"He Cried."
"I want to see the boy in my office," Fuyutski growled, standing. "I don't care if he's half dead. As soon as he's out of that unit, bring him to me. Understand, Captain?"
"Yes, Sir."
"I want an emergency crew at Unit 00's unloading dock!" Ritsuko said over the intercom system.
"He's going to answer to me when I see him too," Misato growled as the two climbed aboard the cage to take them to the unloading bays. "This is the second time he's disobeyed direct orders."
"Let the commander at him first."
"Yes, yes."
The reached the platforms and rushed forward. Rei was being lifted out of her seat and was placed on the awaiting gurney for transport to sickbay. Narikage climbed from his own, watching as the medical team wheeled the fourteen-year-old from the area.
"Narikage." He turned his head when he heard Misato's voice and he knew at once she was angry beyond belief. Ritsuko was wearing a matching look but, to his surprise, neither of them began yelling or scolding. "Commander Fuyutski wishes to see you right away in his office."
"Hai." He bowed a little and followed his guardian out of the room and down the halls. "You aren't screaming at me," he said after about five solid minutes of very awkward silence.
"I'll let the Commander finish with you. And then you'll hear what I have to say," she said in a stiff voice. They reached the office and Misato only had to knock once before the door slid open.
"Captain, remain outside." Misato gave Narikage an un-ceremonial shove forward, the door sliding shut behind him. Narikage walked forward slowly until he was about ten feet from Commander Fuyutski's desk. The older man stood, his palms pressed flat to the surface, his eyes blazing. "Just who the HELL do you think you are?" he hissed in his slightly raspy voice. "Do you have ANY idea what you've done?!"
"Protected the city from another angel," Narikage replied calmly and steadily. "Just like I'm supposed to."
"You put a pilot into danger! AGAIN! Unit 00 could have gone berserk! Rei could have been trapped inside and killed!"
"But it didn't and she wasn't." Fuyutski's palms slapped the wood hard, startling the older teen.
"That is not sufficient! You willingly put Rei in danger!"
"She agreed to pilot with me; I didn't force her."
"You turned off the communication system in a crisis! If something had happened to Rei, we wouldn't have been able to get to her!"
"I did not want you to replace her. She has to learn," Narikage said in his cool tone.
"You listen to me, Eiro Narikage. If you EVER do something like that again, I will PERSONALLY end your pathetic life. Do you understand me?" Commander Fuyutski's face was a shade of red that closely resembled the color of Asuka's plug suit.
"Perfectly, Sir."
"It is not up to you to decide if a pilot should be replaced or not. Next time you're given an order while piloting, you had damn well better listen! Now get the hell out of my sight!" Narikage gave him a slight bow and turned, walking out of the office. "Captain! Get in here!" Misato shot a quick glare at Narikage as she moved past him.
"Stay there." He nodded and leaned against the wall, arms crossed and eyes closed. The door behind Misato slid shut. "Yes, Commander?"
"Take the boy home and then report back here for cleanup. Inform him that he will report directly to NERV after school tomorrow for tests."
"Tests? What kind of tests?"
"Given the recent circumstances, we must test his mental stability, as well as his physical condition." As angry as Misato was, she didn't want Narikage's secret discovered. Not yet.
"Hai, Sir. But, would it be alright if Ritsuko did the tests? I believe he would be more willing if the doctor was someone he knew."
"I don't care if he's willing or not. He's getting the tests done. But, very well. If she'll agree to it, she may do the tests. Now you had better get going, Captain."
"Hai." She bowed and walked out. Narikage was in the same place she had left him, in the same position. When she was standing in front of him, he raised his head, opening his eyes. "Go change. I will be waiting by the main elevator. You have five minutes."
(Cut)
The ride back to Misato's apartment was completely silent. Narikage stared out of the window the entire time, his eyes distant. A few times, Misato glanced over at him but he made no indication that he'd even seen it.
As soon as Narikage was inside the apartment, however, Misato exploded.
"WHAT IN THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!" she roared before the door had even shut completely. Narikage blinked a few times but his expression didn't change.
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't give me that! You know exactly what I'm talking about!! This is the second time you've disobeyed me in a battle situation!"
"How did I disobey you?" Misato's face reddened.
"I ordered Rei to pull out but you interfered! You cut off communication! Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?!"
"You could have deployed Unit 02," he said. That calm disposition of his was starting to get on her nerves. "Yet you did not. Why is that Captain? If Rei was in as much danger as everyone says, why was Unit 02 not sent up to deal with the angel?" Misato's hands curled into fists.
"Don't you talk back to me. This is about you."
"I helped her, Miss Katsuragi."
"HELPED?! Is that what you call it?! I call it torture!"
"As I told Commander Fuyutski I did not force her to pilot with me. She agreed to it willingly."
"You knew something like this would happen! For God's sake, Narikage! Your brother died in her arms in a situation almost exactly like that! Because of you, she may have suffered permanent damage!"
"She hasn't."
"Oh, of course. I forgot. You're the all-knowing!" Misato said in a thickly sarcastic voice. She stepped forward until she was just a couple inches away, her finger boring into his collarbone. "Listen to me closely, Eiro Narikage. You will NOT put either of the other pilots in danger again. Next time I order a pilot out of there—that means you too—I expect it to be followed to the LETTER. Do you understand me?" She pushed him back a couple of steps with her sharp finger, straightening with her hands on her hips. "And now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go clean up the mess you've helped make." She turned and started from the apartment.
"Misato." The woman stopped short, eyes a little wide. He'd never used her name before. Slowly, she turned her head and her eyes widened more.
He was crying.
Before she could say anything more to him, he'd turned and fled into his room, the door slamming shut on its tracks.
(Cut)
Ritsuko punched a few buttons, eyes fixed on the screen in front of her.
"How are the readings?" She turned her head and removed her glasses.
"Surprisingly, there doesn't seem to be much damage." Misato stepped up beside her friend, reading the screen. "There is some, here." She pointed to a space on the screen, "but it's minimal and shouldn't have an effect on her overall performance." Misato straightened, crossing her arms under her breasts.
"I see."
"Does our best pilot still have a head or have you effectively removed it from his shoulders?" Ritsuko sipped at her slightly cold coffee as she spoke, looking up at the purple-haired woman. She looked off to the side.
"He cried."
"What?"
"Narikage. I yelled at him...and he cried." Ritsuko lowered the mug.
"Cried?" Misato nodded once. "I see."
"I think...I think he feels bad for doing what he did to Rei but I'm not sure."
"You didn't question him?" She shook her head.
"I was so surprised, I just left. But if he's crying over something like this, that must mean he feels bad, right?" Ritsuko sighed heavily and pulled a folder from a drawer, holding it out.
"I think you'd better read this, Misato."
"What is it?"
"The results from the tests we did last week." The other woman took the folder slowly and opened it. Her mouth fell open.
"A-are you sure this is accurate?!"
"Positive. I ran everything through at least twice. The DNA encompasses over 85% of his genetic makeup now, which probably explains the random mood swings."
"How fast is it spreading?"
"It's hard to say exactly. I'll have to conduct another test on him in a couple of weeks to see if its spread and how much. I'll be able to get a better picture then."
"It might be sooner than that." Ritsuko gave her a strange look. "The Commander is demanding that Narikage take tests in both mental and physical health."
"Then we'll have to show him these."
"We can't."
"Misato—"
"He's under enough stress right now, Ritsuko. I got the Commander to agree to let you do the tests. You draw blood, etcetera, and we'll switch the results."
"Switch?! With whose?" Misato looked up, snapping the file shut.
"With Shinji's."