Disclaimer: The Characters of Evangelion do not
belong to me, I'm sorry to say. They belong to Gainax. The rest of the
characters, as well as the Global Compact, belong to me. If you want to use
them, just make sure to tell me and give credit where it's due.
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Genetic Lessons: Adaption
By Polar Kodiak
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"Wake up, you lazy Apparition. How you ever passed your Acolyte ascension tests I will never know."
The familiar voice awoke Shinji. The young pilot, surprised at recalling the gruff voice that he hadn't…had not heard since before he became an Initiate, bolted up in the hospital bed. His golden eyes quickly scanned the room, searching for the origin of the voice. He shook his head, realizing that he had foolishly thought that he would actually see a Fifth Variant Magistrate with his eyes. Magistrates only let you see them if they wanted you to.
Rubbing his head to clear the remains of his trauma-induced sleep and fingering the bandage that covered his cranium, the young Ikari pulled away the covers and climbed out of bed. "Magistrate Iridian? What're you doing here?"
Suddenly feeling a sharp pain on his bandaged skull, Shinji's temper flared for just a moment before he stubbornly brought it under control. "What was that for, Magistrate?" he asked calmly.
The dark, brusque voice retorted, "You are even lazier than I thought. Using contractions, letting your Other take control of your mind in a simple skirmish…it is no wonder that Crono asked me to baby-sit you and make sure you do not screw this operation up any more than you already have."
Shinji ignored the insult. He had heard more than enough like that during his training to become a member of the Elemental Order. But something that Iridian said made him freeze. "My Other took over?"
Even though Shinji could not see his former mentor, he could feel Iridian's finger pointing directly at him. "After you let that monster ambush you- I thought I taught you better than that- you blacked out and your Other came out to play. He nearly gave away the whole show to those NERV 'scientists'. The technology they call state-of-the-art may be something that Compact children play with, but it can still detect two distinct brainwave patterns."
Shinji continued shaking his head in a stupor. "My Other…the darkness that lurks inside every Fifth Variant…the price we pay for embracing the darkness…"
There was an audible sigh before the bedridden Ikari was sent flying across the room to leave a large Shinji-shaped dent in the wall. "Do not get philosophical with me, Acolyte. You know that splitting personalities is the only way our minds can cope with such powers. All Elementals have an Other; ours are just more dangerous. That is why we Fifth Variants have such a strict control over our emotions…well, most of us anyway."
The pilot pulled himself off the floor and composed himself. "Wait a minute, Iridian. The fact that my Other came out could not have been the only reason Crono asked you to come here."
A heavy chuckle emanated from near the bed, where Iridian was sitting. 'Then again, all Fifth Variants know how to throw their voice. Standard black ops training. He could be anywhere,' Shinji thought.
"Well, well, looks like the little squirt has a brain, and by Hades, it works too. Let me just go into a bit more detail about how you botched this operation so far, Shinji. First, the simple property damage that you caused requires repairing, and that itself pulls money from elsewhere. Financial services are at a premium and- you do know what that means, right?"
Shinji groaned. "Financial windfalls means infiltration from the Corporates."
"Bravo," the gruff voice continued. "The Compact has very little in the realm of financial weaponry, and it is tough enough to prevent influence from Earth, Inc. forces, much less dislodge them. Tokyo-3 may soon find that its economy in the toilet whenever it suits the Corporates. Of course, that will be at the worst possible moment for us. Wonderful job, Ikari."
"You said first. There is more?"
"Of course there is. Welcome to the real world, Acolyte. Remember I mentioned that NERV nearly captured the brainwave of your Other?"
"Yes."
"Well, you can bet that the Imperium picked up on that too. True, they have no idea what a brainwave is, or a brain for that matter, but they are bright enough to know that two 'spirits' in one body means that there are Elementals lurking about. Congratulations, Acolyte Ikari. You have single-handedly doubled the Imperial presence on this world. That is why I am here."
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"Impressive." Shinji said in a dull monotone.
"Just wait for…now," Misato replied. As she breathed the last word, Tokyo-3 began to reform itself. Buildings rose apparently out of the ground, the concrete and steel spires reaching towards the sky.
Shinji was unimpressed. He turned, looking at Misato. Now she was impressive, not to mention…he shook his head, using all his willpower to deflect those thoughts. They distracted him from his mission. A whisper of a chuckle, too quiet for the Captain to hear, floated into Shinji's ears. 'I bet you find this funny, you sadistic fiend,' the young Acolyte thought. His cloaked mentor was probably laughing as loudly as his stealth would allow. He was only a few meters away from Misato, so laughing louder than what Shinji could detect would invite discovery.
"Shinji? Do you mind not staring at my car so violently?"
"Huh?" Shinji replied intelligently. He was staring at Iridian, not Misato's car…but of course, she didn't know that.
Misato walked up to him and slapped him on the back. "You're probably just tired from your long day…let's go home, okay?"
The young pilot followed, mumbling something dark to his invisible mentor. If the Magistrate had been visible, the broad grin on his features would be easily seen.
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'When was the last time I took a bath by myself?' Shinji wondered. As an Acolyte, Shinji had not ranked high enough to procure his own quarters. As such, he always had used the community showers. While he understood the material waste that segregated shower rooms would have produced in terms of having to build two shower rooms instead of one that did nothing to allieviate his baser instincts whenever he showered with other women.
Pulling the plug of the bathtub, Shinji let the water drain. He reached for his towel, which suddenly was no longer where it should have been. The young pilot pulled aside the curtain and found himself face-to-face with his new roommate. In her hand was a yellow towel. Shinji realized that he had forgotten to pick one up before he began his bath.
Misato noticed Shinji's entire body for the first time. He was slim, but well muscled after years of intense training in the Compact. His body was not built for stamina, but quick strikes and fast kills; the strength of Fifth Variants was in their black ops capabilities. Despite that, Shinji was no pushover. Without a trace of embarrassment, he took the towel that Misato was holding. "Thank you," he said simply. He began drying himself up, making little effort to cover his nudity. Living in cramped quarters with both males and females alike eliminates modesty after a while, and Shinji was no exception.
Having dried himself, Shinji refolded the now damp towel and placed it in the wash basket. He strode out of the bathroom, still completely nude, leaving a baffled Misato standing alone as the door to his room silently shut. He opened up his closet, which now contained all seven of his uniforms. All were black, naturally. Also, all were made out of a material that while soft as silk was strong enough to stop any projectile weapon short of a shotgun shell. He pulled the short-sleeved shirt on first after his undershorts. Next, he pulled up his pants, perfectly tailored to his powerful legs, tucking in his top. He buckled his pants with a square sapphire buckle. The color and shape of the buckle was a reflection of his status within the Elemental Order. To top off his outfit, he pulled on a similar jacket made of the same material. His entire wardrobe was cut along sharp military lines; there was little that could be used as a handgrip in a battle that was not absolutely necessary. As such, the material tended to mold to Shinji's body, which left little for the imagination. He quickly completed the getup with his pair of gloves.
After donning his attire, Shinji pulled out a medium-size box. The box was an electric blue, powerfully contrasting with nearly everything else of Shinji's sparse material possessions, all of which were black. Slowly he pressed various points on the rectangular cube, unlocking it at various pressure sensors. Finally it opened, and Shinji placed the box on the floor, revealing its contents as he pushed the lid back.
Within the box were two platinum bracelets. They were both set with pure rubies, which seemed to reflect the light into the eyes no matter how little light was actually in the room. His lower lip trembled slightly as his fingers ran over the bracelets. He could almost feel the heat of their last wearer radiating through his gloved hands.
There was a knock on his door. Shinji, caught up in the emotional flashback, did not notice. The door opened slowly. Misato stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She placed a hand on his shoulder and was about to apologize for earlier when she saw the bracelets. "Shinji…"
He snapped back to reality. The lid was closed and locked before she could see him move. "A gift from an late friend," he said in shaky monotone, trying to hold back the flood of tears that he knew was near.
"Sachiko?" Misato asked.
Shinji whipped his head around. His lower lip was trembling again. "How did you-"
"I read your file. I'm sorry, Shinji. I know what she meant to you."
Shinji's already shaky resolve collapsed. He fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around Misato's waist, bursting into tears. Not knowing what to do, she put her arms around his and rubbed his shoulders. He cried for what seemed like hours. Finally, the sobbing ceased. However, that was because Shinji had fallen asleep from emotional exhaustion. He fell forward, taking Misato with him. They fell together onto his bed, her body now flattened underneath the mass of iron muscle that now lay upon her. Shinji's head now lay in between her breasts, and his chest rose and fell evenly.
He wasn't going anywhere soon, and neither was Misato. "Umm…Shinji…" she whispered.
No avail. Shinji was sleeping more deeply than if he had been put to sleep by Hypnos himself. Conversely, Misato had never been more awake. She was very aware of how the young man on top of her was positioned, and it made her realize how very long it had been since she had been with a man. She blushed crimson as rather improper thoughts ran through her half-sober mind. Maybe she shouldn't have had so many Yebisus before she went to get Shinji's towel…come to think of it, why did she…
'Oh, screw it. It's been a long day.'
After watching Misato drift off, the invisible Magistrate snuck out of the room and onto the balcony before letting off a massive bellow. He laughed so hard that he was forced to hold his sides. He was not very fond of Shinji's emotional outburst- he would have to pound the young pup for that later- but the events surrounding it were hilarious. He spent the rest of the day watching the setting sun.
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(Two weeks later)
The hangar was completely silent. All the hubbub that had filled the massive storage facility was gone. It couldn't have been quieter if all the air had been sucked out and only a vacuum remained. The Evangelion Unit 01 sat motionless, it's half-submerged body covered in replacement armor and makeshift bandages. There was no one remaining in the empty chamber, save for two souls.
The silence was finally broken by the only person in the room. "How, Yui?"
Evangelion Unit 01 remained silent.
"Never in the Dead Sea Scrolls is power like that I've seen in the past weeks mentioned. Not until the S2 unit is absorbed. Never is it written that Evangelions can make themselves invisible to the naked eye. Those morons at SEELE are up in arms, demanding to know how you have done what you did. The Third Angel I could write off as a berserker; but against the Fourth, Pilot Ikari was in full command of-"
Gendo paused. Taking one last look at the Evangelion, he strode off to his office. As he did, his mind raced. 'It wasn't Yui who was creating that kind of power. Rei didn't have access to that kind of potential when we tried to synch her with Unit 01. It was the pilot! Pilot Ikari is the one who can drive the Evangelion far beyond what the Dead Sea Scrolls predicted!'
Entering a nearby elevator, the Commander of NERV inserted a key and hit a secret passcode. The lift began rising to his floor. 'But how? Every single report that NERV has on Shinji over the past ten years has been checked and verified as him living with his aunt and uncle. Unless…could they have been forged? Impossible. My intelligence network is free of all SEELE influence. If not SEELE, who could it be? Who is shielding me from the origin of Shinji's power?'
The doors opened silently, and the darkened room was awash with dark light. Shadows cast all over the room, despite the fact that there seemed to be nothing to cast shadows. Bizarre patterns formed on the walls, ceiling, and floor. This was Gendo Ikari's lair. The scenery was lost on the NERV Commander as he strode to his desk and called up a file from the entry plug camera, back during the fight against the Third Angel. It showed Shinji Ikari, but there was something…different about him.
Gendo froze the image. In the corner of the screen, a small LCD lit up, displaying the stats of the plug itself. Sealed, contained…everything appeared normal…language set, Greek…pilot stats all regular.
The older man almost lost his colored spectacles. Greek? Shinji was thinking and fighting in Greek? Why? For what purpose?
Something else seemed off. Gendo leaned forward and peered closer at the frozen image of his son. 'It's his eyes. They seem so passionate, so alive…so different than when he isn't fighting. Is he like me, simply putting on a charade to make others underestimate him?'
The older Ikari picked up a phone. He ordered that Pilot Ikari's guard be doubled, and all activities taped. "Soon, you'll let slip who you're collaborating with, Shinji Ikari," Gendo whispered. "And when you do, I will discover how you channel so much power through the Eva. When that happens, nothing will stop Instrumentality!"
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Despite his continual protests at "babysitting that incompetent fool who had the intellectual capacity of Pan," Iridian was having the time of his life. There was nothing more he enjoyed than insulting other people's performance, and berating Shinji gave him a particularly swelled breast. Like now, for instance. Misato had gone out to celebrate the victory over the Fourth Angel. Drinking, naturally. That left Shinji and Iridian alone in the apartment. Because he had not eaten recently, Iridian was forced to drop his invisibility. No sense being invisible when no one else was around. Or on an empty stomach.
"Iridian! I only took four and a half minutes to kill the Angel! I still had plenty of power left!" Shinji protested.
The mentor said little between munching the meal Shinji had made for the two of them. "That is four minutes more than you should have taken, you moron. At least you can cook a decent meal like the woman you are!"
Shinji growled. Iridian continued goading his charge, probing his emotional tolerance. "Actually, that makes sense. Misato goes out every night drinking, and you, like the wench you are, stay at home and clean up after her. Even though Misato wears skirts- not that I am complaining- it is obvious who wears the pants in this relationship."
The younger Variant's already poor control over his emotions snapped. He leapt at Iridian, who was waiting for him. The older man barely moved as he suplexed Shinji to the ground, the wood boards groaning beneath the combined weight of the two of them. Iridian locked Shinji's arm behind him, twisting it further until an audible snap was heard as Shinji's shoulder dislocated. "Let that be a lesson to you." Iridian growled. He calmly took his seat back at the table and resumed eating, leaving the young pilot lying on his stomach. Shinji was crying silent tears; not of pain but of shame. His greatest weakness had been exploited again, and Iridian had taught him a very painful lesson.
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"You slipped and dislocated your shoulder? That seems pretty improbable," Ritsuko said.
Her patient said nothing. He was too busy berating himself for his foolishness. Shinji simply stood and walked out of the hospital, his head bowed low. He silently walked down the streets of Tokyo-3. His left arm was in a cast, the white gauze strikingly contrasting with his standard black uniform. He was alone as he strode down the crowded metropolitan street. Iridian had gone off, well, somewhere.
Shinji turned a corner onto an even more congested avenue, still
pondering. There was so much he didn't
understand: What were these Angels? Who
was controlling them? Were they
connected to the Fundamental Imperium at all?
Angels, the Imperium's obsession with anything relating to their
theology…was there a connection? Had
the plutocratic Incorporated forces infiltrated Tokyo-3, as Iridian
suggested? Surely, if they had,
problems with the economy would sprout up immediately. Misplaced appropriations for repairing the
Eva units would most likely be the first financial sabotage, and the most
obvious clue to finding any Earth, Incorporated influence.
Someone bumped into Shinji, sending pain through his damaged shoulder. It immediately reminded him why Iridian had dislocated his shoulder; the young pilot simply had no control over his emotions whatsoever. Even the sight of Sachiko's old bracelets could set Shinji into a sob. Iridian was right; Shinji was disgraceful. Everything reminded him of Sachiko; even the still air and lack of noise brought back memories of a decade past.
Wait a minute. No one around him was moving. Everyone was frozen, as if the Gods themselves had pressed the 'Pause' button on life.
"The Gods? Not quite, though I am flattered you think so."
Shinji spun around at the voice. Standing behind him was a doppelganger of himself. This one, however, seemed darker, more menacing. Whereas Shinji was wiry with golden eyes, this other Shinji was taller, broader, and his eyes were jet black. The smaller Shinji involuntarily backed up, dropping into a defensive posture, raising his arms to protect his face if need be. The taller one laughed. "Do not act as if I were a real opponent. Or have you not noticed that your arm is no longer bandaged?"
Dropping his guard, the smaller Ikari looked at his arm. Sure enough, it was fully functional. "Who are you? And how did you freeze everyone like that?"
"I am your Other," Shinji's Other replied. "You know, the guy who saved your scrawny ass against the Third Angel?"
The real Shinji stood there, flummoxed. The Other sighed. "Look, I do not want to expose myself for very long. There are Imperials on this world, and their prayers can detect me. Do not make me save your worthless hide again. I will if I have to; that is my job as your darker half. But this mission is going to be tough enough without having to worry about Imperials, not to mention Prussians or Incorporates, breathing down our collective neck. If I have to come out, they will detect our mental overlap instantly. In other words, try to keep from getting your head handed to you by these Angels. That way, I do not have to clean up your mess. Oh, better move to your right." Shinji's Other snapped his fingers.
"Huh?" The golden-eyed Shinji said, before a rushing pedestrian slammed into his bad shoulder yet again.
"Oww!"
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"Shinji, are you all right? Rit-chan called me and told me what happened. Is there anything I can get for you?" Misato asked in a worried voice. Any trace of drunkedness was gone from her voice and her demeanor.
Shinji smiled. Over the past month that he had known his roommate, his affection for her had only grown beyond his initial lust. The way she had magnanimously taken him into her home and made him a part of her life…Shinji was boggled by her gracious offer, and never took it for granted. No one in the Elemental Corps ever showed him such kindness. Except Sachiko, of course. Misato's concern for his well-being sparked something in his breast, something that he hadn't felt in a very long time. The young pilot had no idea what it was, only that Iridian had told him to squash it. Feelings were not for Fifth Variants.
But Shinji didn't. He let the seed of a feeling spurt, and it was growing stronger every day. What did it mean? Deciding to think on it later, Shinji warmly replied, "I'm…I am quite fine, Misato. I appreciate your concern."
His concerned roommate smiled back. Ever since she had met him, Misato knew that under that cool and impassionate exterior, there was a compassionate and kind young man. She had immediately made it her mission to break that shell around his emotions, and to let that adolescent come forth. She didn't want both of the Eva pilots to be emotionless drones. Every chance she got, Misato would spend time with her charge, telling jokes, playing games, or just talking. Shinji would never reveal much about his life, but that was okay with her. He would tell her about himself in time.
"Well, that's good. I hope you're able to cook with one shoulder, because it's your turn to cook tonight!" Misato said, happily. She loved his cooking; his Greek cuisine was an exotic sensation compared to her microwave ramen. Ruffling his hair, she began walking off to her room to catch a quick catnap before dinner. Shinji caught up with her and lightly tapped her shoulder. "Just where do you think you are going?"
Misato turned back. "Well, I was just going to change into something more comfy, then catch a few winks. Why?"
The young man smirked in standard Elemental Blackwood "I know something you are not going to like hearing" style. "In case you did not notice, Misato, I only have one arm that works. I'm going to need an assistant to help me prepare dinner."
His roommate pouted cutely, her shoulders slumping. "But Shinji…"
Shinji wagged his finger. "No buts, young lady. Now, go and get changed and meet me in the kitchen." He lightly brushed his lips on Misato's forehead and strode into the kitchen. It took him a few seconds to realize what he had done, and a few more for the cloaked Iridian to smack him over the head with a pan.
"You moron!" he whispered hastily. "I ordered you to quell those emotions of affection! Now you see what you have done! You now have someone you care about! I told you that I would tolerate nothing of the sort! The Imperials can break you with people you care about!"
"Look," Shinji snarled back. "If I am to figure out more about this Instrumentality Project, I need to maintain trust among the upper levels of NERV. To do that, I have to at least act like a 'normal' teenager. I have researched the matter, Iridian. Teenage guys are flirty. According to the Second Variants I talked to, I'm properly acting flirtatious, so stop irritating me about it!"
"You don't have to yell, Shinji…I'm right here."
At the sound of Misato's voice, Shinji whirled around and found himself face to face with Misato's ample chest. The effects of her previous drinking hadn't fully worn off, so when Shinji kissed her forehead, she decided to be playful too. She had snuck up behind him and positioned herself so that when he turned around, he'd be staring at her most generous assets. The reaction was pretty much what she expected.
Every single rational thought left Shinji's brain. He began babbling incoherently. She giggled madly. 'Still got it,' she thought.
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As he lay in his futon for the night, Shinji was thinking. Iridian had left for the night to…wherever it was that he slept. The young man lay quietly, staring at the ceiling. He hadn't bothered to undress. He was thinking of what he had happened earlier.
How had Misato snuck up on him? Even though he was distracted with Iridian, he should have heard her coming. How much had she heard? Probably not much to be suspicious, if her attitude during dinner was any indication. Still, the question of how she had gotten through his defenses stayed with him, like an annoying gnat. He was a third-level Acolyte, by Hades! A mouse should not have been able to breathe without him knowing! It simply did not make any sense. Misato had the subtlety of a Terran! First Variants were completely the opposite of his Fifth; subtlety and discreetness were not exactly their strong suits. The same applied for Misato.
Shinji's hand curled into a fist, and he angrily hit the floor beside him. The abused floorboards groaned in protest. Biting his lip, the young Variant closed his eyes and focused on his breathing as he slipped into meditation. Every night for the past month, Shinji had been desperately trying to control and temper his emotions, to no avail. He let his mind wander as his body slipped into a half-sleep, still conscious but with a slower respiration. He thought back to what he had told Iridian about his behavior towards Misato.
'I am only acting like this so that she will trust me, right? My mission here is about this Instrumentality project of Gendo Ikari's…I don't really feel affection for her, do I?'
The young man drifted further into slumber.
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"Shinji! Wake up!" Misato shook the young man again. Ever so slowly, his eyes opened. Recognizing the haste in her voice, he snapped awake. He quickly took notice of how hastily dressed she was, and within moments, any trace of sleepiness was gone.
"Angel attack?"
She nodded. The two of them immediately raced down to her car, which had long been repaired. New tread marks embedded themselves into the road as the Captain drove recklessly, cutting corners at angles that shouldn't have been possible and accelerating at breakneck pace. All in all, it was a standard Katsuragi driving experience.
Everyone in the NERV control center was waiting for them. Shinji broke off and headed for the locker room to change into his plug suit.
"It's just sitting there?" Misato asked.
"Pretty much," Ritsuko replied. Then, she noticed her friend's disheveled appearance. "Shinji keep you up late last night?"
"What?!!!!!"
"Eva Unit 01 is ready for launch."
Father ordered son to launch. The Eva unit rocketed up the catapult, the narrow passageway speeding by him as he tightened his grip on the controls and began chanting in Greek to summon his invisibility. Suddenly, the Eva unit halted its ascent, and Shinji found himself face to face with a dual-pyramid like object.
The Fifth Angel had arrived. And it took the initative. Before Shinji could blink, a lance of yellow light pierced the Evangelion's chest. Even the Fifth Variant's lighting-fast reflexes couldn't save him. The light spear and its subsequent effect caused the young pilot to bite his lip in pain so hard that blood mixed with LCL. The latter substance was bubbling madly as the Evangelion was brought back down the catapult. Its pilot shut his eyes tightly, fighting off the pain of being hit in the chest with such a powerful weapon.