Evangelion - Exodus
Episode Six: Night on the Town
By Jonathan Jordan
DISCLAIMER: Neon Genesis Evangelion, most Eva Units, and many characters that may or may not appear in this series are copyright Gainax. Lance Murphy, some of the Eva Units, and a bunch of potential characters are my friend's or mine. Just in case you care. Special thanks to my good friend Gem Star (read her stuff) for allowing my to use her character, Yumiko. Some of Yumi's portion of this chapter was based off of conversations with her creator.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LANCE AND YUMIKO'S APARTMENT; TOKYO-3
TWO WEEKS LATER
The small apartment is a mess. There are clothes lying all over the place, books stacked in piles everywhere, and a sink full of dirty dishes. Yumiko is standing in the entryway to the place, a look of disgust on her face. She removes her shoes and fully enters the room, scowling as she carefully makes her way through the mess and to the room that used to serve as a storage room for her. She pounds on the door.
"Lance Murphy, you get out here right now!"
There is a muffled sound of someone speaking, followed by a loud thud. A few moments later, Lance opens his door. He rubs his head as he looks down at the angry girl before him. "What's wrong, runt? You startled me. Made me fall out of bed."
"Good. Maybe it will knock some sense into you. What is with this mess?" She gestures around the apartment, taking in all of the clutter.
"You call that a mess? That's nothin'. You shoulda seen my room back at NERV-02. Now, that was a mess..."
"I don't really care. You aren't living there now. You are living in MY apartment, so you need to keep your mess confined to the room I am letting you use."
"Hey now, watch it runt. I didn't wanna live here any more than you wanted me to. But, I am living here now and we both're gonna have to get used to it. I'll try to be better about keepin' the place clean. But, you gotta start treatin' me better in return."
"You clean up this mess, and I'll think about it."
*****
NERV-02; TOKYO-3
LATER THAT WEEK
Lance is walking down the hall of NERV, on his way to the locker room. He has another teamwork training session in an hour, and he wants to get some time in Unit-04 in before it begins. He is carrying a duffel bag on his shoulder, filled with his plug suit and a change of clothes. He is muttering to himself.
"Damned runt. She's impossible to live with. It's like having an annoying little sister and bossy neighbor all in one little package. I don't know why they want me to live with her anyhow. What could she teach me?"
He is so preoccupied with his thoughts and complaints; he doesn't notice the young woman wave at him.
"Hi Lance."
He stops, looking to see who was talking to him. "Oh, hello...um....Makoto, right?"
She nods, blushing slightly. "Yeah. So...um...what are you doing?"
"I'm gonna go mess around in Unit-04 for a while. Get her all warmed up for the trainin' today."
"Oh...that's a good idea, I guess."
"Yeah. Look, I don't wanna be rude, but I gotta run if I'm gonna have any time before the training. I'll talk to you later, 'k?"
"Huh? Oh...yeah...sure. Later..."
Lance hurries off down the hall, turning a corner and disappearing. Makoto Akiyama watches him go, her mouth open as if she has something more to say. She sighs.
~Good going Makoto. Way to impress. Maybe next time, you will actually talk to him.~
*****
The battlefield is littered with the corpses of the dead. Wherever one looks, all that can be seen is the rubble and debris left in the aftermath of a battle. Smoke fills the air and the smell of gunpowder is evident on the breeze. Off in the distance, the sounds of the city are masked by nearby gunfire.
Something darts from behind a building. Something nearly as tall as the structure it was hiding behind. Something tan, with feline qualities. Slipping through the shadows, moving from building to building, the form that is Unit-15 stalks its prey.
"Lance, Nicholas, cover me. I'm moving in"
"Roger"
"You got it runt."
Yumiko rolls her eyes. ~Idiot. I'll show him what a "runt" can do.~
She rushes forward, flanked by the Evangelions of yellow and silver. Her spear is in her hand, still retracted to prevent it from getting in the way until needed. The other Units have their guns in hand, and are scanning the area for any signs of movement.
"There's only one left. We can take it down if we stick together" radios Nicholas.
As soon as he speaks, there is a rumbling followed by an explosion. One of the buildings behind the trio bursts out in a shower of brick fragments as a black shape, vaguely humanoid, erupts from the wreckage.
The three Eva Units immediately spring into action. Unit-04 and Unit-14 split up, each circling around opposite sides of their foe, rifles firing. This serves to distract the creature from the fact that Unit-15 has extended its spear and has crouched low. The twin Units stop their run, still firing on the enemy from opposite ends. The creature lets forth a scream of sorts, sounding much like nails on a chalkboard, and shoots out dual tentacles to wrap around the weapons of the Evas.
Unit-15 takes this as the sign to attack. Yumiko commands the machine to leap into the air, twirling her spear. As she descends, she aims the prog spear point down, landing atop the creature and driving the weapon straight through. The beast twitches a couple of times, before falling prone. The tentacles constricting the other two Units fall limp.
There is a moment of tense silence as all three pilots wait for the behemoth to reawaken. This is broken by the radio.
"YEEHAW! We did it. We took all five of the critters down!"
Commander Fuyutski's voice comes over the radio. "That you did. You are all showing much improvement over your performance a couple weeks ago. You are almost fighting like a real time now. I am proud of you all."
The three pilots smile inside their entry plugs and begin to head back in to go finish up the training session with a clean up and debriefing. Before they can reach their destination, however, an air raid-style siren begins to go off. Commander Fuyutski comes back on the communicator.
"It looks like you will have a chance to use this teamwork you have all just finished testing. We have readings of another Angel attack. Reload and make your way to Area 2305. You will engage Angel there."
*****
The three Evangelions hold hitter positions, hiding behind the buildings of eh city in anticipation of the Angel's arrival. Each of the plots sits at the controls of their Unit, the tension apparent on their faces. In the distance, a large greenish blob slowly makes its way forward. In the center of the jelly like mass, a sphere can be seen floating.
Yumiko appears on the communications channel. "On my signal, we move out like we did earlier. You two circle around as I take the thing from the front."
"Got it. You just make sure you let us know if there is a change in plan." replies Nicholas.
Lance radios his agreement and the trio break away from their position to engage the Angel.
*****
After the fight, the pilots find themselves watching the footage of their performance. They all sit silently, eyes on the screen, as the video plays.
They see the initial charge, orchestrated as planned with Unit-14 and Unit-04 circling to either side of the green glob of slime. Unit-15 rushes down the middle, spear extended and ready for an attack.
Following this, the images become hard to follow. There is a lot of gunfire. The Angel sprouts a tentacle, which wraps around Unit-15. The skirmisher unit is drawn into the body of the angel, slowly being crushed by the pressure. The other two Units unload their ammunition clips into the thing. Then, the unexpected happens. While Unit-14 drops back to reload, Unit-04 rushes in with its progressive knife drawn. There is another flurry of motion, causing the image to blur from the speed. Then, everything goes still.
The tape pauses here, and Commander Fuyutski walks to the front of the room. He is followed by Sub-commander Oliver. The lights turn on in the darkened room.
"I wanted to tell you three that I am proud. This was a great improvement from the last time. Your teamwork managed to defeat the Angel." commends Fuyutski.
"You call that teamwork? We got our asses handed to us. If it wasn't for lance..."
"Aw hell, Nick, I didn't do nothin' special. I wasn't tryin' to show off. I just didn't wanna let Yumi get herself killed without tryin' to do something."
"Lance....you did do something special. You...saved me. I...owe you."
Lance and Nicholas both look at Yumiko in amazement.
"Yumi, did you just thank him?" asks Nicholas.
"Yeah, I did. Don't get too used to it. I don't think he's going to be earning it often."
*****
Somewhere in Tokyo-3, a lone penguin scavenges through the wreckage of the place it once called home. The rotted fish it has been eating no longer remain. Even the fish it deemed inedible have long since been eaten anyhow. The creature is weak from hunger. It wanders aimlessly in a daze.
There is movement off to the right. Some falling rock as something shifts. The penguin stops where it is, cautiously looking around. There is nothing but still silence. carefully, the black and white bird begins to waddle forward again, still in search of a meal. It pecks around at various small piles here and there, hoping to find some small morsel. An insect, a worm, a moldy crumb of bread. Anything, so long as it is able to be eaten.
There is another noise, and more rocks shift to the right of Pen-pen's location. Again, the penguin look toward the sounds and waits. This time there is something to be seen. A small glimmer in the rubble. A familiar glimmer.
Canned sardines.
He perks up, his stomach emitting a loud grumbling. Slowly, he creeps toward the potential source of food. With great caution, he steps closer and closer to the partially buried can. He keeps a look out in every direction, in case there is someone else out here to steal his find before he can get it. Seeing that he is in all ways alone, the penguin jumps onto the can and begins to tear away at it.
He doesn't notice the rocks continue to shift and move above. As he voraciously attacks the can, ripping holes in the thin metal top and slurping down the fishy oil within, he doesn't see the pile of rubble shift.
He never notices as a slab of concrete comes tumbling down on top of him, leaving nothing more than a slick red stain on the dirt.
NERV-02; NEVADA DESERT
Inside NERV-02 there is a sub-level apart from all other sub-levels. To arrive at this level, one has to take a lift down to an unused section of the facility, walk half way across the level, and enter a room that has been closed off. In this room is a doorway, hidden by a set of cabinets. Behind this door is another lift, leading to a transport tube. Taking the transport will take you to the location of the secret lab.
It is impossible to find this lab unless you know the exact location and method of travel. Even with all of his investigation and espionage, Adam Turner has not been able to locate it.
Until today. Today, he is being led there by Commander Young. Today he begins work on the secret project known only by the designation 11-6357. Today, his secondary job of selling secrets becomes much more lucrative.
*****
Dr. Stockton is in his lab, looking over the findings from the Greer Murder Investigation. He reads over the reports, taking notes on any of the information he finds useful or out of the ordinary. It is nearly an hour later that he is finally satisfied with what he has.
He scans over his notes one last time, and begins to enter the data into his computer.
~Approximate shoe size. Height as determined by the force and angle of the impact. Assumed gender. Cross reference against the list of NERV-02 personnel. Eliminate those I can account for. Tabulate results, and...~
He falls back into his chair with a gasp. "Only three results?"
On the screen, three names flash: Colin Stathis, Hans Jameson, and Adam Turner.
LANCE AND YUMIKO'S APARTMENT; TOKYO-3
A COUPLE DAYS AFTER THE BATTLE
Lance wanders out of the small room he calls his own, in search of something to eat. As he walks past the living room, he sees Yumiko flop onto the couch with a loud sigh. He detours from his route to the kitchen to stand behind the couch and look down at her. She is lying with her face buried in a pillow.
"What's up, runt?"
Her response is muffled by the pillow over her face. He sits there, knowing she will have to look up to breathe sometime. Finally, she does just that.
He smirks. "Long day I take it?"
"Yeah"
"Poor thing. Overworking ya at NERV again, aren't they? Those extra training sessions are a killer."
She shrugs in response. "Well, that and homework."
"Homework huh? What ya got? One of the benefits of having me here is that I already graduated."
"I am already done...."
"Well then, what's the problem?" he says as he gives her a noogie. She scowls up at him.
"Just tired s'all."
He flashes a huge smile. "Aw, you know what you need? You need a night out on the town. I'm gonna treat you to the wildest night of your life."
Yumiko merely blinks at this. Lance grins even wider and grabs her arm. Dragging her up to her feet and to her bedroom, he leaves her at the door. We're gonna go out and party like there's no tomorrow." He begins to dig through her closet, tossing clothes about the room as he searches for something he finds suitable. She stands in the doorway, watching him with a bewildered look on her face. "Now, to find somethin' for you to wear...."
"Out? But where?"
He pulls out one of her nicer looking dresses and turns to face her with a wink. "I've got some buddies that can get us into some of the local clubs. They'll slip us in through the back door."
"I've never been to a club before."
"I know. You're too young to get into the good ones. That's why my friends are gonna be called upon to get us inside. They never ask your age once you're in. It'll be a lot of fun."
"Alright." she says reluctantly.
"Yeehaw, that's more like it. You put this on while I go get changed," he says with a grin, leaving to give her some privacy. He goes into his room and finds the nicest shirt and pair of jeans he owns, pulling out his good hat before moving off to the bathroom to do some last minute grooming. When Yumiko finally leaves her room, he looks her over.
"Dang, runt, you sure do look mighty nice. Who'da thought you could clean up so good."
She smirks and shrugs "Apparently not you."
He laughs and links arms with her. "Well then, shall we be off? I think it's time I went out and made all of the local fellas jealous. And time for you to learn how to party, American style."
"Fine then cowboy. Lead the way."
*****
After Lance and Yumiko have been walking for about 15 minutes or so, the sound of techno music can be heard. Up ahead they see a building with bright lights and a line of people waiting to get in. Yumiko blinks in surprise, sticking close to Lance. He chuckles as he leads her around the back, into an alley.
"Are you sure I can do this?" she asks him.
"Well, it ain't exactly legal...but we can get away with it. Now, you stay right here while I go inside to talk to my friend. I'll be right back."
She nods and settles herself down on a pile of boxes outside the door, waiting quietly.
Time passes. First 5 minutes, then 10, then 15. Just as Yumiko is starting to wonder if Lance will ever come to get her, the back door opens
"Hey, sorry 'bout that. Come on in runt."
She blinks and enters, feeling a little timid at the new experience. Lance drags her through the crowded club, past the dance floor and straight to the bar.
"One of the great things about this country, lower drinking age."
Yumiko blinks in surprise, having never expected that from him. She seems very nervous in the crowd. Lance places one hand on her back, smiling.
"Your to stiff. You need to loosen up. What you need is a bit of alcohol in you. That'll get you more relaxed."
"Me? But...but...I've never."
"I know, which is why we're gonna do it. You don't need to worry, Lance'll keep you from doin' anything too stupid."
She looks from him to the bar nervously. "I guess."
He places his arm around her shoulder. "Trust me. You think I'd do something that would be bad for you?"
"I guess not...but I've never done anything like this before..."
"That's why I wanted to do this with you like this. It means I can supervise and make sure you are safe. I'll teach you how to drink the right way. Trust me, you'll like it."
"Alright." She takes a deep breath. "Never say I will not try something new."
"That's my girl," he says as he drags her over to the bartender. Looking at the young man behind the bar, lance orders. "Two shots of the strongest thing you got."
While he is ordering, Yumiko takes the opportunity to look around. The crowd is made up of mostly the younger people from the area, or those who are old enough to get in. Interspersed throughout the crowd are a couple of tourists and other assorted foreigners. She shrugs softly, turning back to Lance. He is grinning and holding two shot glasses of something vaguely greenish in color
"Here ya go. Drink up. Best to just sort of let your throat open and down it all in one go. Otherwise, this stuff'll burn a hole in your head."
He laughs and drinks his shot, letting out a small yell as it goes down. "Ah, smooth." he sputters.
She takes her glass from him and, looking extremely nervous, does as he told her to. As soon as it hits her mouth, she starts to cough. Lance slaps her on the back.
"That's the way to do it. Bartender, give us another round!"
She puts up her hand. "Please, let me get used to this one first."
"Aw, but we can't do that. You take the time to taste it and you're likely to get yerself sick. 'Nother one of these and we'll get you a regular drink."
She looks reluctant to have another drink of any kind, but Lance will not give up. "C'mon...were here to have some fun. Can't do that if you're too tense to do anything. Just trying to loosen you up a bit."
With a sigh, she gives in and takes the new glass. They down their shots again, with the same results as before. Following this, Lance orders her some fruity drink and himself a beer
"Now...you think your ready to get out on the dance floor, runt?"
"Perhaps if you stop calling me runt."
"I'll stop calling you runt when you're taller than me."
She makes an incredulous noise. "That's unlikely to ever happen."
"Then your gonna be runt for a long time." he says as he grabs her hand and drags her to the dance floor.
They dance for quite a while, losing track of the time in their fun. Occasionally they go back to the bar to get more drinks, only to return to the dance floor. After a while, she excuses herself to the restroom. A little while after Yumiko leaves, another woman walks up to Lance. She is joined by another woman. Both of them smile at him as they each take a seat one either side of him.
He smiles and winks. "Well, hello there ladies."
The first woman, in a tight red dress, reaches over to touch his arm. "Hello. My friend and I couldn't help but...notice you."
Her friend, wearing a backless sequined shirt and a pair of very tight black pants, smiles and runs her fingers down his other arm and across his leg. "Yes. We saw you sitting here, all alone, and thought you could use a bit of company."
He grins. "Well, I don't really need any company. But, I ain't gonna turn away any ladies that wanna spend time with me."
Both women giggle at this. The one in the dress leans in close, whispering into his ear. "How about the three of us go get to know each other. A few dances, maybe a drink or two, and we can see where this leads from there?"
Her friend has continued to run her fingers over his arm. Now, however, they begin to move along his leg, moving on toward other regions. He shifts uncomfortably, his face burning with a blush.
"Now, now ladies. I'm here with someone special. It's her night, and I wouldn't want to ruin it by runnin' off on her. Now, if y'all are gonna be here tomorrow night, I will take you up on those dances."
They pout a bit but move off. By the time they have gone and Lance has managed to gain control of his thoughts again, nearly half an hour has passed. Yumiko still is not back.
~Dammit.~ Lance thinks as he wanders back toward the women's bathroom, in search of any sign of her. There is none. Out of desperation, he decides he has to do the unthinkable.
Covering his eyes and apologizing profusely, Lance rushes into the women's room looking for her. "Yumi? Yumiko? Ya in here runt?"
Again, she isn't anywhere to be found. The only sign of her is her purse near the door, half dumped on the floor. This does nothing to make Lance feel any less worried. He scoops the purse back up, shoving what he can of hers back into it, and begins circling the club with it.
"Have you seen the young lady who was carrying this purse? She's about yea tall" he gestures "and was wearing this nice little dress."
For a long time, no one seems to have seen her. Finally, a young man points out the door. "She went that way a few minutes ago"
Lance thanks the man and immediately runs the direction he was pointed, franticly looking for her. She is still nowhere to be seen, though not far away several just barely of age men are seen walking away carrying something between them. Lance runs after them, hoping they have seen her...with a bad feeling about what it is they may be carrying.
As he approaches they glance back and try to walk a bit faster. He begins to run after them, catching up with little effort due in part to the fact that they are encumbered with what they are carrying. As he draws closer, he can see that they are carrying three young women. One depressingly familiar.
He yells out. "You boys best stop right there, put them ladies down, and walk away right now. I don't wanna have to kick yer asses."
"Mind your own business foreigner!" one says as they stop to turn and face him
"Ah, see now, one of them ladies happens to be a very close friend of mine, so this is my business. I will only tell you one more time, put the ladies down or yer gonna get the ass whuppin' of a lifetime."
The three boys look at each other, then back at Lance. Even though they outnumber him, and are a bit taller than he is, they seem to find this is not a fight they wish to have. They drop the women and run.
Lance watches them until they have reached the end of the block, then runs over to the women. "Oh god.....oh god...Yumi...Yumi, are you OK?"
She is out cold and looking to be unconscious. Her clothes are a bit torn, but otherwise she is unharmed. Lance checks over the other women, insuring they are likewise unharmed, before returning his attention to Yumiko.
"Oh god, why did I let her off alone?"
He looks around, suddenly realizing that this is not the best place to have three unconscious women. He fumbles around, attempting to find a way to carry all three women somewhere safe. He has very little luck, since one of the women is at least as tall as he is. As he continues to struggle to find a way to move them, one wakes and looks at him with a shocked expression on her face. She seems about to scream.
"Shh, shh...it's ok ma'am. I'm not gonna hurt ya. Are you all right?"
She nods, still looking like she will scream if he comes anywhere near her.
"Whoa now, no need to get scared. I'll just move over here," he steps back a couple feet "and you tell me what happened. Is that OK?"
"I don't know. I remember walking back and then now I am waking up with you!"
"Well, ma'am, I'm sure you won't believe me or nothing, but I just saved you from a most unsavory bunch. You and the other two over there were being carried away to lord knows where, for lord knows what."
She looks at him doubtfully, then sees the other two unconscious women next to her. She shakes her head and runs away. Lance just sighs.
"Why do they always have to run off like that?"
He continues to look over the remaining woman and Yumiko, trying to figure out how to get them somewhere safe. He continues to look off the direction the boys went, for fear that hey may return, and the direction the woman ran, for fear she will bring police. He knows that they will not listen to a foreigner, and he will have to get NERV to bail him out. Which would require an explanation.
Eventually, the other woman wakes. She has a similar reaction as the last, though seems to believe him as she chooses to call her boyfriend rather than run. When the young man arrives to get her, he glares at Lance but doesn't ask any questions. Finally, only Yumiko remains passed out. lance cradles her in his arms as he carries her back home. With tears in his eyes, he curses himself.
~Dammit Lance, why'd you have to go and do a stupid thing like taking her to a club. You should'a known this was gonna happen.~
*****
When they reach home, he carries her to her room and places her in bed. He stands by her side for a while, just looking down at her sleeping form. Finally, he softly leaves the room and lays down on the couch to sleep, wanting to be close to her room in case she needs him. She wakes not long after, slowly opening her eyes and groaning slightly. Hearing her stirring, Lance quickly rushes into her room.
"Yumi...are you ok?"
She does not speak, but nods slightly.
Lance collapses to the floor by her side, grabbing her in a big hug. She winces slightly from the jolt of the hug, but does not say anything.
"Oh Yumi, I'm so sorry. I should've watched you better. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry." He begins to cry. "I'm ...so...sorry..."
"It's not your fault."
He lets go of her, sitting back so that he can look into her eyes as he speaks. "What happened? You went of to the bathroom, and you never came back."
"I...don't know. I got out of the bathroom and got dizzy.. the next thing I knew I had blacked out."
He hugs her again. "Oh Yumi. I should have been more careful. I didn't think, and you almost got hurt. If something had happened...I...I don't know what I would have done."
"It turned out okay..."
"I swear, I will never do that again. No more sneakin' into clubs. No more teachin' you to drink. We'll stick to the legal activities from now on."
She smiles weakly, rubbing her throbbing forehead. "I had fun up till that whole...blacking out thing..."
He smiles and kisses her on the forehead. "Just go to sleep. Been a long night, and I think we both could use some rest."
"Okay." she says with a yawn.
As he stands, he ruffles her hair. "See ya in the mornin', runt." He leaves her room, but sits just outside the door until he is sure she is safely asleep before he goes to bed himself. It doesn't take long for this. She is awake just long enough for to change. As soon as her head hits the pillow again, she is out.
Lance's sleep is fitful at best, his dreams filled with horrible images of Yumiko and the three men who had taken her.
*****
The next morning, Lance wakes up with a pounding headache and very little actual rest. Yumiko is up when he gets up, making some coffee. He rubs his head and winces at the light, as he stumbles into the kitchen
"Ugh...way too much to drink last night. You doin' all right, runt?"
"My head is killing me."
"Yeah...that's how you can tell it was a good night."
"If you feel terrible in the morning?"
He nods, then realizes the folly in this as his head begins pounding again. "Ugh...oh yeah. Hangover. The price one pays for a good time with alcohol."
"It sucks... coffee?"
"Oh yeah."
She pours him a mug handing it to him. He takes it from her with a smile. He thanks her as he takes a sip. "Ah...that's the best cup of joe I've had since I got here."
"I was taught by a master." she says with a chuckle.
Lance begins to laugh out loud, but cuts it short when his head begins to pound yet again. Yumiko sips her own coffee, leaning against the counter. Lance remains silent for a while before looking into her eyes
"So, aside from the obvious problems with last night, ya have fun?"
She blushes. "Yes actually."
He smirks. "Your blushing, runt."
"Yes. Now I am a red runt. Happy?"
"So long as you had a good time last night, yeah."
"I did. Thank you Lance..."
"Aw heck, weren't nothin'. You been working to hard, needed to let off some steam. It was the least I could do for ya."
"Still... thank you."
This causes him to blush now. "You know I'd do just about anything for you. Your like the sister I never had."
She looks down and nods. "And you the brother I..." She stops the statement and shakes her head.
He sets his coffee down, stands, and walks over to her. "C'mere you little runt of a girl." With a grin, he gives her a hug. She sighs, half exasperated and half comforted, as she hugs back.
"Now, don't you have to get to school soon?"
"unfortunately..."
"You want me to give ya a ride there? I gotta be heading of to NERV for some tests anyhow, and your school's on the way."
"Sure."
He quickly finishes his breakfast coffee, grabs a piece of toast for the road, and they head out for the day.
TO BE CONTINUED...
A/N: I know that I have the drinking age for Japan wrong. My explanation...it's an Alternate Universe. Subtle changes like that happen all the time. So nyah! Also, I know that the death of Pen-pen is sudden and arbitrary. That will happen occasionally throughout the rest of this story. I am taking great pains to make sure I account for all of the major characters from the original. It means that some of them may have something like this occur. Plus, little bastard needed to die. Hehehe.
Episode Six: Night on the Town
By Jonathan Jordan
DISCLAIMER: Neon Genesis Evangelion, most Eva Units, and many characters that may or may not appear in this series are copyright Gainax. Lance Murphy, some of the Eva Units, and a bunch of potential characters are my friend's or mine. Just in case you care. Special thanks to my good friend Gem Star (read her stuff) for allowing my to use her character, Yumiko. Some of Yumi's portion of this chapter was based off of conversations with her creator.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LANCE AND YUMIKO'S APARTMENT; TOKYO-3
TWO WEEKS LATER
The small apartment is a mess. There are clothes lying all over the place, books stacked in piles everywhere, and a sink full of dirty dishes. Yumiko is standing in the entryway to the place, a look of disgust on her face. She removes her shoes and fully enters the room, scowling as she carefully makes her way through the mess and to the room that used to serve as a storage room for her. She pounds on the door.
"Lance Murphy, you get out here right now!"
There is a muffled sound of someone speaking, followed by a loud thud. A few moments later, Lance opens his door. He rubs his head as he looks down at the angry girl before him. "What's wrong, runt? You startled me. Made me fall out of bed."
"Good. Maybe it will knock some sense into you. What is with this mess?" She gestures around the apartment, taking in all of the clutter.
"You call that a mess? That's nothin'. You shoulda seen my room back at NERV-02. Now, that was a mess..."
"I don't really care. You aren't living there now. You are living in MY apartment, so you need to keep your mess confined to the room I am letting you use."
"Hey now, watch it runt. I didn't wanna live here any more than you wanted me to. But, I am living here now and we both're gonna have to get used to it. I'll try to be better about keepin' the place clean. But, you gotta start treatin' me better in return."
"You clean up this mess, and I'll think about it."
*****
NERV-02; TOKYO-3
LATER THAT WEEK
Lance is walking down the hall of NERV, on his way to the locker room. He has another teamwork training session in an hour, and he wants to get some time in Unit-04 in before it begins. He is carrying a duffel bag on his shoulder, filled with his plug suit and a change of clothes. He is muttering to himself.
"Damned runt. She's impossible to live with. It's like having an annoying little sister and bossy neighbor all in one little package. I don't know why they want me to live with her anyhow. What could she teach me?"
He is so preoccupied with his thoughts and complaints; he doesn't notice the young woman wave at him.
"Hi Lance."
He stops, looking to see who was talking to him. "Oh, hello...um....Makoto, right?"
She nods, blushing slightly. "Yeah. So...um...what are you doing?"
"I'm gonna go mess around in Unit-04 for a while. Get her all warmed up for the trainin' today."
"Oh...that's a good idea, I guess."
"Yeah. Look, I don't wanna be rude, but I gotta run if I'm gonna have any time before the training. I'll talk to you later, 'k?"
"Huh? Oh...yeah...sure. Later..."
Lance hurries off down the hall, turning a corner and disappearing. Makoto Akiyama watches him go, her mouth open as if she has something more to say. She sighs.
~Good going Makoto. Way to impress. Maybe next time, you will actually talk to him.~
*****
The battlefield is littered with the corpses of the dead. Wherever one looks, all that can be seen is the rubble and debris left in the aftermath of a battle. Smoke fills the air and the smell of gunpowder is evident on the breeze. Off in the distance, the sounds of the city are masked by nearby gunfire.
Something darts from behind a building. Something nearly as tall as the structure it was hiding behind. Something tan, with feline qualities. Slipping through the shadows, moving from building to building, the form that is Unit-15 stalks its prey.
"Lance, Nicholas, cover me. I'm moving in"
"Roger"
"You got it runt."
Yumiko rolls her eyes. ~Idiot. I'll show him what a "runt" can do.~
She rushes forward, flanked by the Evangelions of yellow and silver. Her spear is in her hand, still retracted to prevent it from getting in the way until needed. The other Units have their guns in hand, and are scanning the area for any signs of movement.
"There's only one left. We can take it down if we stick together" radios Nicholas.
As soon as he speaks, there is a rumbling followed by an explosion. One of the buildings behind the trio bursts out in a shower of brick fragments as a black shape, vaguely humanoid, erupts from the wreckage.
The three Eva Units immediately spring into action. Unit-04 and Unit-14 split up, each circling around opposite sides of their foe, rifles firing. This serves to distract the creature from the fact that Unit-15 has extended its spear and has crouched low. The twin Units stop their run, still firing on the enemy from opposite ends. The creature lets forth a scream of sorts, sounding much like nails on a chalkboard, and shoots out dual tentacles to wrap around the weapons of the Evas.
Unit-15 takes this as the sign to attack. Yumiko commands the machine to leap into the air, twirling her spear. As she descends, she aims the prog spear point down, landing atop the creature and driving the weapon straight through. The beast twitches a couple of times, before falling prone. The tentacles constricting the other two Units fall limp.
There is a moment of tense silence as all three pilots wait for the behemoth to reawaken. This is broken by the radio.
"YEEHAW! We did it. We took all five of the critters down!"
Commander Fuyutski's voice comes over the radio. "That you did. You are all showing much improvement over your performance a couple weeks ago. You are almost fighting like a real time now. I am proud of you all."
The three pilots smile inside their entry plugs and begin to head back in to go finish up the training session with a clean up and debriefing. Before they can reach their destination, however, an air raid-style siren begins to go off. Commander Fuyutski comes back on the communicator.
"It looks like you will have a chance to use this teamwork you have all just finished testing. We have readings of another Angel attack. Reload and make your way to Area 2305. You will engage Angel there."
*****
The three Evangelions hold hitter positions, hiding behind the buildings of eh city in anticipation of the Angel's arrival. Each of the plots sits at the controls of their Unit, the tension apparent on their faces. In the distance, a large greenish blob slowly makes its way forward. In the center of the jelly like mass, a sphere can be seen floating.
Yumiko appears on the communications channel. "On my signal, we move out like we did earlier. You two circle around as I take the thing from the front."
"Got it. You just make sure you let us know if there is a change in plan." replies Nicholas.
Lance radios his agreement and the trio break away from their position to engage the Angel.
*****
After the fight, the pilots find themselves watching the footage of their performance. They all sit silently, eyes on the screen, as the video plays.
They see the initial charge, orchestrated as planned with Unit-14 and Unit-04 circling to either side of the green glob of slime. Unit-15 rushes down the middle, spear extended and ready for an attack.
Following this, the images become hard to follow. There is a lot of gunfire. The Angel sprouts a tentacle, which wraps around Unit-15. The skirmisher unit is drawn into the body of the angel, slowly being crushed by the pressure. The other two Units unload their ammunition clips into the thing. Then, the unexpected happens. While Unit-14 drops back to reload, Unit-04 rushes in with its progressive knife drawn. There is another flurry of motion, causing the image to blur from the speed. Then, everything goes still.
The tape pauses here, and Commander Fuyutski walks to the front of the room. He is followed by Sub-commander Oliver. The lights turn on in the darkened room.
"I wanted to tell you three that I am proud. This was a great improvement from the last time. Your teamwork managed to defeat the Angel." commends Fuyutski.
"You call that teamwork? We got our asses handed to us. If it wasn't for lance..."
"Aw hell, Nick, I didn't do nothin' special. I wasn't tryin' to show off. I just didn't wanna let Yumi get herself killed without tryin' to do something."
"Lance....you did do something special. You...saved me. I...owe you."
Lance and Nicholas both look at Yumiko in amazement.
"Yumi, did you just thank him?" asks Nicholas.
"Yeah, I did. Don't get too used to it. I don't think he's going to be earning it often."
*****
Somewhere in Tokyo-3, a lone penguin scavenges through the wreckage of the place it once called home. The rotted fish it has been eating no longer remain. Even the fish it deemed inedible have long since been eaten anyhow. The creature is weak from hunger. It wanders aimlessly in a daze.
There is movement off to the right. Some falling rock as something shifts. The penguin stops where it is, cautiously looking around. There is nothing but still silence. carefully, the black and white bird begins to waddle forward again, still in search of a meal. It pecks around at various small piles here and there, hoping to find some small morsel. An insect, a worm, a moldy crumb of bread. Anything, so long as it is able to be eaten.
There is another noise, and more rocks shift to the right of Pen-pen's location. Again, the penguin look toward the sounds and waits. This time there is something to be seen. A small glimmer in the rubble. A familiar glimmer.
Canned sardines.
He perks up, his stomach emitting a loud grumbling. Slowly, he creeps toward the potential source of food. With great caution, he steps closer and closer to the partially buried can. He keeps a look out in every direction, in case there is someone else out here to steal his find before he can get it. Seeing that he is in all ways alone, the penguin jumps onto the can and begins to tear away at it.
He doesn't notice the rocks continue to shift and move above. As he voraciously attacks the can, ripping holes in the thin metal top and slurping down the fishy oil within, he doesn't see the pile of rubble shift.
He never notices as a slab of concrete comes tumbling down on top of him, leaving nothing more than a slick red stain on the dirt.
NERV-02; NEVADA DESERT
Inside NERV-02 there is a sub-level apart from all other sub-levels. To arrive at this level, one has to take a lift down to an unused section of the facility, walk half way across the level, and enter a room that has been closed off. In this room is a doorway, hidden by a set of cabinets. Behind this door is another lift, leading to a transport tube. Taking the transport will take you to the location of the secret lab.
It is impossible to find this lab unless you know the exact location and method of travel. Even with all of his investigation and espionage, Adam Turner has not been able to locate it.
Until today. Today, he is being led there by Commander Young. Today he begins work on the secret project known only by the designation 11-6357. Today, his secondary job of selling secrets becomes much more lucrative.
*****
Dr. Stockton is in his lab, looking over the findings from the Greer Murder Investigation. He reads over the reports, taking notes on any of the information he finds useful or out of the ordinary. It is nearly an hour later that he is finally satisfied with what he has.
He scans over his notes one last time, and begins to enter the data into his computer.
~Approximate shoe size. Height as determined by the force and angle of the impact. Assumed gender. Cross reference against the list of NERV-02 personnel. Eliminate those I can account for. Tabulate results, and...~
He falls back into his chair with a gasp. "Only three results?"
On the screen, three names flash: Colin Stathis, Hans Jameson, and Adam Turner.
LANCE AND YUMIKO'S APARTMENT; TOKYO-3
A COUPLE DAYS AFTER THE BATTLE
Lance wanders out of the small room he calls his own, in search of something to eat. As he walks past the living room, he sees Yumiko flop onto the couch with a loud sigh. He detours from his route to the kitchen to stand behind the couch and look down at her. She is lying with her face buried in a pillow.
"What's up, runt?"
Her response is muffled by the pillow over her face. He sits there, knowing she will have to look up to breathe sometime. Finally, she does just that.
He smirks. "Long day I take it?"
"Yeah"
"Poor thing. Overworking ya at NERV again, aren't they? Those extra training sessions are a killer."
She shrugs in response. "Well, that and homework."
"Homework huh? What ya got? One of the benefits of having me here is that I already graduated."
"I am already done...."
"Well then, what's the problem?" he says as he gives her a noogie. She scowls up at him.
"Just tired s'all."
He flashes a huge smile. "Aw, you know what you need? You need a night out on the town. I'm gonna treat you to the wildest night of your life."
Yumiko merely blinks at this. Lance grins even wider and grabs her arm. Dragging her up to her feet and to her bedroom, he leaves her at the door. We're gonna go out and party like there's no tomorrow." He begins to dig through her closet, tossing clothes about the room as he searches for something he finds suitable. She stands in the doorway, watching him with a bewildered look on her face. "Now, to find somethin' for you to wear...."
"Out? But where?"
He pulls out one of her nicer looking dresses and turns to face her with a wink. "I've got some buddies that can get us into some of the local clubs. They'll slip us in through the back door."
"I've never been to a club before."
"I know. You're too young to get into the good ones. That's why my friends are gonna be called upon to get us inside. They never ask your age once you're in. It'll be a lot of fun."
"Alright." she says reluctantly.
"Yeehaw, that's more like it. You put this on while I go get changed," he says with a grin, leaving to give her some privacy. He goes into his room and finds the nicest shirt and pair of jeans he owns, pulling out his good hat before moving off to the bathroom to do some last minute grooming. When Yumiko finally leaves her room, he looks her over.
"Dang, runt, you sure do look mighty nice. Who'da thought you could clean up so good."
She smirks and shrugs "Apparently not you."
He laughs and links arms with her. "Well then, shall we be off? I think it's time I went out and made all of the local fellas jealous. And time for you to learn how to party, American style."
"Fine then cowboy. Lead the way."
*****
After Lance and Yumiko have been walking for about 15 minutes or so, the sound of techno music can be heard. Up ahead they see a building with bright lights and a line of people waiting to get in. Yumiko blinks in surprise, sticking close to Lance. He chuckles as he leads her around the back, into an alley.
"Are you sure I can do this?" she asks him.
"Well, it ain't exactly legal...but we can get away with it. Now, you stay right here while I go inside to talk to my friend. I'll be right back."
She nods and settles herself down on a pile of boxes outside the door, waiting quietly.
Time passes. First 5 minutes, then 10, then 15. Just as Yumiko is starting to wonder if Lance will ever come to get her, the back door opens
"Hey, sorry 'bout that. Come on in runt."
She blinks and enters, feeling a little timid at the new experience. Lance drags her through the crowded club, past the dance floor and straight to the bar.
"One of the great things about this country, lower drinking age."
Yumiko blinks in surprise, having never expected that from him. She seems very nervous in the crowd. Lance places one hand on her back, smiling.
"Your to stiff. You need to loosen up. What you need is a bit of alcohol in you. That'll get you more relaxed."
"Me? But...but...I've never."
"I know, which is why we're gonna do it. You don't need to worry, Lance'll keep you from doin' anything too stupid."
She looks from him to the bar nervously. "I guess."
He places his arm around her shoulder. "Trust me. You think I'd do something that would be bad for you?"
"I guess not...but I've never done anything like this before..."
"That's why I wanted to do this with you like this. It means I can supervise and make sure you are safe. I'll teach you how to drink the right way. Trust me, you'll like it."
"Alright." She takes a deep breath. "Never say I will not try something new."
"That's my girl," he says as he drags her over to the bartender. Looking at the young man behind the bar, lance orders. "Two shots of the strongest thing you got."
While he is ordering, Yumiko takes the opportunity to look around. The crowd is made up of mostly the younger people from the area, or those who are old enough to get in. Interspersed throughout the crowd are a couple of tourists and other assorted foreigners. She shrugs softly, turning back to Lance. He is grinning and holding two shot glasses of something vaguely greenish in color
"Here ya go. Drink up. Best to just sort of let your throat open and down it all in one go. Otherwise, this stuff'll burn a hole in your head."
He laughs and drinks his shot, letting out a small yell as it goes down. "Ah, smooth." he sputters.
She takes her glass from him and, looking extremely nervous, does as he told her to. As soon as it hits her mouth, she starts to cough. Lance slaps her on the back.
"That's the way to do it. Bartender, give us another round!"
She puts up her hand. "Please, let me get used to this one first."
"Aw, but we can't do that. You take the time to taste it and you're likely to get yerself sick. 'Nother one of these and we'll get you a regular drink."
She looks reluctant to have another drink of any kind, but Lance will not give up. "C'mon...were here to have some fun. Can't do that if you're too tense to do anything. Just trying to loosen you up a bit."
With a sigh, she gives in and takes the new glass. They down their shots again, with the same results as before. Following this, Lance orders her some fruity drink and himself a beer
"Now...you think your ready to get out on the dance floor, runt?"
"Perhaps if you stop calling me runt."
"I'll stop calling you runt when you're taller than me."
She makes an incredulous noise. "That's unlikely to ever happen."
"Then your gonna be runt for a long time." he says as he grabs her hand and drags her to the dance floor.
They dance for quite a while, losing track of the time in their fun. Occasionally they go back to the bar to get more drinks, only to return to the dance floor. After a while, she excuses herself to the restroom. A little while after Yumiko leaves, another woman walks up to Lance. She is joined by another woman. Both of them smile at him as they each take a seat one either side of him.
He smiles and winks. "Well, hello there ladies."
The first woman, in a tight red dress, reaches over to touch his arm. "Hello. My friend and I couldn't help but...notice you."
Her friend, wearing a backless sequined shirt and a pair of very tight black pants, smiles and runs her fingers down his other arm and across his leg. "Yes. We saw you sitting here, all alone, and thought you could use a bit of company."
He grins. "Well, I don't really need any company. But, I ain't gonna turn away any ladies that wanna spend time with me."
Both women giggle at this. The one in the dress leans in close, whispering into his ear. "How about the three of us go get to know each other. A few dances, maybe a drink or two, and we can see where this leads from there?"
Her friend has continued to run her fingers over his arm. Now, however, they begin to move along his leg, moving on toward other regions. He shifts uncomfortably, his face burning with a blush.
"Now, now ladies. I'm here with someone special. It's her night, and I wouldn't want to ruin it by runnin' off on her. Now, if y'all are gonna be here tomorrow night, I will take you up on those dances."
They pout a bit but move off. By the time they have gone and Lance has managed to gain control of his thoughts again, nearly half an hour has passed. Yumiko still is not back.
~Dammit.~ Lance thinks as he wanders back toward the women's bathroom, in search of any sign of her. There is none. Out of desperation, he decides he has to do the unthinkable.
Covering his eyes and apologizing profusely, Lance rushes into the women's room looking for her. "Yumi? Yumiko? Ya in here runt?"
Again, she isn't anywhere to be found. The only sign of her is her purse near the door, half dumped on the floor. This does nothing to make Lance feel any less worried. He scoops the purse back up, shoving what he can of hers back into it, and begins circling the club with it.
"Have you seen the young lady who was carrying this purse? She's about yea tall" he gestures "and was wearing this nice little dress."
For a long time, no one seems to have seen her. Finally, a young man points out the door. "She went that way a few minutes ago"
Lance thanks the man and immediately runs the direction he was pointed, franticly looking for her. She is still nowhere to be seen, though not far away several just barely of age men are seen walking away carrying something between them. Lance runs after them, hoping they have seen her...with a bad feeling about what it is they may be carrying.
As he approaches they glance back and try to walk a bit faster. He begins to run after them, catching up with little effort due in part to the fact that they are encumbered with what they are carrying. As he draws closer, he can see that they are carrying three young women. One depressingly familiar.
He yells out. "You boys best stop right there, put them ladies down, and walk away right now. I don't wanna have to kick yer asses."
"Mind your own business foreigner!" one says as they stop to turn and face him
"Ah, see now, one of them ladies happens to be a very close friend of mine, so this is my business. I will only tell you one more time, put the ladies down or yer gonna get the ass whuppin' of a lifetime."
The three boys look at each other, then back at Lance. Even though they outnumber him, and are a bit taller than he is, they seem to find this is not a fight they wish to have. They drop the women and run.
Lance watches them until they have reached the end of the block, then runs over to the women. "Oh god.....oh god...Yumi...Yumi, are you OK?"
She is out cold and looking to be unconscious. Her clothes are a bit torn, but otherwise she is unharmed. Lance checks over the other women, insuring they are likewise unharmed, before returning his attention to Yumiko.
"Oh god, why did I let her off alone?"
He looks around, suddenly realizing that this is not the best place to have three unconscious women. He fumbles around, attempting to find a way to carry all three women somewhere safe. He has very little luck, since one of the women is at least as tall as he is. As he continues to struggle to find a way to move them, one wakes and looks at him with a shocked expression on her face. She seems about to scream.
"Shh, shh...it's ok ma'am. I'm not gonna hurt ya. Are you all right?"
She nods, still looking like she will scream if he comes anywhere near her.
"Whoa now, no need to get scared. I'll just move over here," he steps back a couple feet "and you tell me what happened. Is that OK?"
"I don't know. I remember walking back and then now I am waking up with you!"
"Well, ma'am, I'm sure you won't believe me or nothing, but I just saved you from a most unsavory bunch. You and the other two over there were being carried away to lord knows where, for lord knows what."
She looks at him doubtfully, then sees the other two unconscious women next to her. She shakes her head and runs away. Lance just sighs.
"Why do they always have to run off like that?"
He continues to look over the remaining woman and Yumiko, trying to figure out how to get them somewhere safe. He continues to look off the direction the boys went, for fear that hey may return, and the direction the woman ran, for fear she will bring police. He knows that they will not listen to a foreigner, and he will have to get NERV to bail him out. Which would require an explanation.
Eventually, the other woman wakes. She has a similar reaction as the last, though seems to believe him as she chooses to call her boyfriend rather than run. When the young man arrives to get her, he glares at Lance but doesn't ask any questions. Finally, only Yumiko remains passed out. lance cradles her in his arms as he carries her back home. With tears in his eyes, he curses himself.
~Dammit Lance, why'd you have to go and do a stupid thing like taking her to a club. You should'a known this was gonna happen.~
*****
When they reach home, he carries her to her room and places her in bed. He stands by her side for a while, just looking down at her sleeping form. Finally, he softly leaves the room and lays down on the couch to sleep, wanting to be close to her room in case she needs him. She wakes not long after, slowly opening her eyes and groaning slightly. Hearing her stirring, Lance quickly rushes into her room.
"Yumi...are you ok?"
She does not speak, but nods slightly.
Lance collapses to the floor by her side, grabbing her in a big hug. She winces slightly from the jolt of the hug, but does not say anything.
"Oh Yumi, I'm so sorry. I should've watched you better. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry." He begins to cry. "I'm ...so...sorry..."
"It's not your fault."
He lets go of her, sitting back so that he can look into her eyes as he speaks. "What happened? You went of to the bathroom, and you never came back."
"I...don't know. I got out of the bathroom and got dizzy.. the next thing I knew I had blacked out."
He hugs her again. "Oh Yumi. I should have been more careful. I didn't think, and you almost got hurt. If something had happened...I...I don't know what I would have done."
"It turned out okay..."
"I swear, I will never do that again. No more sneakin' into clubs. No more teachin' you to drink. We'll stick to the legal activities from now on."
She smiles weakly, rubbing her throbbing forehead. "I had fun up till that whole...blacking out thing..."
He smiles and kisses her on the forehead. "Just go to sleep. Been a long night, and I think we both could use some rest."
"Okay." she says with a yawn.
As he stands, he ruffles her hair. "See ya in the mornin', runt." He leaves her room, but sits just outside the door until he is sure she is safely asleep before he goes to bed himself. It doesn't take long for this. She is awake just long enough for to change. As soon as her head hits the pillow again, she is out.
Lance's sleep is fitful at best, his dreams filled with horrible images of Yumiko and the three men who had taken her.
*****
The next morning, Lance wakes up with a pounding headache and very little actual rest. Yumiko is up when he gets up, making some coffee. He rubs his head and winces at the light, as he stumbles into the kitchen
"Ugh...way too much to drink last night. You doin' all right, runt?"
"My head is killing me."
"Yeah...that's how you can tell it was a good night."
"If you feel terrible in the morning?"
He nods, then realizes the folly in this as his head begins pounding again. "Ugh...oh yeah. Hangover. The price one pays for a good time with alcohol."
"It sucks... coffee?"
"Oh yeah."
She pours him a mug handing it to him. He takes it from her with a smile. He thanks her as he takes a sip. "Ah...that's the best cup of joe I've had since I got here."
"I was taught by a master." she says with a chuckle.
Lance begins to laugh out loud, but cuts it short when his head begins to pound yet again. Yumiko sips her own coffee, leaning against the counter. Lance remains silent for a while before looking into her eyes
"So, aside from the obvious problems with last night, ya have fun?"
She blushes. "Yes actually."
He smirks. "Your blushing, runt."
"Yes. Now I am a red runt. Happy?"
"So long as you had a good time last night, yeah."
"I did. Thank you Lance..."
"Aw heck, weren't nothin'. You been working to hard, needed to let off some steam. It was the least I could do for ya."
"Still... thank you."
This causes him to blush now. "You know I'd do just about anything for you. Your like the sister I never had."
She looks down and nods. "And you the brother I..." She stops the statement and shakes her head.
He sets his coffee down, stands, and walks over to her. "C'mere you little runt of a girl." With a grin, he gives her a hug. She sighs, half exasperated and half comforted, as she hugs back.
"Now, don't you have to get to school soon?"
"unfortunately..."
"You want me to give ya a ride there? I gotta be heading of to NERV for some tests anyhow, and your school's on the way."
"Sure."
He quickly finishes his breakfast coffee, grabs a piece of toast for the road, and they head out for the day.
TO BE CONTINUED...
A/N: I know that I have the drinking age for Japan wrong. My explanation...it's an Alternate Universe. Subtle changes like that happen all the time. So nyah! Also, I know that the death of Pen-pen is sudden and arbitrary. That will happen occasionally throughout the rest of this story. I am taking great pains to make sure I account for all of the major characters from the original. It means that some of them may have something like this occur. Plus, little bastard needed to die. Hehehe.