Problem Twenty-One: Where is Yukari?
-
- Edited by Tibures
Standing amongst the Battle staff of NERV are the four pilots in the main command room. Each have a smile on their face, even Rei a notable sight indeed. Misato stands in front of them, she is also smiling, impressed at the events of the afternoon. For the operation against the ninth angel went off with out a hitch.
"That was impressive, especially you two." Misato walks over and looks to Shinji and Rei. "Both of you showed impressive skills and where key to the destruction of the Angel."
Asuka looks to both Shinji and Rei that stand at her sides not sure to growl or be happy. 'Man, I don't want to look like a weakling but I want to…' Asuka comes up with a small plan, she elbows Shinji, knocking him over she then hugs Rei. "Your were something Rei, much better then Wonder boy."
Keeping calm but unable to stop her face from blushing, Rei takes Asuka's hand as she looks forward. 'Oh, Asuka…' She is unable to put thoughts to words. 'Its so hard not to see, its as if what ones see, guides what they speak.' Going from blind to eyeing to blind again has been hard. "Thank you Asuka…"
"Speaking of that…" Misato leans closer to Ritsuko who is whispering into her ear. "Will you mind staying after."
Still holding on to Rei, Asuka stares to Misato with an ugly look. "Why, its all most ten, and we have school tomorrow."
With a simple sigh, Ritsuko looks to Asuka with a smile as she approaches Asuka. "Look I need to run some important tests, Commanders orders." Asuka pouts as she grips tighter onto Rei.
"What do I get out of it?"
"Umm…" Ritsuko looks to Misato who looks back with a motion that this is her fight. "I will tell you what, you wont have to go to school." Asuka doesn't seemed impressed so Ritsuko tries to think of something she would want. "Umm… I have cookies."
"Chocolate?"
Ritsuko pulls out her wallet and looks inside. "Yes, Chocolate, sure."
-
-
-
-
The pilots begin to brake up and with one staying; they say their good byes. However, Asuka only says good-bye to Rei, and sticking her nose up to Shinji and Yukari. As the three pilots go home Yukari volunteers to take Rei home, despite her reluctance she does need the help. Once they reach the apartment, the sisters go to Rei's apartment as Shinji goes to his.
Allowing Rei to guide herself, Yukari hangs behind her as she enters her apartment. "You're really getting good at this aren't you."
"Yes…" Rei walks into her apartment with out looking behind her. "You got me this way."
Before the door can shut, Yukari jumps in just in time. Rei makes her way down the hallway only to strike Yukari who as put herself in her way. "Hey, that's not fare Rei!"
Rei walks past Yukari and into her kitchen she does not turn on the light however Yukari needs it so she does.
-
-
-
-
"Wait, hold your fire…"
-
-
-
-
"Rei!" Yukari walks in kicking off her school shoes and running to Rei. "I didn't do this to you, I tried to help you!"
-
-
-
-
"Damn it the target is with the other one."
"Which one is the right one?"
"I don't know they look alike!"
"No shit!"
-
-
-
-
One to be used to being tugged and grabbed by Yukari, Rei goes to the sink getting a glass of water unaffected by her sister's pull. "My blindness was directly caused by my distraction from piloting. You were the one distracting me."
Yukari lets go of Rei and stands her ground. "How was I distracting you!"
"You might have been able to fool most with your action, but I am well aware of your manipulation." Rei finishes her drink and sits down at the table.
Frustrated at Rei for not even listening to her Yukari grabs Rei's cane and uses it to squeeze to vent her frustration. "Rei, I never manipulated you!"
-
-
-
-
"Target has yellow eyes! I repeat Yellow eyes."
"More identification needed, their not facing me I can see their eyes."
"The one that is not blind is our target!"
-
-
-
-
Simply sipping her cup of water with no care of Yukari that stands in front of her upset Rei does not respond as Yukari yells. "Rei, what's wrong!"
With the question asked, Rei deems it to be answered. She stands and blindly reaches grabbing Yukari's school uniform pulling her closer. "I hate…"
The stop in Rei's voice seems sudden and unnatural. Yukari looks to Rei as she falls onto the table spilling her water. In a panic, that something is wrong Yukari lifts up her head to see a dart in her neck. Looking at were it struck Yukari follows the shots path and looks out to the living room and out to the balcony. This glance does not last long as she feels a sudden numbness growing around her whole body; she looks down to see a dart in her chest.
"Damn…" Yukari collapses to the ground out like a light.
-
-
-
-
Standing over Yukari's and Rei's bodies are five men all wearing black BDU's and black face pait, on holds a PSG silenced sniper rifle with a modified stock and barrel. He looks at the to girls watching as two other men put a black bag over Yukari's head and drags her away.
"Christ…" A man comes up behind the one with the sniper rifle with a G-36c at his side. "Will she be all right?"
The man looks to Rei and bends down checking her pulse. "Yea, the darts injected a mix of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, Benzodiazepines, Meproai Bamate, Methaqualone, Phenobarbital."
"Other then alphabet soup what's in it?"
The sniper chuckles as he plays with Rei's hair. "It's a time release multi purpose tranquilizer, not only does it knock you out, but when interrogation comes along you are as talkative as a used car salesman." He stands back up and looks to see that other men have just finished replacing the balcony door. "She's going to have one hell of a headache and giggles as all hell when she wakes up, she wont remember a thing."
-
-
-
-
Far below in the depths of Terminal dogma Asuka Langley Souyu accompanies Ritsuko Akagi down an elevator ride that does not seem to end.
"Where are we going, Hell?"
Asuka's question brings a smile to Ritsuko as she looks to Asuka. "Your not going to hell but, I am willing to tell you that out of all the pilots you have been selected to be a test subject to the next generation of Evangelion weapon systems."
"Out of everyone!" Asuka thinks on the notion only to have Ego blind her. "Of course who better to pick, I am the best."
Both return to silence as they look as the darkness flashes on and off with great speed.
-
-
-
-
"Um… Rei… Yukari…"
Slowly entering into Rei and Asuka's apartment is Shinji Ikari; he looks ready for bed and as only sandals on his feet as he walks in. The lights are on in the kitchen so Shinji gives another call.
"Rei… Yukari, its me Shinji…"
Still no answer this begins to disturb Shinji. It's nearly twelve and Yukari never came home. Not one to snoop but Shinji worries for both seeing Yukari has been ill and Rei's own handicap. 'However stealing Misato's master key into the apartment did take sometime, they could be talking.' Shinji creeps in taking off his sandals and closing the door behind him. 'But the Ayanami's they never acted like family.'
Slowing as he approaches, Shinji looks in to see Rei sleeping on the kitchen table, everything looks to be in place. A glass of water sits half full next to her, her breathing seems calm and not irregular, but no sign of Yukari.
Shinji creeps in and stands next to Rei thinking on a way to wake her. "Rei…" He looks at him self as he realizes he just whispered. 'Yea like that would wake anyone.' Once more this time Shinji adds a push at Rei's shoulder. "Rei…"
"What!" Rei shoots up looking around grabbing at her face. "I'm blind!"
Really not sure on how to answer the statement, Shinji tries a logical approach to the problem. "You have been blind for a couple of weeks, Rei."
"Oh…" Rei stands up with no sense of balance she begins to giggle. "Oh yea I forgot…"
"Yukari?" Shinji looks in to Rei's eyes to verify that he is looking at Rei. As he looks Rei leans to one side falling over into Shinji's arms, with out warning. Not the strongest boy in Tokyo 3 Shinji has trouble with Rei's forty two point two kilogram frame. "Um... Rei…" Shinji struggles to hold the girl up and not touch anything he shouldn't. "Are you okay…"
"I don't know…" Rei feels her body looking for something wrong. "No pilot Ikari, I am all together…"
With a few good pushes Shinji has Rei standing again, however he still holds onto her arm ready for her to fall. "Rei I think you should sit down."
"I think I should pilot Ikari…" As she does she grabs Shinji's face feeling around at it with unique care. "Pilot Ikari, you are so much like your father."
"What?"
"Your looks however are more sexually appealing," Rei tries her best to hold her thoughts with in reason however she doesn't no were they are going. "This is probably due to our same age."
Blushing more then he has since Mana kissed him Shinji lets Rei sits as he goes to get her water he steps on the floor to find it wet. "Ahh… the floors wet."
"I knocked over my water."
Looking at the cup, and seeing it half full Shinji looks to Rei. "Umm, are you sure?"
"Nope!" Rei begins to smile as she stands knowing that something's wrong but unable to care about it. "Pilot Ikari… giggle… Pilot Ikari, I forgot what I was about to say."
"You should sit Rei."
Not caring for Shinji's advice, Rei walks to his voice. "It is intriguing, I can not see but I feel embarrassment and uncertainty from your voice."
Shinji steps back, as Rei gets closer. "Rei are you sure you are okay."
"I experience the same thing with Pilot Souyu, Asuka is sweet and kind to me, caring like you."
With that kind of statement given to describe Asuka, Shinji decides his own take on the issue. "Yea, but she can be a real jerk to."
"This experience is even more so felt when we kissed."
All systems fail Shinji ability to stand is gone and the statement literally floors him. "You kissed Asuka!"
"Yes…" With Shinji on the floor, Rei goes to her knees and grabs Shinji's leg at random. "Do you find it taboo, your body temperature is rising, logically this means that your body is either fighting a illness, coping with a over use of your muscles, or reacting to your emotions, like stress, pain, love, lust." Shinji craws his way to a corner trapped as Rei moves closer. "I know you are not ill and I know you have not run, so it is logical that it is your emotions."
Shinji gives a twisted grin as he nods his head. "Kinda Rei, I mean… well… Umm…"
"I feel the same way around Miss Souyu," Shinji gives a yip as Rei takes hold of one of his calf. "I feel so warm my heart races, I don't understand this, Pilot Ikari what am I feeling?"
Crickets is the best one could describe Shinji's thoughts, With Rei slowly crawling up him he is unable to put together a sentence let alone a thought. With great strength, Shinji comes up with something. "Um… you love her…"
"But Pilot Ikari…" Rei brings herself up to be inches from Shinji's face. "This is unnatural, I can not procreate with Asuka."
This is the last thing Shinji would ever think of doing in his life, having a talk with Rei about homosexuality. "Well…" Its crunch time and Shinji needs to answer well. "My… My old teacher told me that's its natural… when humans, like most animals…" Grasping for a conversation he had with a man when he was eleven is hard in the situation he is in, but Shinji prevails. "Like most animals, when a species becomes overpopulated because there is no natural predator a genetic fall back is made to prevent the species from dieing out… Umm… So some humans will be come… you now… and thus they will not reproduce saving the species."
Thinking he just saved himself from going into a subject he himself rarely ether thinks about, but Rei has a different plan. "But, pilot Ikari, we have predators, Angels, we are fighting them, so thus it can't be love."
'Damn it!' Shinji mind goes in to conference mode so he can formulate his own feelings on the matter. 'God loves everyone so it should be alright." Shinji is about to speak when another thought comes to mind. 'But he made so your peg can fit in to her hole!'
Shinji hits hi self in his head. "Okay…" Shinji opens his eyes with Rei stroking his hair. "Love has nothing to do with procreation it's a state of being not an action, so if you love Asuka, it's cool."
"Your theory is possible but I need proof." Rei begins to giggle again; she takes Shinji's face feeling out his lips. "I do not even know why I am acting like this."
'You have gone nuts!' Shinji looks away with his thoughts as he wonders why he is in this situation. 'Stupid curiosity, sure go find out where Yukari is, real smart.'
"Shinji…" Rei cups Shinji's face with both hands. "Let me put your theory to the test.'
'Its like I'm in a dating game Sim from hell!'
Rei kisses Shinji and this is no ordinary kiss, either Rei has practiced or she has natural skill, because Yukari and Mana have kissed Shinji, and Rei was clearly the better of the Two. In fact, the gentleness and care was like she knew exactly what to do and when to do it. She releases Shinji sits back away from him touching her lips.
"Damn…" Shinji breathes a massive sigh as he looks to Rei. "Okay…"
"I do not understand." Rei looks around feeling for something when Shinji does to help Rei he doesn't realize she was merely getting up to stand but in his act of kindness turns into a act of clumsiness as he falls into Rei knocking her into the table it snags on her Uniform tearing down her back.
Not in pain but somewhat shaken from the fall Rei feels her back, with no blood, she ignores it. Shinji however cannot he can see and she already seen this once. "Are you okay."
"I am fine pilot Ikari…" Rei begins to feel around again. "Have you seen my cane?"
Standing as fast as he can Shinji locates it at the edge of the table, he grabs it and hands it to Rei. "Sorry…"
With a fruitless smile, Rei looks to Shinji's direction as she stands. "Why are you here Pilot Ikari?"
The question slips Shinji mind as he leers at Rei with not threat of being caught, but his own conscious does catch him and mentally slaps him. "Where's Yukari…"
"Who…" Rei thinks for a bit and giggles again. "My sister… she was here and then she left…"
With a careful eye, Shinji watches as Rei deciphers something in her head. She looks up with her normal stare and makes an about face. "She went this way Pilot Ikari." Before Shinji can stop Rei, she walks right into a wall and falls to the ground. Still smiling Rei lies on the ground. "For some reason I find my act funny."
Slapping his face and dragging his hand down Shinji looks to Rei. "She's acting like she's drunk… wait…" Shinji looks into Rei's eyes to see a glazed over looked. "Great, you're drunk… or on drugs." He stands back up with Rei giggling ever so often on the floor. "I need to sober you up." Shinji goes to a cabinet and pulls out some instant Tea. "This is all your fault Shinji, all because you said, Where's Yukari?"
-
-
-
-
With the violent pull, the black hood over Yukari's head is removed. She finds herself naked and in a chair, Yukari looks around just to see her only light source disappear as a door slides closed. The darkness does not last long as a small light is cast on to Yukari, she use this time to inventory herself finding she is naked and nothing is missing or validated. He looks up just in time to see a massive Black rectangle appear in front of her. It reads 'Seele 01 Sound only in a bold red coloring.
"Yukari…"
She turns to the rectangle grabbing herself to cover her naked body. "Huh, what is this, who are you!"
"I am…"
Yukari quickly interrupts Seele 01. "Who are you!"
"I am…"
"Who are you!" Still cowering around her naked body, Yukari points to the block.
"I am…"
"Who are you!"
"Never mind…"
Yukari stands up and looks around. "Can I leave."
"No…" A second black rectangle appears it reads Seele 02.
Forced to step back Yukari turns as another one appears. "We require something."
Once more when Yukari turns only to see another one comes into view. " We require something you have."
"AHHHHHH!" Yukari ducks behind a chair as all off Seele appears before her. "AHHHHH!"
Seele 10, "We want…"
"AHHHH!"
Seele 09, "Some…"
Doing her best to hide herself, Yukari points to all the members of Seele. "Your after my virginity!"
Half of Seele begin to choke on Yukari's words; Seele 01 is first to recover. "No…"
"My cat!" Yukari cowers even more. "Your after Servo!"
Seele 05, "Umm… no…"
"My organs!"
Seele 02, "No we require…"
"AHHHHH!"
Seele 03, "Shut up!"
Seele 01, "We require your thoughts."
Silence strikes the room some members begin to mumble to them selves but Seele 01 repeats his last sentence. Still nothing the mumbling beings to grow as questions draw on what happened. Yukari how ever has fallen asleep she has her head resting on the chair out cold.
Seele 11, "Um… can someone get some one… or something."
-
-
-
-
Waking in a small clear tube of LCL Asuka Langley Souyu floats naked in the tube, over looking her is Ritsuko Akagi. Tired and almost not all couscous Asuka looks around the darkened room unsure herself. Slipping from a dream like and to a couscous state Asuka begins to hear a voice.
'What do you want…'
"I want…" Unable to answer Asuka tries to focus on Ritsuko who stands talking on a phone. "I want love."
'What do you want…'
She begins to feel dizzy but also unable to move. "I want to be loved."
'Do you want happiness?'
"I want… I want others to be happy…" Asuka vision becomes crossed and like she is looking into a kaleidoscope. "I want Rei to be happy."
'Why?'
"She is the only one who cares for me!" With her thought clear on what she wants to say she cries out in her mind. "She taught me humility she taught me that there is more then just me!"
'Why?'
Not likening the judging of her beliefs Asuka closes her eyes as hard as she can as if seeing nothing will stop the attack. "Because, I'm her friend! I'm the only one she has, I… love her…"
-
-
-
-
Out side of the tube, Ritsuko smiles as Asuka begins to convulse. She begins to talk on the phone with a cynical voice. "You were right sir, she is a perfect fit once we polish her, the Dummy Plug system can be saved."
The man on the other in is none other then Gendo as in a cold tone he enjoys his complement. "But of course, If not Yui why not Kyoko."
The two share a laugh on the inside joke given as Asuka begins to go into out right spasms.
-
-
-
-
Far from the diabolical preparation of Ritsuko and Gendo Shinji sits next to Rei who is on her fifth cup of Tea and has sobered up from the drug induced euphoria she was in only an hour ago. Rei seems embarrassed of what she did; knowing that she has some control. Yet, she does remember Yukari being with her she does not remember her leaving at all. Shinji does his best to help with just talking and for Rei she seems to be doing a lot of with Lysergic Acid Diethylamide more commonly known as LSD, running through her system.
"Pilot Ikari…" Rei balances her thoughts as best she can; they aren't grabbing random fact anymore which is helpful. "Were you truthful in your explanation of my feelings to Pilot Souyu."
With much luck Shinji had hoped the subject didn't come up its is embarrassing enough that the boy cant get the kiss they shared out of his head. "Look Rei… When it comes down to it, what I said and what my teacher said is right." Once more his mind goes into conference debating the issue, after a quick discussion Shinji continues. "It might not be right for me, to you know…"
"Hold Homosexual properties."
Shinji smiles, not at what was said but just by the fact he has been avoiding the use of terms so not to offend Rei, but it's hard to offend Rei. ""Yea, that. When I was with Mana, I was in love, and maybe she was in love, but there was a difference."
"The fact that she was a spy, she tried to kill us."
"No…" Shinji looks to the table as bad memories return. "I wouldn't have cared if she was a spy if she told me, but she didn't." The next part flows off Shinji's mind like melted butter. "She lied, we lost our trust, and she was just like my father…"
When Rei reaches out she feels Shinji's hand as it makes a tight fist, so tight Rei feels each muscle in his hand. "I understand, you were betrayed, like how the commander betrayed me."
Shinji looks back up to see Rei doing what he was just, head bent down, and fist tightly clenched. "All my father knows how to do is hurt… even you."
-
-
-
-
"What do you want Rectangle beast!"
Seele 01 rectangle slightly tilts as if looking down on Yukari who seems to be awake again. "Who did you obtain the information used to leak to the media."
"From my self."
Seele 09, "Is it not true you stole this information, who did you get it from!"
"What ever Lego nine! Rei flicks it off. "I'm telling the truth!"
Seele 02, "How much do you know, tell use now!"
"Let me think… I know how to tie my shoe, make Oden, cook rice, feed a cat, read, write and speak Japanese, German and English, good at math, and up until recently I had a photographic memory, but its broken. I can do back flips, and pat my head and rub my belly."
All of Seele watches as Yukari pats her head and rubs her belly. She goes to continue but Seele 12 interrupts. "The Evangelions stupid."
"Hey I'm not stupid you perverted totem poll"
Seele 01, "Answer the question."
"I know everything there is when it comes down to the biogenetic components of the Evangelion and its Bio neural interface with the entry plug."
Seele 04, "Are you capable of repair…"
Silence once again fills the air as Yukari does not reply as she is asleep on the chair once more.
Seele 08, "Someone fix this."
His demand is met as a man like he is part of a SWAT team by his equipment walks into the room and puts smelling salts under her nose, the reaction is less then pleasant as she leaps and bites the guys hand. He screams in pain pulling out is baton striking her on the back. After dragging her for nearly a minute she lets go and the man walks out.
"That's the second time."
With the man gone Seele continues. "Are you capable of repair."
With a yawn, Yukari sits on the chair. "Sure, I can build you one."
Seele 07, "Are you sure."
"Yup… wait…" Yukari goes to remember it but nothing comes. "Nope, just lost it."
Seele 04, "Do you know of the dead sea scrolls…"
Once more Yukari tries to remember, she sits there as if its on the top of her tongue. "Umm… Nope fresh out of scrolls."
Seele 06, "Is the drug working…"
Seele 01, "There isn't a chance of it not."
"Hey"
Seele 02, "We should give her more."
Seele 08, "This subject is useless!"
"Hey!" Yukari yells at the top of her lungs with Seele now listening Yukari speaks. "My brain… Its been broken for a week and needs fixing so kidnap me when I'm doing better."
Seele 01, "Do you know who Yui Ikari is…"
"Doesn't ring a bell…"
Seele 01, "Our scenario is back on track, make sure that in the next operation involving Evangelions occur, she is in Unit One."
"What's so special about Unit One…"
With out warning Seele disappears and Yukari feels the numbness return and she falls to the ground knocked out.
-
-
-
-Shinji Ikari has returned to his apartment and it is nearly two o'clock, and it doesn't look like he will be going to school. He goes in to the kitchen and sits down. Still with no luck finding Yukari because he was distracted by Rei, the young boy has a thought and checks Yukari's room. When he looks in he sees Yukari sleeping in a ball still in her Uniform. With a simple smile, Shinji closes the door and goes back into the kitchen.
"Touji is right. I really am lucky."
With no one around to share his statement he pours himself a cup of tea for company.
"I never thought I would ever be in this deep. Fighting Angels, in a giant thing, Having three beautiful girls as my comrades, hell even the spies after me are cute." Shinji looks to the ceiling with a sigh. "Who are you kidding Shinji-man, your to big of a chicken, Mana betrayed me and so will others." A thought crosses his mind. "The only one who never has betrayed me is… Rei…"
-
-
-
-
Down below in Rei's apartment she still sits in her torn Uniform thinking of all that was said. Everything seems so clear yet so cloudy. Her emotions are getting the better of her, She does not under stand her own wants. She can break it down or analyze it. She can't philosophize it is so frustration for her to think, but when the sound of Asuka coming home livens her spirits. She listens as Asuka comes into the Kitchen and stop.
"Man, what ever I did I feel like I have just been through a blender."
Words are not Rei's strong point so all she can do is touch she reaches at takes Asuka's hand. Once standing she brings Asuka closer, who she herself is unclear on what's going on. As the two log each other on the edge of hugging, Rei leans in and slightly kisses Asuka on the lips. Her warm breath sends a chill up Asuka's spine, not knowing what to make of it she lets Rei rest her head on her should. She kisses her on the forehead as she holds her.
"I'm here for you Rei, I will always be here for you."
Next Problem… Who's naked in a lake…
