/The Last Exodus/
- Lawless Priest -
Before the storm
Lieutenant Ryouji Kaji strode through the halls of the Geofont Nerv's military headquarters. He had just returned from Germania, bringing back with him the Second Child and her EVA Armor and he had much to report to Lord Gendo. The assault was eminent and closing in fast. Time was running thin and with out the other Children, it was doubtful that they would be able to stave off the coming hoards. The King had to know and soon. There was too much at stake.
Passing soldiers and officers on their way towards the mess halls or assignments saluted him with respect. His reputation as the top knight and military adviser in the Army of Nerv was well known throughout the country, but what else could be expected of the King's renowned Majestic Knight. The rumors that The unshaven man was a notorious womanizer and slacker was also widely acknowledged, even if it contrasted greatly with his prowess in battle and duty as a soldier. It was a surprise to many when he was appointed as one the King's Elite Guard Troop, with his widely known aversion to rank and disregard for orders. But like the times, disbelief and disdain had been replaced with respect and awe.
Kaji didn't dwell on these things too much. Thinking too highly of one's self interfered with one's duty and no matter the orders Kaji always did his duty.
He was just about to turn a corner, while smiling at the pretty female officer ahead of him, who blushed at the attention of such as him, when he nearly ran into one Dr. Ritsuko Akagi, the head of the Scientific Division, mainly Project E and the EVA armors.
"Whoa, that could have been nasty. Hey Rits." The unshaven knight offered.
"Oh, it's you." The Doctor deadpanned, an annoyed look crossed her face. She really didn't feel like dealing with Kaji's lady killer antics this early. She he plenty of work that needed done if she was to have any time alone for herself tonight.
"Ah, come on Rits. Is that anyway to treat an old friend." Kaji responded. The word friend was the last thing Ritsuko would have called Kaji, but she couldn't deny that they didn't have history. Nothing of the romantic sort, but they had been acquainted for some time.
"Can we do this some other time, Sir Knight. I've got too much to do to just stand around, wasting time with you." The way she made Knight sound like a curse would have deterred any other man, but this was Rouji Kaji, and he had dealt with Ritsuko's tired business attitude for years. So he gave her his best smile that had wavered many a women to its charm and stepped back to give her some room.
She took the smile and the space in stride and left him to himself. That had never worked on her, probably because she knew him to well, but a man's got to try. "Oh, buy the way Rits, how's the Armors coming? We may need them sooner than we expected." He said all of this in a casual tone, just making conversation., but the doctor knew that Kaji never said anything without merit, whether it be flirtatious or otherwise and he would never joke about something like this.
"They repairs have been completed, but without the right pilots they are pretty much useless." Which was the god's given truth And with only one Trained EVA pilot they were in serious trouble if the attack came early.
"You worry about the Armors and I'll deal with the pilots." He paused before he replied. "This wasn't supposed to get out, but... the Third Child has been found. It's just a matte of bringing him in." His tone was serious and a bit thoughtful.
"If you know who he is why haven't you brought him in yet!" the Doctor shot back.
"It's not that easy Rits. He might not decide to come at all, but we'll deal with that if we have to. The King's waiting for my report so we'll have to touch up again later." His smile returning, trying get the Doctor the dine with him.
"Always a one track mine, Kaji. You never change."
"We all change Rits." He said walking away. "It's just a matter of how much."
"Asuka!" the sudden cry startled a particular red from her task of making the soldiers and knights she had been sparing with look like utter fools. The Red headed warrior had only been in the Capital for a few hours and already she was showing them up and putting them to shame. Turning around she barely dodged a blow intended for her face. Grabbing the outstretched arm of her opponent she tossed the offending fool over her shoulder and with a well placed kick, stifled his cries.
Her foot on the young knights chest, she look to the others gathered about her, her piercing gaze make them flinch involuntarily. None of them wanted to brave the unspoken challenge. "Anyone else." She said with more emotion than her stony expression portrayed. When no answer seemed forth coming, a look of disappointment cross her beautiful features, but its appearance was brief.
Stepping of the downed knight the red head strode toward the object of her previous distraction. "Hikari, why do you always do that?" The young woman in question looked on sheepishly, making a hasty apology.
"Sorry Asuka. I guess I got too excited."
"It's alright, It's been a long awhile since we've seen each other. It's only natural." And with that said, the two girls gave each other a warm hug and a big smile.
Asuka Langley Sorhyu looked over the brown haired woman who she knew as her best friend from back when they were training to become Knights of Nerv. Hakari Horaki still sported her twin pigtails no matter how many times she had told the girl that they made her look like a child. Hakari now 17 and a full Knight had really matured over the years, at least externally. Her modest figure had blossomed nicely, Turning her from a pretty young girl into a beautiful young woman, even with those ever present freckles and pigtails.
"Looking good Hakari, you been working out?" The red head asked.
"Besides weapons training and sparing, no. What about you? You're looking better than ever and you were gorgeous before." Asuka couldn't help but smile at the compliment. Her figure had filled out as well Easily making her the envy of nearly ever women in her immediate vicinity and beyond.
The two friends left the sparing grounds, much to the relief of its occupants, chatting lightly about mundane things and proceeded to catch up with each other's lives as they traveled the halls of the GeoFont.
"So, you're going to be an EVA pilot? Wow, only the best are even considered for that position." The brunette was asking.
"Yep, but I'm still surprised you weren't on the list. You're just as good as I am."
"Well, actually, I'm on the secondary list. When the Newer models are finished, I'll be using one of those." Hakari reluctantly replied.
"You mean after the fix all the bugs in the test models." The red head corrected, thinking it over. "It's nothing to get mad over, I guess it's to be expected. Whatever. So, anyway, what are you going to be doing while you wait?"
"Oh, I'm part of the special task force that's to be deployed with the EVAs."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well... oh, my gosh! I'm going to be late! I'm going to be late! " Hakari screamed and set off running down the hallway, leaving a stunned Asuka behind.
"Hey wait up!"
After catching her breath, her hands on her knees, Asuka, finally was able to question her would be track star friend. "No....'pant' are you... 'pant' going to explain why we ran all this way. I swear we gave that old Colonel we nearly hit a heart attack."
"I'm sorry, but Dr. Akagi asked me to come by Tech Division for a briefing on the new equipment. You reminded me when we were talking, that's all." Hakari replied.
"Oh, and her I thought, you had something so ordinary as a date. Guess you're still as shy as ever when it comes to men, huh?"
"Hey, no I'm not. I just happened to be waiting for the right guy."
"Yeah well, from what I've seen so far, you'll be waiting a long time for one around here. These dummpkopfs are nothing but weak little boys. Nothing like my man Kaji." The dream look on Asuka's couldn't be ignored.
"Still hung over the Majestic Knight are we?"
"He's the best, why look anywhere else?"
"Knight Horaki, I'm glad you could join us." A dry voice interrupted.
"Oh, Dr. Akagi, Sorry I'm late. It won't happen again." The freckled girl stated, her hold demeanor changing. The shy excited girl reverting to the calm and collected military agent in seconds. Hakari's behavior had shocked others before, but Asuka was used to it and so took it in stride.
"Yes, let's hope it doesn't. You're usually pouctually so I'll let it pass." She was about to return to what she had been doing, but she finally noticed Asuka. "And who is this you've brought with you. This is a weapons briefing not a coffee house." The annoyed doctor asked.
"Knight Sergeant Asuka Langley Sorhyu of the Germania Nerv Branch, Ma'am."
"Ah, the Second Child. It's good you came, now I want have to repeat this at the EVA candidates briefing later."
Red eyes looked over the early horizon and the city that lay beneath it from their position atop the hills that surrounded the city men called Tokyo 3. Light winds blew strands of blue hair lazily over them, briefly obstructing their view, before all was clear again. Many mornings had been spent like this, with the owner of said eyes and hair reflecting on the days gone past and what the new one would bring.
This day, more specifically, their thoughts were focused on the coming mission they had been sent on. The particulars of the mission itself were not of consequence, the owner of the red eyes only cared that she been able to leave. Her superiors had kept her within their protective walls for many years, supposedly for her safety and to further her training toward her ultimate purpose. She had learned years ago that the only reason she lived was to fulfill her purpose. Her red eyes had seen what happened to those who had no purpose or could not complete it, and she had no wish to end her existence in the manner that they had.
The echo of footsteps alerted her to the other's presence. Their interruption slightly annoyed her, but she kept her emotions in check, another lesson she had learned well over the years.
"A beautiful morning, don't you agree?" the owner of the footsteps asked. Only silence answered. Her gaze lay fixed on the horizon. Yet this did not seem to deter the other.
"A morning like this must be an omen. What good fortune for us to be heading out on such a day. The mission will surely be a success."
These thoughts were wasted on her. Rain, sleet, hail, or super cataclysmic thunder storm, she cared not at all. As long as she would have some manner of freedom from the old men, she would be satisfied.
"I trust you are ready?"
Turning to toward the speaker to address the only question that had any relevance , her curt reply was a simply hai.
Red eyes regarded red eyes. The only difference between them was the azure boyish hair style and passive expression of hers' and the light gray hopeless mop of hair and friendly smile of his. They were similar in other ways, but she did not want to think on such things right now. Her thoughts always turned dark when she went down that path.
With nothing else to say they both turned once again to the world that they would soon be venturing into. Their thoughts traveling on similar paths, both anticipating to the freedom the mission would entail and the step it would take them towards completing their ultimate goals.
"This should be an interesting assignment, eh Rei? Keel can only send so many spies to watch us. He will have to trust us to do his bidding, us who he has kept within his grasp our whole lives." Red eyes regard their apathetic twin's
"Surely he knows that we seek freedom?" Rei's gray haired companion voiced his concerns with an almost mischievous smile spread wide on his face. Danger always seemed to excite him, and their mission would be extremely dangerous.
"He knows that we know our duty, Nagisa. If we fail there will be no freedom for anyone." Her statement was simple fact. If the Eva Armors could not be recovered then all was lost and Rei could not have that. Without the EVAs they had no way to counteract the Angels coming assault. The world that she longed to roam would forever be reduced to ash in wake of their Hellfire. Only an Eva could defeat an Angel, and only a few could pilot them. Nagisa, and she were one of those few. It was her purpose, and Rei would see it fulfilled.
"True, Ayanami, true, yet doesn't it seem odd that he doesn't believe that we might defect and run off with the EVAs and fight the enemy on our own, free of SEELE and his control."
"No." This statement drew a surprised gasp from her companion.
"You know something I do not?"
"No."
"You merely do not care?"
"Hai."
"I see." This he said with a smile, but Rei didn't care. Only the mission mattered, the defeat of the Seventeen. Once it was complete, she would find him, SEELE or no SEELE, she would find him once again.
The wind blew again and a whisper, spoken softly, yet with conviction, was carried on its wings. "Wait for me, brother. Wait for me."