Everlasting Coda
By ArchangelUK
A/N: Well, it's been almost a year since this was updated, yikes! Incidentally is there ANYTHING FF . Net won't remove? I mean for freakin' sake if I can't put square brackets, asteriks or less/greater thans in for something (the MAGI bit in this chapter) what can I do? It even removed it's own address from my rant just now, hence spacing.... GRRR! Anyway, I haven't given up on Coda; it's just that I've literally not been able to get back into Evangelion for that long a time. Yes there are still 35 parts to this planned, I've already got most of what goes on in part 10 in place. Now though is time to start arc three, and the battle against the twelfth angel.
I don't own Neon Genesis Evangelion. However, I own the severed head of Kaworu Nagisa which is mounted on my wall with the addition of a pair of antlers sticking out of his head. Naturally I expect this to win the Turner Prize next year...
(Arc 3: Divergence)
Part 9: In The Eye Of The Beholder
"Ask, and it shall be given
you;
Seek, and ye shall find;
Knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
- Matthew 7 -
(Panicked Journeys)
Angel Attack Plus 0:01
"Crap. Crap. Crap."
The rapid thumps of rubber soled shoes echoed throughout the stairwell as Asuka and Shinji sprinted down the stairs, their emergency bags tightly in their grasp. Shinji led slightly, having had to do this run more times than Asuka. The pair said nothing to each other, each though cursed in their own way at whatever had happened this time.
"Come on!" A white haired man in a black baseball cap, shades and black bomber jacket called as he waited by the door which he was holding it open with his body. A white NERV logo signalled he was their driver, which meant only one thing - it was an angel. Asuka and he bundled through the exit out onto the street where a humvee like vehicle was parked up in the pavement, the vehicle had tinted windows that were also bullet-proof and possessed the red fig leaf symbol of NERV.
Asuka literally dived in the back first, Shinji slung her bag in after her followed by his both of which she caught before helping Shinji in. The back was slammed shut as the driver, also possessing a NERV logo on his cap and an ID card at his belt threw himself into the front and tore off in the direction of the entrance to the Geofront.
Asuka and Shinji held onto the leather straps that were attached to the ceiling as the car screamed through the side streets. Oddly it was Asuka who broke the silence.
"So... doing anything interesting today?"
(Regulations)
Time To Angel Attack:- 9:49
Rei stood before her direct superior at textbook attention, her body straight and poised for inspection. She was under no illusions that she was to be punished for her actions; after all she had directly disobeyed a direct order from the Commander of NERV. Plus there was the additional breaking of at least three general codes of conduct for NERV personnel.
Had she not been a pilot, Rei would most likely have been suspended indefinitely and in the worse instance 'reposted indefinitely' which usually involved the application of a wooden coffin. However she knew this would not happen.
What she didn't know was what was going to happen, for to her knowledge she had never been disciplined by Sub-Commander Fuyutski. She had been here, in his office, for six minutes now and as yet he had not spoken or even looked at her once. He was a mysterious man was Kozo Fuyutski, many claimed that while Commander Ikari was a mystery to most the Sub-Commander was the biggest enigma of all, something Rei agreed with. She had never really spent that much time dealing with him directly. She did know he was much different from the Commander, she also knew that the Commander greatly respected the man though he naturally had never voiced this private opinion. Yet in his own roundabout way he let it be known.
Seven minutes Rei's internal clock told her, and still he had not looked up. Fuyutski was busy reading through some kind of report, making notes here and there, crossing out bits and altering details as he saw fit.
Fuyutski's office was very different in comparison with Commander Ikari's, she had been most places in NERV - including all those of level 10 classification (and above). Yet she had never been inside his office before, at least that she could recall and her memory was exemplary... apart from that fuzzy patch when she was about five or six. Something happened then, but... nevermind.
Where as Gendo Ikari's office was an enormous foreboding place full of darkness and strategically placed spotlights, designed by it's owner to be as intimidating as possible and large enough to remind all of his power. Fuyutski's was more in line with the traditional western idea of what an office was. It was still large mind you as status duly required, a good seven metres by ten was Rei's pretty accurate guess but compared to Gendo's office Rei felt positively claustrophobic. The large desk in front of her was a grey colour just a shade darker than his hair and the walls were a dirty blue of similar hue. Around the room the equivalent of skirting boards were 'NERV red' and the carpet - which was in itself new - was a midnight blue which on closer scrutiny revealed the watermarked NERV logo repeated across it's fuzzy surface.Where as the Commander's office was form and business Fuyutski's was an extension of himself it seemed. There was a lot of work on his desk, Not nearly as much as on Major Katsuragi's. Rei thought, but still a great deal. There was a bookcase laden with books both contemporary and modern on a variety of subjects. The walls had several paintings on them, paintings which proved to Rei that whatever the case, Fuyutski made a great deal of money from working for NERV. There was a picture of waterlillies by Monet, a painting by the French post-impressionist painter Paul Gauguin. There was a landscape of Tokyo - the old Tokyo that is, but she didn't recognise the painting and couldn't make out the name on the gold plate from her current position. There were photos too, a picture of the original Gehern team sans Fuyutski, pictures of parts of the current NERV complex, original framed blueprints of the MAGI signed by the late Dr.Akagi. For some reason the hairs on the back of her neck rose as she saw this. Not forgetting more schematics of the Evangelions this time and in a complete contrast some original blueprints that were unmistakably Leonardo Da Vinci's.
Rei was impressed.
Rei was never impressed.
Another corner of the room held a rather overgrown rubber plant on top of a hi-fi unit that seemed almost to blend in with the wall giving it the appearance that the plant floated magically in mid-air.
EIGHT minutes.
Looking back at the old man she noticed a number of smaller pictures on his desk facing him. Perhaps his family, she thought but Fuyutski's records stated quite clearly that he had no living relatives. That was not unexpected; most NERV records said that at least those of the higher command did. In Fuyutski's case though, the fact was genuine. The man really was on his own, perhaps that's why he spent so much time with Commander Ikari. Now that she thought about it this whole office looked much more like the setup for someone who barely left it.
It suddenly dawned on her that Fuyutski never left it, because he simply had nowhere else to go. Just as she thought this the old man looked up at her.
"That will be all Miss Ayanami."
"Sir?" Rei was genuinely taken aback, lost in her musings she mistakenly thought she heard the Sub-Commander dismiss her.
"I said dismissed pilot." Fuyutski handed back her notes neither smiling nor frowning, his face a kind of benevolent blank. "Please don't make me repeat myself a third time."
"Sir." Rei bowed her head respectfully spun on her heel and with notes in hand walked out of the room. Fuyutski watched her leave, then with a small smile turned back to his paperwork.
Once outside Rei paused and tried to figure out just what the heck had just happened.
Was it a warning? Some kind of punishment without any actual punishment?
She wished wholeheartedly that she could understand such things, but the knowledge she required to do so simply wasn't there. Not only that but her notes felt slightly heavier than before, opening the file she found three things. The first was a piece of paper with the number 555-3226, from her training she knew this to be a code relating to surveillance. Cellotaped onto this was a memory stick for controlling surveillance devices. Rei correctly assumed this was for the bar. The second was a small booklet, emblazoned with the unoriginal slogan 'My First Piano' and the third was another piece of paper on which the number 601 was written.
She recognized this instantly too, the number was the MAGI's code for 'unknown'. He was telling her that he didn't know and more importantly wouldn't know either. Rei closed the file and felt her heart lighten a little, she - and Shinji had an ally.
Fuyutski examined the painting in his office, a present from many years ago. He lightly brushed a finger over the mahogany frame and was annoyed to find his cleaner wasn't doing her job properly. He was now committed to a path that directly opposed Ikari's, which in turn was a direct opposition of the committee.The painting.
Fuyutski smiled, old Tokyo; how he remembered the smell of the place.
(Welcome To The Red Zone)
Time To Angel Attack:- 0:03
10:13AM, a Thursday in fact.
So, it was the Red Zone once more.
The steaming pot of (now drinkable) fresh coffee never looked so inviting, Makoto Hyruga sighed contentedly as he slumped back into his seat once more having broken the regulations a record third time this now extremely long shift. The way he saw it NERV broke the civil code this night, no last night he corrected glancing at his watch. He was no longer the angry one out of himself and best friend Shigeru Aoba, he had resigned himself to the fact that they had been dumped here with now three consecutive shifts thus having to work a monstrous twenty-two and a half hours pretty much straight. Aoba like he had finally given up all hope of the relief team arriving to take over from them and had been taking it in turns with Hyruga to have one hour off, one hour on. Makoto had been using his hour to get as mentioned previously more of the precious terracotta coloured nectar whose sole caffeinated goodness had kept his eyes from being welded closed. He looked at his daigojins as well, the precious manga stash locked and hidden away in his personal desk cabinet. Opening said drawer Makoto got out his favourite Municipal Force Daitenzin manga and began to flick through it to the place he'd last got to.
"You know, one of these days you'll actually grow up." A stressed looking Aoba muttered his hands a blur on the keyboard as he tried to fix a problem that had occurred with one of the maintenance bay door on level 18. For some reason they kept emergency opening, at first he thought it was some kind of prank but he had realised the sensors on that level were picking something up.
"And maybe one of these days you'll actually play a real guitar of yours in here instead of the air one you're so fond of Shigeru." Makoto shot back.
"Hmmph."
::::REQUEST OVERRIDE;
::::L18-4299
::::DOOR.EMERGOPEN(0)
::::ARGS(0)
::::CODE: 6477-223
::::PRIORITY: 1
::::
::::
::::REQUESTING....
Shigeru glowered at the screen; he'd called up the monitor readings from the Melchior and discovered that there was a life form in that room. The room was supposed to be air tight as some vital and sensitive equipment was in there, somehow though and despite all the wondrous security NERV had in place it seemed something had managed to breach all that expensive hardware and highly trained personnel. Knowing this of course the MAGI when scanning different rooms that are supposed to be air tight open said door so any trapped life form won't suffocate to death. However, that scanning program was based around the idea that humans (or Pattern: Red humans) are counted yet this did not take into account anything else possessing a pattern red.
Like the mouse.
Which could never get in, oh no.
So now, unable to get the MAGI to associate the scan differently he was trying to convince them it was important the doors stayed closed no matter what.
::::CONFLICT!
"What?"
::::CODE: 132
::::DELIBERATION...
"What is it?"
"Grr, stupid Caspar has instigated a code 132 conference to decide my request."
Makoto chuckled, "Heh, you gotta love these computers."
"No. You. Do. Not."
"MAGI DECISION AS FOLLOWS:" The loud speaker hummed into life so the voice of the Magi could be heard.
"Well, here we go."
"MELCHIOR: NEGATIVE, BALTHASAR: AFFIRMATIVE, CASPAR: NEGATIVE."
"Ah nuts." Makoto laughed as Shigeru hit his head against the keyboard.
"OVERRULED! OVERRULED! OVERRULED!"
"Overruled! Overruled!" Shigeru mocked in a whiny voice, "I'll show you you great lolloping-"
-Alarm?
Sirens rung out over the Command Centre, Makoto flung his comic away from him and rolled on his chair back to his station. The monitor bank lit up with all sorts of data as dormant instruments burst into multicoloured life. He struggled briefly to get his headset on then immediately set about locating the problem.
"What've you got Makoto?"
"Alarms in the C-9, C-10 and D-11 districts. We've got massive gravitronic and trans-organic readings across the spectrum, MAGI are scanning. Can you get a visual on the screen?"
"Working on it."
"MAGI scanning complete. It's Pattern: Orange!"
"Got the visual, coming up." He jabbed a flashing key forcefully. "Now!"
After the briefest of brief pauses up on the screen appeared a black sphere, dashed with white lines that made it look like some kind of gigantic spherical fat zebra. Its design, although it could hardly be called this appeared to resemble some kind of modernistic art work. The fact it was floating in mid air dispelled any ideas Makoto Hyruga had that it was such and the people running in terror suggested that it wasn't a hot air balloon either.
"It's big." Was all Aoba managed to say, looking in awe at the sight.
"It's also an Angel. Get the pilots up and over here now, and I mean now!" He slammed his hand down on a button and the MAGI began the Evangelion automatic prepping process. Scooping up a phone in his free hand and flicking the speed dial for Misato's phone with his index finger, the lieutenant never let his eyes stray from the screen. "Why the hell didn't Matsushiro spot this?"
(Know Your Enemies)Time To Angel Attack:- 2:59
The effects of the previous night were all too real, shaking his head to remove the cobwebs turned out to be a very bad thing to do and made the room seemingly whirl about him in a myriad of bright neon colours. Groaning slightly, Kaji willed his fingers to tap faster and his liver to stop complaining. Neither happened. This was it, the door behind which one of his goals lay. A confirmation of all that he had suspected from almost the very beginning, not the actual beginning of course. The NERV conspiracy was a multilayered one, a bit like an onion, this would be the start of the next layer of skin a new membrane of lies, spies and espionage. It would not be the truth he found behind this door though, truth was a word hardly spoken in NERV and there were few people he'd trust not to be in the employ of those who sought things to remain that way.
Mulling it over as he subconsciously reached out and checked the card in his pocket was still in his pocket and not somehow sprung little arms and legs and climbed out. Kaji realised his options were rather limited after this, in one instance this was a relief, the fewer the number of paths the greater the chance of choosing the correct one, supposedly. The thing that worried him was that the penalty for being caught was now certain death, probably a painful uncaring one.
The sign above did little to discourage this possibility:
KEEP OUT
Main L.C.L Plant: Circulation Line No.3
The above wasn't a lie, merely a half-truth something that actually made Kaji laugh when he saw it. If truth was all but extinct in NERV, a half-truth was like finding a dodo dancing with a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The fact that the other five circulation lines were dummies and all led to what was little more than empty broom cupboards was visible to anyone who bothered to have a vaguely detailed look at NERV's blueprints. Which were available to anyone as a rule of Japanese construction law, of course you needed to know what cover name NERV was using and which obscure section they had been put but even so.
Trespassers will be shot on sight.
Violators will be liable for penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment, $100,000
fine, or both.
Oh well, at least when they took the money from his account and slung him in jail he'd be dead anyway.
He would have to ensure his knowledge was passed on to somebody, somebody trustworthy who could use it to finish his task should Section-2 or some other individual or organisation take it upon themselves to strap a name tag to the toe of his still warm corpse.
But who?
Ritsuko was in this conspiracy right up to her ruby red roots; the Doctor was the one after all who had warned him the previous evening that his incursions into NERV's business had not gone unnoticed. That admission, coded as it was, was enough to make him think twice about his little incursion this morning.
There was the sub-commander, but he already knew 99 of what went on in Ikari's mind and also knew of his actions anyway. The only good thing to come out of that was that he had seemingly allied himself, on a secretly private level at least against Ikari and SEELE.
The Lieutenants. Hyruga and Aoba he didn't really know on a personal level but he knew full well they didn't trust him all that much - especially Aoba after the Maya incident. Hyruga was a different kettle of fish however, investigations had led him to the conclusion that Misato's right hand man was steadfastly loyal to her. He paused briefly and stroked his chin, would he be man enough to stay with her if he knew about NERV's secrets? He after all was one of the bridge crew which put him in a good position theoretically to thwart Ikari and his goals, whatever those really were.
Of course all three of the techs had spoken up for the children at one time or another but none more so than the aforementioned Maya, which put her relatively near the top of his list. She was just as skilled as Ritsuko, distinctly slower obviously in computing terms but the term 'bright spark' could have been coined just for her. Her protective attitude towards the children was something that Kaji considered a real boon to potential success. Misato and himself could only be around so much, Ritsuko would be more than happy to sacrifice Rei, Asuka and Shinji if it suited the scenario. So someone else who was ready to go out on a limb to protect them or brave enough to challenge a decision was a good guy (or gal) in his book. There was of course the Ritsuko factor, Maya's relationship with her sempai was if anything significantly stronger than that between Misato and Lt.Hyruga. A fact, baring in mind Ritsuko's higher allegiance and role as virtual third-in-command of NERV that wasn't particularly handy.
That left few; Asuka was a distinct no-no for reasons he really didn't have to mentally go into. Shinji... couldn't really help as much as the others but at some stage he would have to know. It was inevitable. Rei had been a questionable candidate though he'd never really spoke to her. The invisible politics being played out between Gendo Ikari and the unwitting, unsuspecting and clueless to it Shinji had put her back into the equation. He was sure from what he learned there was more to the First Child than met the eye, a fact he was hoping to clarify after he got this blasted door open.
The small element of his brain that suggested Pen-Pen was immediately denied blood flow by the rest of his brain and was slowly replaced by 'sensible' brain cells.
Finally he finished and brought the card down to swipe through the key lock reader, the sudden click of a gun being cocked and application of a revolvers steel barrel to the back of his head made him stop. A female voice cleared her throat pointedly.
He cast his eyes round to his left and raised his hands in the air, "Hi."
"Kaji."
"Misato." The Major's grip tightened on her weapon, the barrel twisting slightly against the back of her boyfriend's head. "Feeling better this morning are we?"
"I'm sober now thank you." Misato said with genuine sincerity, though Kaji lost this having a cocked gun at the back of his skull.
"I'm glad to hear that." And he was, considering the state he'd left her in the previous evening. It seemed Misato's ability to remove alcohol from her system quickly (when she wanted to) hadn't disappeared over the years.
"Is this your real profession Kaji, or just something you do part-time?"
"What do you think?"
"It would seem to be that there must be at least two Ryoji Kaji's here. One works for NERV special inspection and the other would appear to be working for the Japanese government."
"Hmm." Kaji's lips twitched, "So you knew."
"Don't underestimate NERV." Misato said forcefully, Kaji bit his lip. So she doesn't know the rest just as I thought.
"Was this ordered by Ikari?"
"No, my initiative but if you stay with this other job you'll die."
She's good. Kaji thought, She has to be the one - and who better? I don't want to lie to her anymore, especially after last night when she was so truthful to me. He drew himself up straight.
"Perhaps not. Commander Ikari is using me for his own ends, but I am sorry that I've kept this secret from you."
"I'll let it pass; repayment for your help yesterday."
"I'd appreciate that." Kaji tried not to sound too relieved, "But you should know that the Commander and Ritsuko are keeping something hidden from you as well." His eyes flicked down to the key lock, sensing her sudden confusion he made his move "-And this is it!"
The key slid through the lock before Misato could react and the giant door opened, it was very bright in the chamber. Misato had to shield her eyes as light flooded the corridor, but she could make out something very big attached to a colossal cross.
"Oh my God..." Misato's eyes widened, "Is that an Eva?"
Memories came flooding back to the Major, Antarctica, the Katsuragi Research Project, her father, the giant of light, Second Impact...
"No." She whispered, "No i-it can't be."
"Yes." Kaji walked into Terminal Dogma, Misato numbly followed. "The key to the Second Impact and everything that has happened since, the starting point of everything. This is Adam."
"Adam?" Misato's eyes looked up over the beast, its head titled limply forward crucified by giant grey nails through its palms. It had no legs, they had apparently been severed and she didn't want to know what had happened to them. A giant dual forked spear was protruding from the Angel's chest. A giant steel mask baring the obvious mark of SEELE covered its features. "But why is the first Angel here? You're right Kaji, I don't know NERV. I don't know NERV at all!"
Misato's eyes didn't know where to look; this thing in front of her was responsible for her father's death and the death of millions around the world. She hated it and yet it had been under here, her very feet, for the last God knows how many months or years. She looked at the Angel and wanted to feel angry with it, but the sight of it on the cross... It was then she noticed for the first time the orange blood dripping down the cross from the torso. Orange blood. She'd seen it before; this really was the L.C.L plant.
Misato collapsed to her knees, "I feel sick." She muttered.
"Well don't throw up here; I don't want to clean up any evidence."
"They brought it here, somehow... and crucified it? Good God hadn't we learned anything over the past two-thousand years?"
"Some would say that this is poetic justice." Kaji looked the Angel over. "I do not. I can answer your previous question though - why is it here? Have you ever wondered why it is exactly that the Angels always attack Tokyo-3? Why not somewhere else? Some other branch of NERV, maybe one of those which are endeavouring to build more Evangelions. Destroy them first then come to us, makes it all the more easier for the next one should it fail. The fact is having Adam here is the only guarantee the Angels will strike in the same place, they want Adam back."
Misato tried to get to her feet and found she couldn't, Kaji helped her when she failed a second time.
"Why did you show me this?"
"Because you needed to know."
"I don't understand."
"I don't want to lie to you Misato; Ikari has some rather unsavoury plans for the Evangelions after the Angels are destroyed. The committee too have they're own agenda, I don't know what they are yet but I intend to find out. I... fear for Shinji and Asuka."
That got Misato's attention, "Why?"
"The doctor and Ikari see little value in them; I need you to keep a special look out for them."
"What about Rei?"
Kaji paused for a few seconds, "I've got the feeling she can handle herself."
"Kaji?"
"Yes."
"Get me out of here..."
(Chequered)Time To Angel Attack:- 2:40
"You seem pleased Ikari."
"How so?"
"You're smiling, or your equivalent to it." Fuyutski wasn't smiling, he'd been told to join Ikari on this little helicopter jaunt and he'd now found out it was because the twelfth was arriving imminently. The children had been left to deal with this threat on their own.
"The cat's paw has told me the committee will take no further interest in the business with the Third Child."
"And you believed him?"
"I see no reason why not."
"He follows his own rules."
"And these rules will eventually lead to his elimination, but for now he has his uses and I intend to make use of them. A wise chess player will fight just as hard with his pawns as with his knights and his queen, to remove your eyes from the board for a second will only allow your opponent an opportunity."
"An opportunity? Is that so?"
"Yes Professor, an opportunity to make a move and not see it."
"So we leave your pawns to fight alone King Ikari?" There was an edge to the old man's voice Gendo didn't like or appreciate, his eyes told the sub-commander this fact.
"It is necessary to ensure the continued success of the projects, all of which I have informed the old men are on schedule."
"Including Rei?" Fuyutski could feel rage boil up suddenly inside Gendo then just as suddenly abate, the Commander stayed silent. "Well, I won't press you."
The duel rotor helicopter sped off over the sea to Tokyo-2; Fuyutski got up from his seat and moved to another by the other window opposite. He didn't feel like being near Ikari right now.
King takes Queen's Knight, sacrifices Queen...
(Beneath A Steel Sky)Angel Attack Plus 0:35
Hikari Horaki looked anxiously about section 12 Alpha of Geoshelter 334, all around her were various people she knew - her class for example were all in attendance with the exception of Asuka, Shinji and Rei. She had left her girl friends and was now though searching for the other missing youth, Touji Suzahara. She looked cautiously about her; the shelter was a safe house from the Angels yes however there were enough weirdoes about to keep her on her guard. It only wanted one pervert to think he was going to die anyway and anything alone and in a school skirt and uniform was in trouble.
Right now she was right on the border of her section, the black and yellow stripes a warning marker in more ways than one. However she knew Suzahara would be in her section or nowhere, he knew the importance of getting to the correct shelter and more importantly staying in it after that mess with the fourth angel and him being trapped in Evangelion Unit 01 with Shinji and Kensuke.
"Touji!" She called out, cupping her hands around her mouth as she did so. Undignified maybe for a class representative to do and distinctly informal but the young jock's absence was beginning to worry her. She'd do this of course for any missing student but, this after all was him - why did it have to be him? Kensuke had told her he had been to visit his little sister Mara which was why he hadn't turned up for class this morning. It was unusual for him to miss school to visit her though, she had always been under the impression Mara was very much against him visiting if she thought he was just using her to goof off school. Not that he ever would.
"Class rep?"
Hikari spun around to find herself looking at Kensuke, "Oh, Mr Aida!"
"No luck finding Touji huh?"
She cast her eyes downwards, "No, I'm afraid not."
"Mmmm." Kensuke stroked his chin and pushed his spectacles slightly further up his nose with his index finger of the same hand. "Well, if you're gonna be wandering around I'd best accompany you."
"Would you?"
"Sure! Somebody has to protect you from any fraught dangers around."
"You? Yeah right..."
"Well I'll have to do."
"Hmm, I suppose so." She was smiling when she said this, Kensuke was many things - geek, hentai, army mad nutcase but he did have a sense of honour.
They searched for what must have been about twenty minutes, during which time they caught up on things mainly news on their mutual friends which tended to be Touji and Shinji. Talk turned to Asuka naturally enough though Kensuke was understandably none too thrilled by any rumours of 'The Demon' and Shinji becoming closer.
"Urrgh, I've seen month old ramen with less stomach-churning ability than that thought."
Hikari giggled, "I don't know, I think he'd be good for her."
"That may be, of course it would be dependant on a lot of things but I see your point. He'd certainly be a good influence on her; even you've got to admit Class Rep that sometimes she's a little... well..." Kensuke searched for a decent wording.
"Overzealous?" Hikari suggested and Kensuke shrugged.
"Well, that's certainly one way of putting it yes. You're forgetting the big thing though, Shinji-Asuka would be good for Asuka but it'd be the end of Shinji for sure!"
"She's not that bad."
"No." A new voice replied for Kensuke, looking up the pair found themselves looking at Touji Suzahara his face seemed to suggest confusion but there was the customary spark of mischief in his eyes that always made Hikari's heart skip a beat. "She's worse."
"Suzahara!"
"Hey, Touji. We've been looking all over for ya." Kensuke slapped him on the shoulder, "Where've you been?"
"Ah, I got caught up halfway between here and the hospital when the Angel attack sirens went off. I had to do a bit of shelter hopping to make my way down here."
"Did you see it?!" Kensuke gasped grabbing his tracksuit, "What did it look like?"
"Will you chill 'Suke?" Touji released himself from the stooge's grasp and straightened the material, "Let's get back to 12-A and I'll tell you on the way."
And that's what exactly what Touji did, he explained about how the monstrous sphere was hovering over the city. How several of the Eva external cable leads had appeared on the surface, presumably for an imminent attack and how he had dashed from place to place in order to achieve safety.
"How was Mara?" Hikari asked, Touji smiled and Hikari suddenly had difficulty in thinking straight.
"She's doing better, not much better mind you but she's improving steadily. They're looking into some new techniques being pioneered in the States at the moment, I don't think I was supposed to see this but on one of the medical sheets was a NERV symbol."
"NERV?" Kensuke frowned, "Hmm, maybe Major Katsuragi's pulled some strings for you."
"I doubt it." Touji said, "She would have said, besides it's still very up in the air I think, lots of red tape and red type like 'Top Secret' all over the files."
"Still if NERV have the ability you know we do happen to know several very important members of their staff." Hikari suggested, "We could ask them if they could make some enquiries."
Kensuke cupped his chin for a moment and then began to fish around in his bag for his small portable radio and headphones. "Ask Shinji you mean. It's not like something Ayanami or Asuka would do if you get what I'm saying."
A large rumble from above stopped the group momentarily in their tracks, loud echoing thumps reverberated through the great shelter. They were familiar with the noises, Evangelions weren't exactly known for being light on their feet.
"I hope they'll be alright." Hikari whispered unnecessarily, eyes scanning the great steel beams above them which even here in hidden away inside what Kensuke believed to be close to the Geofront NERV was based in creaked lightly under protest from above.
"I wonder which one of them that is." Asked Touji suddenly, he too looking upwards at where the sound was coming from. "Maybe it's Ayanami, it seems quieter than usual."
"Why would that be Ayanami?" Came Kensuke's reply, "I know the girl's stick thin but I doubt that'll-"
"-Don't you observe anything from behind those glasses of yours?" Touji slapped the back of his head, "Ayanami if you hadn't noticed is much quieter than the others, she's also much more deliberate in what she does. If it was Asuka's all guns-blazing style we'd be sitting here with our hands over our ears."
"It could always be Shinji you know." Hikari said, waving at a friend whom she'd just seen.
Touji shrugged. "Perhaps."
"Do you worry about them up there, facing that thing and whatever else is coming our way?" Hikari asked Kensuke who was still fiddling about with his radio. "What are you doing there anyway?"
"I'm trying to see if I can pick up the communications link between the Evangelions that way we can listen in and find out what's happening." Kensuke reached once more into his school rucksack fished out a strange looking gizmo strapped to a piece of wood the size of an old fashioned computer floppy disk. Hikari reached up and took the radio out of the boys mouth where'd he'd placed it having run out of hands.
Around them the groans and noise had begun to increase in volume, some people stared upwards slack-jawed others sobbed and whimpered in fear, a few were shouting obscenities and cursing God while others were in silent prayer. On one side of the shelter Hikari could make out a priest who was leading a group of about twelve people in some sort of sermon. Yet on the other side a slightly plump man, unshaven with a shirt stained with what looked like paint was leading around about the same number in a sermon as well, but the exact opposite of what the priest was saying. Having reached the rest of her class, Hikari sat down and was a little bit surprised to see Touji and Kensuke join her, the latter taking back his radio.
"Thanks." He said, and then upon removing the backing began attaching several wires to the radio from his device.
"Kensuke what exactly are you doing?" Asked Touji as his friend busied himself with a screwdriver.
"Well, you don't think any old radio can pick up their transmissions do you?"
"No, I suppose they can't."
"Well this here is a signal booster, it increases the spectrum the radio can pick up and can also unscramble encoded transmissions."
Hikari looked at the mess of wires, transistors and resistors. "You made this?"
"Yeah." Kensuke replied his brow in a knot of concentration as he worked. "It wasn't anything major to do, even NERV has to abide by some laws of science they only have so many channels they can use which aren't affected by background radiation and the traditional citizen transmissions. Even an old analogue radio like this can pick up digital signals but it doesn't understand them so you have to help it out and tune it in correctly. This is just stuff available at any hardware store; you just need a few Yen a little bit of knowledge and a few hours or so to put the stuff together."
"And this will work?"
"I don't see why not."
"Why use an analogue radio in this day and age?"
"Easier to tune with the dial to be honest, plus I kind of have a fondness for the retro stuff." Kensuke allowed himself a small smile; it was interesting to see how his attitude changed during his work. He was a machine; fast, efficient and single minded yet decidedly un-machinelike was the smile which he kept as he worked.
"Anything to somehow get you into an Evangelion again, huh?" Touji chuckled, but Kensuke shot him a look that made the elder boy stop his amusement. Even after what they had seen inside Eva 01 Kensuke wanted to be an Evangelion pilot, wanted it more than anything in the world. For some reason though Kensuke seemed to be the only person besides Asuka who wanted the job; he doubted Rei really wanted to be an Evangelion pilot despite the air of indifference she gave off. Shinji's opinions were well documented on the subject, but no-one else Kensuke knew could really say they wanted to pilot an Evangelion. In this era of communications blackouts though Kensuke just wanted to know the truth of how his friends were doing.
As the boy turned back to his work, Hikari allowed herself a small indulgence by gently cupping Touji's elbow and leading him a few steps away from Kensuke.
"Pretty intense isn't he?" Touji commented, his eyes betraying some surprise at Hikari's actions. She smiled lightly, hoping the butterflies in her stomach weren't a signal that any pinkness was appearing on her cheeks.
"I think when Aida-kun is concerned for his friends intense is a good way to sum up his actions." It was, and they were pink.
"Thank you for asking about Mara by the way, it's... nice someone else cares about her."
"T-That's okay." Hikari turned away slightly, pink now replaced by profusely burning red.
"Next time I'm in I'll tell her you asked after her."
"Oh, you don't have to do that!"
"Why not? It'll really help cheer her up, she doesn't smile as much as she used to nowadays." Hikari wondered whether or not Shinji ever visited her, but she doubted he could ever pick up the courage to face the young girl. A pity, she thought.
"You... really care about her don't you?"
"Care? She's my sister; I love her with everything I am. I'd do anything for her to get better."
And that was when Hikari Horaki really fell in love with Touji Suzahara.
Static screamed from the small radio and Kensuke after a few rapid twiddles of his screwdriver on an adjustable resistor managed to extract a few words from the speakers."Oui, j'aime la patinoire. Et tu..."
"...And now on BBC Radio 4, The Archers - and this week there's trouble at the farmhouse for..."
"...SCHNELL! SCHNELL! ZWEI..."
"...is the world service..."
"...triple play situation here folks, two outs and bases loaded with..."
"...keep up your end of the bargain then huh First Child?"
"Wait that's it!" Hikari knelt down besides Kensuke and plucked the tool from his hand to avoid him adjusting it anymore. Sadly she had been too late, the signal now slightly broken reverberated outwards intermingled with static.
"You.....point then....Misato....ahead.""What... thing?"
"Shin....ground!"
"....Blue! Angel........cycling....attack!"
"What is.... shadow? What the hell.... happening?"
Touji's face looked ashen, he clenched his fists. "I don't care what you say Kensuke, ain't no way you'd ever get me in one of those things again.""....Ikari!""Idiot you....shrrrrrrrrkkkk....gear!"
"What's....on?"
"Shinji retreat! Shinji!"Some explosions, like gunshots followed.
"Misato! Can.... hear me Misato!........HEELLLLP MEEEEE!!!!"
"....ka, Rei - rescue....One....!"
"MISATO! CAN YOU HEAR ME MISATO? MISAGHHHHH...................................."
And then the radio transmission cut off.
To Be Continued...
Please review... pwease? In the next part : The fight, the resolution and the 'next spare' arrives and it's not necessarily who you might think...
ArchangelUK 0:o)
