Chapter 0:11 On The Run
"Ok, help me to understand this," Misato asked, rubbing her face. "How do you LOSE an Evangelion almost twice the size of a standard Eva?"
"It was launched by the Fifth Child with apparently no pilot," Ritsuko stated, "How it was able to operate with an empty Entry Plug in it is beyond me."
"Where's Kaworu now?" Misato asked, sitting back down at her desk.
"We have him in lock up," Ritsuko informed.
"Is he saying WHY he did that?" Misato asked rubbing her temples as her headache grew.
"All he said was it was what he was meant to do, and we would understand in a short time."
"I'm going to talk to him," Misato said standing up, "Keep the Evas on Standby."
Misato made it down to the holding level, and walked up to Kaworu's cell. "Hello, Kaworu," Misato said approaching the silver-haired boy.
"Greetings, Commander, how are you today?" Kaworu greeted as if they were anywhere but separated by steel bars.
"I'll get straight to it, what did you do with Eva S-01 today?" Misato asked, narrowing her eyes.
"You know, you are no different then the previous commander, hypocritical and self-serving," Kaworu stated, glancing up at the shocked Misato's eyes. "I know, Misato, I know you hate anything to do with Angels, I know that you are so blinded by that anger and hatred that you turned on the boy whom you said you thought of as your own son mere hours ago without looking at all angles and possibilities."
"You don't know …"
"I know more about the Angels then you think," Kaworu smiled slightly, "A lot more then you think. And you know what? The Angels have been holding back because of our caring for human beings. But the Archangels, they're different. And no matter what weapons, how many Evangelions, if they attack in force you will all be destroyed. And your one hope to stand up against them you just basically threw away because of a misconception and lack of trust."
"You're not making any sense, Kaworu …" Misato stated, shifting to her 'command mode'.
"Am I not?" Kaworu laughed, "Just hope Asuka can do what she is meant to. I've done my job; it's up to her now."
Misato started to continue her questioning when the alarm sounded. She made it to the command bridge in record time and asked Misato what the situation was.
"It's back." Ritsuko said, bring an image on the monitor. Unit S-01 was in the air and approaching rapidly.
A window popped up with Asuka's angry face, "Ok, Commander Katsuragi, you've got option A and option B. Option A is you let Shinji go. Option B is me and my friend here come in and take him."
"Asuka, bring the Eva down and let's talk about this rationally," Misato tried to reason.
"You had that chance, Katsuragi," Asuka hissed, "Shinji was ok. Who ordered Wondergirl to take him out, huh?"
"We can't let him go, at least until we're sure he's no harm to anyone around him," Misato stated, holding a steel resolve.
"Option B it is then."
Unit S-01 let out a monstrous roar before dive-bombing down on the pyramid-shaped fortress. The Super Evangelion's glowing claws cut through its armored sides and tore through the base with ease.
"The Eva is burrowing through the levels!" Maya gasped, watching her panel carefully.
"Get Unit 00 down there now," Misato shot, "But no lethal force… if we can help it …"
"You mean if Unit 00 can actually use lethal force against S-01." Ritsuko piped in seriously.
After several moments of digging, the Super-class Eva finally reached the lower detention levels. "Shinji's got to be around here somewhere…" Asuka mused as the Entry Plug rose from the back of the massive bio-machine. She quickly climbed out and dashed down the hall, looking in every window along the way.
Finally she came to a screeching halt. There he was. On the other side of a glass wall was Shinji bond to a metal table. 'Hang on, Shinji, I'll get you out …' Asuka thought as she fiddled with the electronic lock. Finally she got the cover off and began tweaking the wires waiting for the red light to change to green. After many tries the light changed to green and the door slid open. "Who's bad? I'm bad!" Asuka cheered herself before running in to where Shinji laid dazed.
"Mien Gott, what have they done to you, Baka?" Asuka asked working at his bindings as Shinji opened his cloudy eyes.
"Asuka? What are you doing here?" Shinji asked, in a slightly slurred voice. "I'm an Archangel, remember? I'm an enemy. I deserve …" Shinji's statement was cut off by Asuka's hand squeezing his neck.
"You listen, and you listen good, Baka," Asuka hissed, "I don't care what you say, I don't care what Misato says, I know you're my Shinji and anyone who says differently has a can of whoop ass with their name on it, that includes you, Baka-Shinji. Am I clear?"
"Crystal …" Shinji grunted, and gasped as his throat was freed from the girl's vice grip.
Asuka finally undid the last of his binding and helped him stand, his arm over her shoulder and totally dependent on her to stay veridical. "Mien Gott," Asuka gasped, fidgeting slightly, "I think this would have worked better when you were ninety pounds soaking wet!"
"I never weighed less then one fifteen thank you very much," Shinji breathed
Asuka half carried half drug Shinji the way she came and tugged him up toward the Eva's entry plug. She helped him into the makeshift rear seat she made before leaving Hikari's. "Hang on, we're going to get out of here," Asuka said softly before on impulse gave him a kiss on the cheek. She spun around and sat in the control chair. "Ok let's rock, girl."
S-01 shot into the air back the way it came, but came to a halt when large canon shot grazed its right shoulder. Asuka looked and saw Unit 00 standing beside the base holding a large canon.
"Pilot Sohryu, I must insist you surrender," Rei said in the same icily emotionless voice.
S-01's claws began to glow as it narrowed its yellow eyes on the blue Evangelion. "Do you believe you can stop me?" Asuka asked, gripping the controls tightly.
"I believe I can try," Rei returned.
"You tried to kill Shinji," Asuka growled, "Do you think I'd let you and those people I used to work for do the same thing?"
"I wished to, but I did not try or succeed in harming him seriously," Rei stated matter-of-factly, "I did not want to create a chain of events as you suggested after the battle. I did not want to harm you in my seeking of vengeance."
"Oh, I guess I should thank you then, Huh?" Asuka snorted, "I think I will, here's my thank you!" she bellowed, before the S-01 slashed Unit 00's canon and kicked the smaller Eva in the chest sending it flying backwards.
"Hang on, Shinji," Asuka said as the S-01 flapped its large wings and soared through the Geofront. "I'm taking you home."
-
"They … got away," Ritsuko said, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Inform anyone who can help us," Misato said, her voice trembling somewhat, "Recover the S-01 and its pilots alive. No exceptions, both have to be alive and the Eva undamaged, understood?"
"Understood," the bridge crew all replied.
"Good, I'm … I'm going home for the evening. Call me if anything comes up." Misato said, walking out of the command center on somewhat shaky legs.
Misato drove home in silence, the event of the last few days echoing in her mind so that she surprised herself when she seemed to pull into her parking spot in front of her apartment almost on automatic pilot. She trudged up to the apartment and walked in gnawing on her lower lip.
It was so quiet. Unnervingly quiet.
She looked up as the refrigerator door opened and she saw Pen-Pen waddle toward her. Misato squatted down and held out her hand with a sad smile on her face.
Pen-Pen gave a soft 'wawk' and blinked a few times before turning his back on the woman and held his beak in the air, standing stock still.
"Pen-Pen …" Misato whispered, "I didn't have any choice, that … that wasn't Shinji …" She said looking away. She yelped when she felt a sharp pinch on her cheek. "Ow! Pen-Pen, what was that for?"
Pen-Pen only responded by squawking loudly and flapping its wings and moving in to peck at her some more. Misato quickly crawled backwards from the angry bird.
Misato stared in awe as the penguin puffed out his chest and narrowed his green eyes. It gave a low growl that grew into a squawk before turning and waddling back to his fridge.
Misato got up and with a sigh walked to her fridge and grabbed a can of beer. She popped the top and just before she gave it a swig a thought struck her mind.
'What if Asuka's right?' Misato thought suddenly and she tightened her grip on her can.
And your one hope to stand up against them you just basically threw away because of a misconception and lack of trust.
Misato roared as she threw the can so hard against the far wall of the kitchen the can exploded, sending fizz and beer on the floor and walls. She threw open the refrigerator and grabbed a beer can in each hand, and turning at the waist to throw them at anything that caught her eyes.
Misato began gathering the bottles and cans in her arms and walked quickly to the sink. She grabbed a bottle by the neck and raised it over her head, slamming it in the sink shattering it then repeated again and again. She watched in almost awe as the yellowish fluid began to circle down the drain taking a few pieces of broken glass with it. She then began popping cans and letting the liquor join with the rest going down into oblivion.
As the last of the beer disappeared down the sink, Misato fell to her knees, holding herself up off the ground by one arm and pressed her free hand against her face as she began to sob.
"Misato …" An unsure voice called from the doorway.
She glanced up to see Rei standing there dressed in one of Kensuke's tee-shirts. "Rei?" Misato sniffled, glancing up at the albino girl.
"Misato …" Rei said, staring at the woman with an emotionless expression, but sadness showing in her crimson eyes. "I feel we've made a mistake …"
-
Kaworu sat back on his cot in his cell with his arms folded behind his head. "Brother, I know how you feel but perhaps it wouldn't hurt for us to aid them … this one time." He spoke, gazing out his window.
"Do you really believe Humanity can handle this fight without our aid?" he asked again, with a sad expression. "The Chosen will not be able to fight for a while," Kaworu continued, "With me locked up and the Second Child with him this will lead the First Child to face the Archangels alone. She'll be killed without aid."
The albino's eyes widened in shock. "What? Shinji's the first of three?"
"What are you talking about?"
Kaworu closed his eyes and a smile spread on his face, "Hello Doctor Akagi."
Doctor Akagi narrowed her eyes as she entered the boy's cell and sat down on his cot at his feet. "Who were you just now talking to?" She asked curiously.
"My brother." Kaworu stated truthfully.
"I wasn't aware you had a brother," Ritsuko stated, furrowing her brow.
"I had many brothers at one time, Doctor." Kaworu said, his eyes drooping sadly. "I am the youngest of seventeen siblings. All but one of my brothers gave their life during this war we're in. They sacrificed their lives for their cause."
"I was an only child myself," Ritsuko said, making conversation, "But Misato and Kaji fit the role of elder brother and sister. They can treat you mean sometimes but you love them anyway."
"We all got a long well actually." Kaworu stated, "I was kind of what Asuka would call the 'pack leader'."
"What do you know that we don't." Ritsuko spoke up. "What ARE you, Kaworu?"
"I am who I am," Kaworu stated, turning to gaze into Ritsuko's eyes, almost as he was peering into her soul.
"There are things out there, Ritsuko, that you and your science cannot explain, things that cannot be rationalized." Kaworu continued. "All you can do is have faith, have faith in your own skills and knowledge to be enough, have faith that your friends and allies will stand by your side through good and bad times. And you must believe and have faith that you can win. Without that, you have lost already." Kaworu looked away. "Shinji is not your enemy, but he needs help; help that you cannot provide."
"You know Shinji is on our side then?" Ritsuko asked.
"No, that's what is so amazing about the human being," Kaworu chuckled, "So damned unpredictable. I just have faith in him doing the right thing."
-
"Er wacht auf."
Shinji groaned as the soft hoarse voice spoke, fighting to open his eyes. "W-What happened?"
"Sophie, holen Asuka."
"Ja, Großmutter!"
"Hmmm is it so wrong to want to wake up under a familiar ceiling for a change …" Shinji sighed, as he opened his eyes slowly then looked at his bedside to see the most horrifying sight he has ever seen in his life.
Shinji was face to face with what for all he knew a living, breathing mummy. "WHAT THE?" He yelped, crawling away from the frightening creature.
Its face was tight and wrinkled, its eyes were sunk into its skull with pale blue pupils, its lips were drawn down making its upper lip pointed downward somewhat similar to a tortoise' beak, and its long silver hair was braided down its shoulders on its short not three-foot tall, loosely clothed body.
"Ruhe sich, Kind." The thing spoke in an almost growling voice.
"WHA?" Shinji cried out as the strange thing started walking toward him on his bed. The young Eva pilot's head snapped up suddenly at the sound of giggling from the doorway.
"You're as silly and cute as Asuka said you were," a young redheaded girl who looked a lot like Asuka said walking toward the bed. "I see you met Grandma."
"This thing's human?" Shinji gawked at the little old woman.
Shinji yelped when the little old woman's cane rapped his head, "Ich kann nicht japanischen, jungen Mann sprechen, aber ich kann es verstehen."
"Grandma says she may not speak Japanese, young man, but she does understand it." The girl said, winking at Shinji, "By the way, my name's Sophie, Sophie Langley Sohryu, the much better looking cousin to Asuka Langley Sohryu." She said imitating Asuka.
"You speak Japanese pretty well," Shinji choked, staring in to the girl's emerald eyes.
"I've got a really skilled tongue, reizvoller Junge," the girl whispered huskily, before being rapped on the head by the old woman.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" a familiar voice called from the door, and Shinji didn't know wither to be relieved or afraid when he saw Hurricane Asuka standing before his bed.
To Be Continued …
C. Cowboy: I'm really sorry for the long delay on this, I guess my Eva steam just ran out, but with my recent purchase of the Platinum DVDs of Eva I'm back in the game got this and a few more Eva plot bunnies playing out for a bit later. So those of you who are still with me or jumping on board, enjoy the ride.
Next chapter: Meet the Family