Chapter 2: Welcome Home
Well, when I first saw Shinji, I wasn't impressed. Well, by anything other than his size – he's big for his age - but there's something about him that grows on you over time. Or perhaps it was he who grew into his role, and into our hearts. Whatever it was, I can't look back and not feel embarrassed that I didn't see it immediately. I think that it was always there. It just needed the time and circumstances to come through.
---Misato Katsuragi, 2015
A private jet shot over the Atlantic Ocean in near silence. "Are you sure this is the one?" a man in the darkened enterer asked over a cell phone while watching footage of Evangelion Unit 01's arm being snapped by the Third Angel. "He seems to be getting his ass kicked right now."
/Just watch the video, Tim, you'll see/ the person he was speaking to replied.
"Ok, Old Man, I'm watching," 'Tim' rolled his eyes, and rubbed his unshaven jaw. "You know how I feel about beatings."
The man watched a few moments more, before his eyes widened and he looked away, "The kid's down, it's over."
/Keep watching/ the voice said sterner.
"What do you expect me to … Jesus …" his eyes widened even more at the footage. "Ok, so maybe you're right."
/Eva Unit 01 received heavy damage from that explosion,/ the voice stated, /But the pilot, Shinji Ikari was knocked out, but didn't have a single bruise or scratch. Didn't even get a tan from the heat./
"How is that possible?"
/You know how./
"Ok, if he's in Tokyo-3," The man nodded rewinding the footage to watch it again, "Why am I going to Germany?"
/That is where the pilot of Evangelion Unit 02 is being trained/ the voice replied, /She is not like the pilots of 00 and 01, I figured you'd be able to help her catch up./
"How far behind is she compared to them?" Tim asked looking at the folders, "Ayanami Rei had seven months of Eva training, and Ikari Shinji had … around five minutes… FIVE MINUTES AND HE DID THAT?!?"
/Yes, and again you know the why and how,/ the voice replied, /Sohyru Asuka Langley is ahead by seven years. Even though she is not on the natural level of Ikari, she is superior to Ayanami. I trust you will be able to prepare her?/
"I'll do what I can, I'll call you when we touch down on German soil." Tim nodded, "bye, Bruce."
"What's this," Tim asked when he read a new paper stapled to Shinji Ikari's folder, "Assigned guardianship under … oh god help him …"
"I just moved here myself, so it's a little messy," Misato said, leading Shinji into her apartment.
"This … is a little messy?" Shinji asked looking around the apartment, 85% of the room covered with empty beer cans and trash. He glanced around and saw two refrigerators in the incredibly cluttered kitchen, "What's with two friges?"
"Oh don't mind that one, he's probably still asleep," Misato said hopping over a large pile of trash, "I'm gonna change, be right back."
"You mind if I straighten the place up a bit?" Shinji asked as she entered her bedroom.
"Sure, knock yourself out!" Misato called from the closed door. After a few moments, Misato stepped back out in a lose tank top and incredibly short shorts. And when she saw her apartment she almost dropped to her knees. "How … what … huh?" She asked looking around the spotless room.
"Uhhh… Ancient Chinese Secret?" He said giving the older woman a lopsided smile.
Misato raised an eye brow, "I'm gonna be keeping an eye on you, kid," She stated with a smirk, "Now lets get some grub!"
Misato prepared the best meal she could, but once again disappointed herself. She really needed some cooking lessons. She sat at her end of the table, poking at her food, dreading looking up for fear of seeing Shinji dieing of food poisoning.
Once she finally got the courage to glance up at her new ward her jaw dropped at the sight. Shinji had the plate in the air, and was using his chopsticks to push every bit of food into his mouth. Misato continued to stare as he licked the plate and glanced up at her sheepishly, "Seconds?"
"You … you like my cooking?" Misato blinked.
"Um … it's not world class dinning, but it's leaps and bounds above my Uncle's cooking," Shinji blushed, "I kind of like it."
"You like it?" Misato beamed, jumping to her feet, and refilling his plate, "Yes of course, Shinji-kun, you can have all you want! Thank you for liking it … not many like my cooking …"
Misato watched in awe as Shinji put away his second serving, then his third, forth and finally fifth before finally stopping patting his stomach. "You're … amazing …" Masato stared.
Shinji glanced down blushing furiously. "You're cute when you blush, Shinji-kun," Misato cooed, before standing up, "It's late, go and take a shower then hit the sack, you start school tomorrow, and you're going to have to get up early so I can drop you off on my way to work."
Shinji nodded and walked into the bathroom, quickly undressed and climbed into the shower relaxing as the warm water washed over his sore muscles. "Is this what it's like to be home?" he asked out loud not expecting an answer. He was in such deep thought that he didn't hear the door open and close.
He then jumped and covered himself as the curtain was pulled back and his eyes locked with a strange penguin with red feathers imitating eyebrows staring back up at him with the same look of shock. Both boy and animal screamed and Shinji dove out the door literally tearing it off its hinges and ran into the living room.
"MISATO!! THERE'S A … A PENGUIN IN THE BATHROOM!" He cried out at the stunned woman caught in mid sip of her beer.
"Oh, that's just Pen-Pen, my other room-mate," Misato said her voice growing lower as her eyes traveled down his body, "He's one of those warm … water … whoa …" Misato forced her eyes to focus at least on Shinji's damp defined chest and six pack and mentally forced her not to go lower. It was a futile fight.
Shinji followed her gaze, before covering himself and dashing toward his room marked 'Shinji's Lovely Suite' screaming.
"I'm not that desperate …" Misato repeated, placing her face in her hands, "I'm not that desperate … I'm not that desperate, but Jesus Christ he's hot for a kid!"
Shinji stood over the oven in the kitchen early the next morning. He was working hard at making a good breakfast for Misato to say sorry for the … free show that he gave her the night before.
Shinji turned smiling at the sound of a low feral moans and grunts as Misato limped into the kitchen, on strap of her tank top sliding down her arm, and her hair sticking up all over the place. All in all, she looked like a reject from Night of the Living Dead. "Misato, you ok?" Shinji asked unsurely, but only received what sounded like a growl in response.
Misato drug her feet to the refrigerator and fumbled with the door finally opening it. She reached around before pulling out a can of beer. With a low groan she opened it and chugged it down with one gulp. She then shook her head rapidly and called out enthusiastically "YEEHAW!! NOW THAT'S THE STUFF WHOO HOO!!!"
Shinji watched in awe as Misato seemingly transformed right before her eyes from zombie to the hyper woman he had met yesterday. "Good morning, Shinji-kun, oh you made breakfast!" she asked moving over to stand beside him, "You didn't have to, you know? I could have whipped us up something!"
"That's alright, I enjoy cooking so it wasn't any trouble," Shinji said looking down bashfully, moving the two plates to the table, before turning back to Misato who was opening a can of beer and sitting it beside a small platter of leftovers on the floor. "You give … your penguin beer?"
"Why not, he's never complained!" Misato laughed, sitting down at the table with her fourth beer of the morning.
Misato bit into her breakfast and her eyes lit up, "Shinji! If you weren't so much younger then me, I'd marry you! You kick butt in the Eva, got the bod of a Greek god, and can cook and clean amazingly. You're gonna make a sweet girl spoiled one of these days!" the woman chuckled as Shinji's face colored bright red.
"Look at the time, Shinji, I've got to get you to school!" Misato said, jumping to her feet, "Lets roll!"
"Misato, should you really be driving after all that …um …" Shinji asked unsurely, looking at the ten empty beer cans around Misato's plate.
"Nonsense kid! Trust me," Misato said winking at him and walking toward the door.
"Ms … Misato, shouldn't you be wearing your uniform?"
"You see that new kid up there, Touji?" Kensuke Aida asked, his friend who was seated beside him in the classroom.
"Yea, what about him?" Touji Suzuhara replied to his blond headed friend, both watching Shinji carefully.
"Rumor is he's the pilot of that giant robot thingamabob," Kensuke replied, sliding back when Touji's gaze went murderous.
"That … thing was what put my little sister in the hospital!" Touji hissed, ignoring the teacher's lecture on Second Impact.
Wait, wait, don't jump the gun yet, don't want to hurt the kid before you make sure he's the one," Kensuke said quickly before typing on his laptop. "Let me message him and ask before you go and knock his brains in."
Shinji sat dully listening to the old man repeat himself over and over again, before a blip on his computer grabbed his attention. He stared at it for several moments before finally opening the message.
/Hey, are you the pilot?/
Shinji stared at it for a few moments before trying to concentrate on the teacher again, when another message popped up.
/Are you the pilot Y/N?/
Shinji finally let out a sigh and placed his hands on the keyboard.
/Y E S/ he sent.
"WHAT!!!" The whole room exploded with the exception of the injured Rei and the seething Touji.
"I'll get you after class, Pilot," Touji hissed, narrowing his eyes on the blushing newcomer.
Meanwhile on the other side of the world in a tall skyscraper, an older man sat at his desk with his hands folded in his lap, his eyes focusing on the monitor. He watched footage of the Angel/Evangelion Unit 01 battle with intense interest. "The time's getting closer, looks like he's almost ready …" he said to himself before picking up his desk telephone. "Mercy?"
"Yes, sir," the feminine voice on the other end replied.
"Ready my private jet, I want to leave as soon as possible," he stated.
"What's the destination, sir?" Mercy asked.
"Tokyo-3," the man stated, "But first I'd like a side trip to Smallville Kansas."
"Yes, sir," she replied before the phone went dead.
The man stood up and walked over to a large portrait of a late hero and friend, and pulled it open to reveal a safe. He opened the safe and pulled out a small red and blue duffle bag. "Maybe this will redeem my sins, Clark …" he said looking at the painting of the late Man of Steel, "Maybe this will redeem my sins …"
To Be Continued …
Classic Cowboy: well here's the second chapter. As you can see we've altered Canon a little, and if you haven't figured out what this is a fusion with by now, please leave your address so either Fusion Blaster or myself can come to your home and smack you up side the head. Anyway, that's bout all I can think to say so enjoy the fic and don't forget to review!
Fusion Blaster: Well he might smack you but I'll give you a boot to the head. This time I was on the sidelines for the most part while he pounded this one out. Next Time we will do an angel battle and someone makes an appearance much earlier than they did in the anime.
