his right arm around her waist and began walking through the park they were in, forcing her to accompany him. Realising the purpose of his actions, she had fallen in line with his ruse and had leant into his embrace, removing her hands from her pockets and slipping her arm around his waist. She had felt his hand in her jacket pocket and looked at him.
"A gift," he'd told her, noticing her expression. "It'll point the way and open the door," he had added cryptically. He'd removed his hand and replaced it on her hip. "Just be careful who you trust."
----END OF FLASHBACK-------------------
Misato sighed sadly, memories of Kaji filling her mind. She forced them away, unwilling to give in to the pain she felt over his loss.
"There's got to be some other reason for this!" the major said, gritting her teeth and doing her best to control the anger and bitterness that filled her.
--------------
Dinner that evening was the first time the three occupants of the apartment had seen each other for a few days. Misato had the meal cooked and on the table when the two pilots had got home from the library, where they had been doing research for a school assignment.
"Sorry about the mess last night guys," the major said as the two children sat down at the kitchen table. "I had a bad day and needed to blow off a little steam."
"That's okay," Shinji assured her, picking up the chopsticks and making a tentative start on the food on his plate. He had absolutely no idea what it was, or what it was meant to be.
"No it isn't," Misato responded. "I shouldn't have left it for you guys to clear up."
"It's fine. Really," the third-child told his guardian. Asuka sighed inwardly as she ate, trying not to taste the food.
I don't think he's ever gonna change, she thought. Not that I really want him to! The German distracted herself from the flavour of her meal by listening to the radio that Misato had playing in the background.
"So, what did you guys get up to last night?" Katsuragi asked.
"Nothing much," Asuka told her guardian casually. "Just went to see some old movie. Then we had dinner."
----FLASHBACK--------------------------
"You know Asuka, there's one thing I've got to ask?" Hikari has said as the two girls had made their way to the table the boys had chosen.
"Oh? And what might that be?" the redhead had enquired, curious.
"How good a kisser is Shinji?" the class rep had asked her. Asuka had merely smiled at first.
"Well, you know, I don't have any experience to compare him to," the second-child had informed her friend. "But as far as I'm concerned, he's a great kisser."
"I thought he would be," Hikari had commented.
"Oh. Why?" the pilot had asked, wanting to know what the class rep was getting at.
"Because he's so thoughtful and sensitive," Horaki had explained. "He's always so concerned with others."
"He sure is," Asuka had responded as the two reached the table at which the Toji and Shinji were waiting for them at.
----END OF FLASHBACK-------------------
"So, you guys were just there as chaperones?" Misato asked her. Shinji didn't recognise the term and looked puzzled.
"Yep," the redhead replied. The major picked up the can of beer in front of her and took a long drink, half draining it. The phone started ringing.
"Asuka, could you get that?" Misato asked, putting food into her mouth.
"Why should I get it?" the German asked, slightly peeved. "It's probably just Kaji calling for you. You should answer your own phone."
"He won't call again," the major told her, swallowing the mouthful she had been chewing, She barely kept her sadness from her voice.
"Huh?! What do you mean?" the second-child inquired. Misato was silent, not trusting her voice. In the background, the phone continued to ring. Shinji got up, groaning. He wished the answer phone still worked, but Misato had broken it last night.
"Yes? Hello?" he asked, answering the phone. He walked back over to the table. "It's a call from Germany Asuka," the third-child told the girl. "I think it's your mother."
"A call for me? My mother?" she asked, looking at him slightly puzzled. "Gimme that!" she snapped, snatching the phone from him. She stood up and walked to the doorway to the living room. "Hello? Hello mutte!" she said cheerfully. Shinji listened as she spoke enthusiastically to the person on the other end of the line in German.
When she speaks in a language I can't understand, Asuka seems to be a different person, the boy thought. He wondered if she'd ever share that part of herself with him. "Asuka's mother," he muttered sadly, an image of his own mother's grave marker appearing in his mind's eye.
--------------
Almost half an hour later, Asuka hung up. She closed her eyes and shook her head. Misato had retired to the living room and the television could be heard in the background.
"Wow, you two were on the phone for quite a while," Shinji commented. The German looked over at him.
"Well, it was just a routine communication," she told him.
"I wish I talked to my family," he replied, wistfully.
"It's...overrated," Asuka assured him, closing her eyes. "And it's just for show. She's not my real mother anyway." She opened her eyes and looked deeply into his.
"Huh? What's the matter?" he asked.
"It's nothing," the redhead replied flatly.
"Come on. Remember, we said we'd talk about anything," the boy reminded her. She sighed.
"I just wish she'd stop calling," she told him. "It's not like I hate her or anything! I...I just feel like..." she trailed off. "I dunno." She shook her head to clear it. "I'll tell you when I figure it out myself," she told him. He nodded, accepting that course of action. Asuka smiled and headed for the living room, pausing to squeeze the boy's shoulder as she passed.
--------------
"Asuka's lost a couple of points," Maya commented as the harmonics test neared completion the next day. Since the last Angel's attack, they had stepped up the frequency of the tests, mainly because there were so few students still attending school that most classes had been cancelled. Ritsuko leant over her console and checked the figures for herself.
"Asuka's not feeling well today," Misato said softly. She was stood behind Makato, staring at the observation window, her arms crossed. "It's her period."
"Synch ratios aren't influenced by physical changes," Ritsuko informed her. "The problem's deeper, in her sub-consciousness." She straightened up and looked at Misato. "Did anything happen last night?"
"No, not really," the major replied. "She did get a call from Germany. Her stepmother..."
"I see," Akagi replied as Katsuragi trailed off. "You really should try to get her to talk about it," she suggested. "It might help her."
"I suppose," Misato sighed. "How are the others?"
"Shinji's gained another point," Lieutenant Ibuki informed her, "and Rei..."
"What about her?" the major asked, fearing the worst.
"Her score is the same as it was yesterday. It's the same as it has been for the last five tests," the blonde doctor answered. Misato grimaced.
"Maybe she just needs some more combat experience," she suggested.
"Maybe," Dr. Akagi responded. She tapped a button on Maya's console. "Okay Asuka, Rei, you guys are all done for today," she said over the now open intercom. "Shinji, we're going to run another test in Unit 01."
--------------
"Why do I have to suffer through this just because I'm a girl?!" she exclaimed, clutching her abdomen. She was bent over a sink in one of the ladies bathrooms, dressed in her school uniform. She looked into the mirror before her. "It's not like I want to have children anyway!"
--------------
"It doesn't feel any different than yesterday," the third-child informed Ritsuko as he sat in his entry plug.
"Good," her voice replied over the intercom. "We're going to increase the power output to seventy five percent."
"Okay," Shinji said, closing his eyes and clearing his mind. Try as he might, he couldn't tell when the output from Unit 01's new S2 organ increased.
"Power output holding steady at seventy five percent," Maya's voice announced over the intercom. Shinji opened his eyes and sighed.
"How does that feel?" Ritsuko asked.
"To be honest, I can't tell anything's changed," the boy informed her. "It feels just the same as it did against the last Angel."
"Then that means we've calibrated it properly," the doctor replied. "We're gonna try increasing it to full power slowly. If you feel anything, tell us. Got it?"
"Yeah," the third-child responded. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind again. The sound of his own breathing filled his ears, coupled with the low-pitched hum that emanated from the Eva itself. A sound that the boy found reassuring and calming, although he didn't know why.
"Power output is now at one hundred percent," Maya's voice said a short time later. Shinji opened his eyes. As far as he was concerned, there was no difference, and told Ritsuko as much.
"Okay. We're done now Shinji," Ritsuko replied. "I'll have to analyse these results, but I don't think we need to run anymore tests. Unit 01 is fully operational and ready for combat."
--------------
The next day, both Shinji and Asuka were stood in Unit 02's cage, dressed in their plug-suits, awaiting the next synch-test. Headquarters was busy, with teams of technicians running all over the place, performing maintenance. The red Eva's cage was the only place the two could find any peace.
"Eva Unit 02's signals all read nominal," a male voice announced over the intercom.
"Of course it's nominal!" Asuka muttered. "It hasn't done anything for the last month!" She sounded disgusted to the boy stood next to her.
"Are you okay Asuka?" Shinji asked, worried. He hadn't heard that tone from her for a few weeks. She sighed and shook her head before answering.
"It's..." she started, but trailed off, too embarrassed to tell him the truth. She sighed again and looked him in the eye. "I just feel a little off, that's all." She closed the distance between them. "I'll be fine," the German told the boy, giving his left shoulder a gentle squeeze. They both jumped as the red alert siren began wailing.
"All personnel, go to first stage alert! Prepare for aerial assault," a voice announced over the intercom.
"An Angel?" Asuka asked, looking to the left. "Another one?"
--------------
"We have visual confirmation of the Angel," Shigeru Aoba announced, calling an image from one of Nerv's satellites on to the main screen. A small white mass was visible. "Maximum magnification." The Angel appeared. It glowed white and looked to Major Katsuragi like some kind of impressionistic bird.
"It's orbit is just outside our defence envelope," Makato Hyugo informed the personnel manning the command centre.
"And it's maintaining a constant distance from us," Shigeru added. Misato had her arms crossed and was looking at the display, a stern expression on her face.
"So... Does that mean it's looking for a nice, comfy place to land?" she asked, sounding almost flippant. "Or that it's going to destroy us from way up there?"
"We can't attack it from this distance," Makato said, looking over his shoulder at her.
"Yeah. And, unless it decides to come into our range, there's not much we can do offensively," the major replied, sounding more like her normal self. She sighed. "The Eva's weren't designed to combat an enemy still in orbit." She looked over at Maya. "Eva status?"
"Units 02 and 00 are ready for launch," the lieutenant replied.
"Launch Unit 02," Misato ordered. "Equip it for a long range assault." Commands were entered into the consoles. "Asuka, I want you to snipe it," she added, leaning over Makato console and activating the intercom.
"Got it," the second-child responded calmly. Makato watched his console as the red Evangelion launched.
"Excuse me, aren't we going to use Unit 01?" he asked.
"Unit 01 stays in cryo-stasis," the major informed him, shaking her head. "Those are Commander Ikari's orders." She looked over her shoulder at Fuyutski and Ikari, in their usual positions. And after what's happened, he'd better accept that, she thought.
From Unit 01's cage, Shinji listened in. His head was down. Although the entry plug had been inserted, the Eva was powered down.
--------------
Up on the surface, it was raining heavily. Unit 02 was stood out in the open, waiting as a positron rifle rose up out of the ground before it. The Eva grabbed the weapon and positioned it for firing.
In the cockpit, a viewfinder had swung down, covering the top of Asuka's face. On it, two sets of crosshairs move as she took aim. The Angel appeared as a small dot in the centre.
"The target is still out of range," she heard Shigeru announce over the intercom.
"Damn!" she exclaimed, getting impatient. "Why are you so slow? Come and fight Angel!" Suddenly, the dot that was the Angel began to glow. Asuka gasped in horror as a beam of white light engulfed the Eva.
--------------
"The enemy has a particle beam weapon?" Misato asked, yelling to be heard over the wailing red alert sirens sounding throughout the command centre.
"No," Shigeru answered, checking his console. "No thermal emissions detected." Maya looked over at the major.
"Abnormal reading in Asuka's psycho-graph," she informed the pilot's guardian. "Mental contamination imminent."
"It's attacking across the ego borderline," Ritsuko added, looking at Ibuki's console. "The Angel's understand our psychology that well?!"
--------------
In her cockpit, Asuka squinted to avoid being blinded by the bright light that was filling it. Warning messages were flashing on the side displays, but she ignored them.
"God damn you!" she cursed, trying to aim. She shook her head, trying to clear it but it didn't help. She began to feel light-headed and confusion took hold. She gritted her teeth and pulled the trigger. The shots from the rifling flew through the sky towards the Angel, but failed to hit their target, arching below it.
"Asuka's positron beam dissipating," Maya's voice said over the intercom.
"It's not working! It's too far out of range!" Makato's added.
The German, however, was oblivious to their comments. She was bent over, hands over her face. Sweat was pouring down her face and she was crying out in confusion as her mind ran in circles, alternating between pain, terror, sadness, loneliness, helplessness and emptiness. All the feelings Asuka hated.
--------------
Outside, Unit 02 was staggering backwards and forwards, firing wildly. It's shots exploded throughout the city, demolishing several buildings. After about six explosions, the rifle ran out of ammunition.
--------------
"Damn! Her rifle's out of ammunition," Shigeru informed his superiors.
"What's that beam made of?" Misato asked, one hand on the back of Makato's chair, looking over his shoulder.
"It's some kind of energy oscillation using a visible wavelength," the bespectacled technician replied. "It's similar to an AT Field."
"How's Asuka?" Dr. Akagi asked.
"The mental contamination is crossing her ego borderline!" Lieutenant Ibuki told her. On the main display, the Evangelion was bent over, clutching its head and shuddering. The positron rifle lay at its feet.
--------------
"NO! Don't! Don't come into me!" Asuka screamed as she felt something reaching into her mind. She cried out as a kaleidoscope of painful images flashed though her mind. The cockpit bucked and twisted as the Eva moved around. Another flash of images was accompanied by another scream. Then again. And again. And again. Tears began to stream down the girl's face as the most painful and horrific images were paraded through her mind's eye time and again.
"Get out of my mind!" she screamed, squeezing her head in an attempt to make the presence she felt leave. "Please! God! It's raping my mind!"
--------------
In the command centre, everyone was frozen in shock at hearing the cries coming from the proud second-child.
"Asuka!" Misato cried.
"Psycho-graph critical!" Maya said, checking her console. She didn't like what she saw.
"We've got to get Asuka out of there immediately," Ritsuko exclaimed. "Her mind is going to be permanently damaged."
"Asuka retreat!" Misato yelled.
"She can't," Ibuki informed her. "The beam is interfering with the nerve impulses."
"Eject the entry plug," Katsuragi ordered. The lieutenant quickly began typing commands into her console.
"It's not working," she informed the major. "The signal's not getting through."
"Dammit!" Misato cursed. "Rei, hurry!"
--------------
Above the surface, Unit 00 was positioning a more powerful positron rifle, using a building for support. The rifle was longer than the Eva was tall, and steam was discharging from it as it was prepared for firing. All around, the rain continued to pour, making the ground slick.
"Accelerator synchronisation initiated," a male voice announced over the intercom.
"Voltage is increasing," a female voice added. "Approaching pressure zone."
"Compulsory focus convergence activated," the male said.
"Compensation for the Earth's rotation and gravity, zero point zero three," the female technician related.
"Pressure in the chamber is at maximum," the male announced. Inside the cockpit, Unit 00's viewfinder had been lowered into place over Rei's head.
"Release the final safety lock. All personnel, prepare for firing," Makato ordered. Rei grit her teeth and fired. The blue Eva staggered backward as the force of the blast unbalanced it. The beam from the rifle punched through the clouds and sped towards the Angel.
--------------
Back in the command centre, the personnel present held their breath as they watched the beam approach the Angel on the main display.
"It's no good!" Shigeru yelled as the beam hit the Angel's AT Field and scattered around it. "There wasn't enough energy to penetrate its AT Field. It's too far from our weapons."
"We're at maximum power output," Makato responded. "We can't get any more power!"
"Unit 02's psycho-graph is getting weaker," Maya cried, checking her console. Ritsuko leaned over her shoulder.
"What's the status on the LCL mind barrier?" the doctor asked.
"Negative," the lieutenant informed her. "We can't even hope for a buffering effect."
"Switch to life support only," Akagi ordered. "Don't let it feedback into her."
"I'll try," Ibuki replied softly as she began to type commands into her console.
Somehow that ray's scanning on her mental wavelength. Are the Angel's trying to analyse what's inside a human mind? Ritsuko mused, straightening up and staring at the image on the main display.
--------------
The second-child found herself looking a younger version of herself. The child was holding on to a stuffed toy in the shape of a monkey, head tilted backwards, crying her eyes out.
Why am I crying? I swore that I wouldn't cry anymore, Asuka thought. Everything went dark, then the young girl was stood with the monkey on the floor behind her, looking stern. A man was bent down in front of her.
"What's wrong Asuka?" the man asked the little girl. "This was a present from your new mother," he continued, gesturing to the stuffed toy. Its belly had been ripped open and the stuffing was sticking out. "Don't you like it?"
"No!" the young Asuka replied.
"No? But...why not?" the man asked. The second-child stamped on the toy.
"Because I'm not a child!" she cried, hand on her hips. The man was embracing the younger Asuka. "I grew up faster than other people. I didn't need a stupid stuffed toy."
There was a disorientating flash of images, confusing Asuka. The sound of a woman laughing assaulted her ears. It only took a moment for her to recognise the voice. It belonged to her mother.
"Please look at me!" the young Asuka cried. "I'm begging you mama. Don't stop being my mother!"
"Asuka," her mother's voice called.
"Mama. Mama," the young girl cried.
"Come to heaven with me," the girl's mother said and began laughing again.
"No. Please! Please don't kill me," young Asuka responded. "No. I'm not mama's doll." The young girl appeared before the second-child, her back turned to her. "I'll think for myself and live for myself."
"No! Don't make me remember that!" Asuka cried, holding her arms against her chest, trying to force the images from her mind. "I wanted to forget those things! Don't uncover them! I don't want those terrible memories anymore! Stop this! Please. Stop it now!"
--------------
Asuka had curled into a ball in her Eva's cockpit, trying to protect herself from the Angel's intrusion in her mind. The only sounds were the hum of the robots systems and the girl's breathing.
"My mind...is being eaten away," she sobbed. "Shinji!" she called, desperate to hear the boy's voice. "It's unravelling my mind. What will I do? It's defiling my mind!"
Unit 02 had stopped moving and was bent over, like a puppet whose strings have been cut. The rifle still lay at its feet. The light from its eyes dimmed.
--------------
Emergency alerts began to flash on the main display in the command centre, sirens wailing.
"Unit 02 has ceased activation!" a female technician cried over the noise. "The life support system has crashed!"
"Pilot's mind entering danger zone," Maya yelled.
"Position constant," Shigeru announced. "The target hasn't moved yet."
"The possibility of the target coming into Unit 00's range is zero point zero zero two percent," Makato read from his console.
"Could we air lift Unit 00 and try an airborne attack?" Misato mused, arms crossed. "No, that wouldn't work," she sighed, discarding the idea. "If the Angel attacked we'd be defenceless."
"Misato!" Shinji's voice cried over the intercom. "Let me go out in Unit 01."
"Forget it!" Fuyutski replied, leaning on the commander's desk. "This Angel's ability to attack the pilot's mind, it's...it's too dangerous!"
"Correct," Gendo said. "We cannot allow Unit 01 to be touched by an Angel." A video link to Unit 01 appeared on the main display.
"But that can't happen as long as I'm not defeated," the boy replied.
"There is no guarantee of that," his father informed him.
"If we don't do something," Shinji insisted, leaning forward, "Asuka will die!" The commander thought for a moment, slightly surprised by his son's insistence.
"That is true," he responded. "Rei, go to Dogma and get the Lance."
"Use the Lance of Longinus? You can't do that Ikari!" Fuyutski told him, staring at the commander.
"There is no other way to destroy a target that remains in orbit, beyond the reach of our AT Fields," Gendo informed him. "Proceed." Below, Dr. Akagi, Shigeru Aoba and Major Katsuragi were staring at him.
"But I thought that if Adam and Eva were to come into contact it would cause the Third Impact. We can't take that chance commander! It's much too dangerous!" the major yelled up at him. Commander Ikari sat in silence.
So that story was another lie, Misato thought, looking away, rage boiling within her. But if contact with an Angel didn't cause Second Impact, then what did?
Makato was checking data on his console. He was disturbed by what had just been said. Why the hell would the commander risk causing Third Impact? he wondered. A voice link to Unit 01 opened, startling him.
"Makato, help me," the third-child pleaded.
"I can't," he whispered, not wishing to be heard by his colleagues.
"Please Makato," Shinji begged. "I've got to help Asuka!" The bespectacled technician was amazed by the boy's tone.
"Trust Rei. She'll save her," he assured Shinji.
"She's gonna take too long," the third-child replied, sounding even more desperate. "I can help Asuka now!" There was silence for a few seconds. "Please!" Makato thought about it for a few moments, then began entering commands in to his console.
If something like this won't cause Third Impact, then... What really happened to cause Second Impact? Misato mused as she watched Unit 00's progress towards Terminal Dogma.
"Ikari. It's too early to use the Lance," Fuyutski whispered in the commander's ear. He was leant over his shoulder.
"The committee has already started to mass produce Eva's," Gendo replied softly. "This is our chance Fuyutski."
"Our chance? But..."
"We cannot make time run backwards, but we can spur it's course forward with our own hands," Ikari replied.
"The old men won't allow this Ikari," Kouzou commented.
"Therefore we must finish this before Seele has time to act!" the commander muttered in response. "After all, it is not acceptable to lose Unit 02 at this time."
"But you just can't use the Lance of Longinus without getting Seele's approval first," the professor insisted. "You're asking for trouble!"
"The need is the justification," Gendo calmly informed Fuyutski. "There are no other factors to consider."
" 'The need'?" Kouzou asked, straightening up. "You've just been looking for a convenient excuse, haven't you?" A cry from below pre-empted any further discussion.
"Sir! Unit 01 is in the launch cradle!" Shigeru announced.
"What?!" Fuyutski asked shocked.
"Shinji, return Unit 01 to it's cage," Gendo said.
"No!" Shinji's voice yelled over the intercom.
"That is an order," the boy's father continued. The only response he got was static.
"We've lost the data link to Unit 01," Shigeru informed the commander.
"Dammit," Ikari cursed.
"Unit 01 is launching," Makato added as his console showed the Eva's progress to the surface. Good luck Shinji, he thought.
--------------
Unit 01 rose to the surface as the torrential downpour continued, no umbilical cable connected to its back. As soon as the launch cradle released the Evangelion, Shinji rushed it over to Unit 02. He reached for the red Eva, intending to pull it clear of the beam, but was unable to enter the beam. No matter how hard the boy tried, he could not get the purple robot's hand to penetrate the Angel's beam.
He growled and turned away.
--------------
"What the hell's he doing?" Misato asked as she watched Unit 01 walk away from Unit 02. "Is he giving up?"
"Asuka's EEG dropping to zero point zero six," Makato announced.
"We're past the limits of the life support system," Maya added.
"Unit 00 is passing through vent two," Shigeru informed the major, having been tracking the blue Eva's progress. "She'll be coming to the surface any moment now."
--------------
Unit 01 turned and faced Unit 02. Inside the purple Eva's cockpit, Shinji took a deep breath and readied himself. Unit 01 suddenly charged towards the red Eva at full speed. When it was only a few metres away, it launched itself at Unit 02, arms outstretched.
The purple Eva passed into the Angel's beam and continued to fly towards Unit 02. As they collided, Shinji wrapped his Eva's arms around Unit 02's waist, locking them together. Unit 01's momentum carried them clear of the beam. They smashed into a building behind, levelling it as they rolled along the ground.
A few metres away, Unit 00 rose to the surface on a lift. In it's hands it clutched the Lance of Longinus. It was in a crouched position.
--------------
"So that's the Lance of Longinus," Misato muttered as she looked at the red object Unit 00 carried on the main display.
"Unit 00 is in position to throw," Shigeru announced.
"Target sighted. Error corrections have been made," Makato added.
"Starting countdown," a female voice announced.
--------------
Unit 00 stood up, holding the Lance in both hands overhead. The rain lashed at the robot.
"Ten seconds from zero," the female voice continued over the intercom. Unit 00 positioned the Lance as if it was a javelin, ready to throw. The beam of light began to track towards the two Eva's that were in heap on the road as the countdown began. Spotting the beam heading their way, Shinji used Unit 01 to cover Asuka's machine.
As the countdown reached one, Unit 00's foot shifted slightly. At zero, Rei gritted her teeth and leaned backwards. The Lance's prongs twisted together to form a single spike and the blue robot took a couple of steps forward and threw the Lance.
The Lance of Longinus flew upwards, passing through the storm clouds and obliterating them. As it streaked through the atmosphere, it began to glow an angry red. The Lance impacted the Angel's AT Field, tearing straight through it and skewering the Angel. There was a bright flash, and the Angel was gone.
--------------
"Target annihilated," Shigeru informed the command centre, impressed by the power that had just been demonstrated.
"I need a status update on the Lance," Fuyutski said, leaning on Ikari's desk.
"It reached escape velocity," Makato informed him, looking back at the professor. "It's now moving into a lunar orbit sir."
"So it's almost impossible to recover now?" Kouzou asked.
"Right," Hyugo confirmed. "There are no methods available for recovering an object of that much mass."
"Unit 02's psycho-graph is returning to normal," Maya informed Misato.
"What's Asuka's status?" the major enquired.
"We've confirmed that the pilot is alive, but she's unconscious," Makato replied. "She'll be transferred to the infirmary as soon as possible. They'll keep her in quarantine for the time being, because of the contamination."
"Yeah!" Misato replied softly.
--------------
Major Katsuragi felt a certain degree of trepidation as she walked down the infirmary corridor. It was a journey she had made many times before, but that was generally to see Shinji. But this time it was different. This time, it was to see Asuka. Asuka, who, only two days ago, had suffered the most horrendous ordeal at the hands of the last Angel, an ordeal which could only be described as 'mind rape'. Misato didn't know what she could do or say to help the girl. She felt powerless, a feeling she despised.
Reaching the door, she stopped and cleared her mind, not willing to add her own anxieties to Asuka's problems. Taking a deep breath, she reached for the handle. As she was about to turn it, the sound of voices within stopped her. Although she couldn't tell what they were saying, she knew the voices belonged to Asuka and Shinji. Peering through the small window in the wooden door, she was surprised by the scene that greeted her.
The stool, on which Shinji sat, had been pulled right up against the head of the bed. Asuka was sat up in the bed, but her head was lowered. The most surprising aspect of the scene was that Shinji held Asuka's right hand in his own. His left hand was stroking her hair as they spoke in hushed tones. The second-child looked up at him. She had a bandage on her head.
That must be where she cut her head on the control carriage, Misato mused, noticing the dressing. The boy got to his feet, leant over the girl and kissed her softly on the forehead. The German, instead of slapping the boy, as Misato would have expected, merely smiled and put her right hand to his face.
What the hell is this?! Misato wondered, backing away from the door in shock. What the hell's going on?! She backed against the wall and shook her head in disbelief, unable to accept the tenderness of what she had just witnessed. The door opened.
"I'll see you later," Shinji said, smiling, as he stepped through the open doorway. He closed the door and noticed the major. His smile faded, replaced by a look of surprise that he quickly masked. "Uh, Misato... Hi," he said, trying to sound anything other than surprised and worried by her presence. Trying, and failing.
"How is she?" Katsuragi asked, her tone neutral.
"Huh? Oh, she's...she's fine," he stammered. The major stood upright and stared him directly in the eye.
"How long has this been going on?" she asked calmly.
"How long has what been going on?" the boy asked, trying to sound innocent and avoiding eye contact. Dammit! he silently cursed. She must've seen us.
"Don't play games Shinji! I'm not in the mood," Misato told him, losing control of her temper. The look on her face chilled him, and the child decided it was wiser to be honest.
"Since that weekend you spent at Dr. Akagi's," he informed his guardian, leaning against the wall opposite the door he'd just exited.
"I see," the major replied, folding her arms. "Have the two of you slept together?"
"Huh? What?" the third-child asked, puzzled.
"Sex Shinji. Have the two of you had sex?" she clarified.
"No!" the boy all but yelled in response, his face clearly conveying the shook he felt at her question. "We're too young of that sort of thing!"
"Yes, you are," Misato said, sighing. "I'm sorry Shinji, but I had to ask. You better get going." The boy nodded and began to walk off. "Oh, and Shinji!" He turned and looked at her. "Ritsuko wants to run a test on Unit 01 this afternoon." Shinji's shoulders visibly slumped. "Don't worry, I'll tell Asuka you'll see her tomorrow." He nodded and continued down the hall. Smiling to herself, Misato opened the door and entered Asuka's room.
--------------
Ritsuko looked up from her computer as the door to her office opened. She spun her chair around and watched Misato walk in, perplexed by the expression on her face.
"Hey Ritsuko," the major said flatly, perching on the edge of the doctor's desk.
"Hi Misato," Akagi responded cheerfully. "What's up?"
"I need you to tell me something," Misato told her.
"Oh? And what's that?" Ritsuko enquired, picking up a mug of coffee that was sat on the desk.
"I need you to tell me if Asuka's still a virgin," Katsuragi informed the blonde. Akagi had just taken a slip of coffee when the major spoke and launched into a coughing fit, spraying the contents of her mouth over the floor in front of her.
"You want me to tell you WHAT?!" Ritsuko demanded, bring her coughing under control.
"I need to know if Asuka is a virgin," Misato stated. "I know you can tell from her medical reports."
"There is such a thing as patient/doctor confidentiality, you know."
"Trust me Ritsuko, I wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important," the major replied. "I know she had her medical a few days ago."
"She did. But that's not the point," Ritsuko told her friend, putting the mug back on the desk. She sighed and shook her head. "I'll tell you what. You tell me why you need to know, and if I think it's a good enough reason, I'll tell you."
"Only if you promise not to pass it on," Misato sighed, rubbing her temples.
"Misato..."
"I'm serious Ritsuko," the major told her firmly.
"Fine," the doctor sighed. "Provided it won't endanger anyone."
"It won't. I need to know because...because I just found out Shinji and Asuka are a couple," Katsuragi said.
"You're serious, aren't you?" the doctor asked, looking her friend in the face.
"I wish I wasn't!" Misato replied, sounding depressed.
"How long?"
"Since that weekend I spent at your place."
"Have you asked either of them?" Ritsuko enquired.
"I asked Shinji," the major replied, "but it's not the sort of thing you tell your parent or guardian." Ritsuko turned her chair round and started entering commands into her computer.
"At the time of her last medical," she informed Misato, reading the relevant medical file, "Asuka Langley Sohryu was a virgin." The major sighed heavily, visibly relieved. Dr. Akagi closed the file and turned back to her friend. "So, what are you going to do now?" she asked.
"I wish I knew," Misato replied.
"You know, I should have expected something like this," Ritsuko commented, leaning back in the chair.
"What do you mean?" Katsuragi enquired, looking at the doctor.
"Remember how they defeated the sixth Angel?"
"Yeah. What about it?"
"Both of them beat their synch-ratio records during that battle, remember?" Ritsuko reminded Misato.
"Yeah, they did," the major replied, looking forward and staring off into space. "Never did figure out how though."
"Because they didn't just synchronise with Unit 02, but also with each other," the doctor in formed her.
"They did?" Katsuragi asked, surprised.
"Uh-huh," Ritsuko responded, nodding.
"So, do you think that caused this relationship?" the major asked, the implications dawning on her.
"It's possible," Ritsuko answered, getting to her feet. "It could also be that it just demonstrates their compatibility." She picked up her mug and drained it. "Either way," she said, putting the mug back on the table, "it shows that the encounters with the Angels have much further reaching implications than we realised." She closed her eyes and sighed. "I'd better get ready for Unit 01's test," she muttered.
"Remember, don't tell anyone," Misato reminded her.
"I won't. But what are you going to do about it?" the blonde doctor asked. Misato sighed and stood up.
"I'll tell you when I figure that out," she replied, walking to the door.
To be continued...
Next Chapter -
The truth about the dummy plug.
=================================================================================================
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.