Disclaimer –
The original story Neon Genesis Evangelion, its characters and all other trademarks are used without permission. The originals are mine, and will be named in the author notes of the first chapter they appear in. I will be making no profit from this story.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evangelion Chronicles
by Room3
Chapter 09 – Coming Of Age
Asuka felt a slight change in the feel of the test-plug a moment before she heard Dr. Akagi say "That's all for today. The three of you hit the showers." The plug juddered slightly as it began moving upwards.
"So how did they do?" the redhead heard Makoto ask.
"All three managed to increase their scores," Lieutenant Ibuki replied cheerfully. "Rei's up by point one nine, Asuka by one point three seven and Shinji by two point zero one."
'Was? That Narr increased more than me?' Soryu thought. She mentally tallied up their scores. 'That puts him at sixty-two point four one, meaning he's now ahead of Rei. She's on…sixty-one point nine six now, I think. And my score… Seventy-seven point zero five. Not too shabby.' She smiled to herself. 'And to think the tech's back home didn't think I'd go beyond seventy-five percent.'
The test-plug began to drain and, once the LCL was down past her neck, she began to cough the disgusting tasting liquid out of her lungs. The top of the plug opened and she blinked as the brighter lights of the test chamber shone in. The German clambered out and, once on the gangway beside it, rubbed the back of her left arm unconsciously. Seeing her two fellow pilots heading her way, she pushed the cold and discomfort she felt from her mind and smiled at them, reinforcing her self-confident appearance.
"C'mon guys," she said cheerfully, wrapping her arms around their shoulders, "let's hit the showers. Last one back to the dorm. has to make dinner."
- - -
"The team behind the Jet Alone program must be getting a lot of grief from their investors by now," Kouzou commented as he leant back in his chair. "Two of their four prototypes have now failed to work."
"I've heard rumours indicating that the 'Gamma Unit' is being rushed to the test phase," Ritsuko mentioned before taking a sip from the mug in her hands, allowing the coffee to warm her throat as she swallowed.
"I've heard that too, but there's no proof at this stage," Fuyutski told her.
"It certainly sounds reasonable though," the doctor remarked. "And both failures have resulted from problems with the control system. If I'd invested in them, I'd want proof that it can work."
"Can it?"
"It might. But I doubt it could be used successfully during an Angel attack. The time lag would cause too many problems. They just won't be able to react quickly enough."
The professor tapped a finger on the edge of his desk thoughtfully a couple of times before asking "What about programming an AI into the system? Or using the personality transplant OS?"
"The on-board computer system isn't powerful enough to handle either," Akagi informed him. "And increasing the size and power would require some major changes to the overall architecture. I very much doubt that they're willing to consider it."
"Wouldn't adding the dummy system require as much work?"
"More or less," the younger of the two admitted. "However, most of the system's control mechanisms are internal. The on-board systems would need some additional programming and reconfiguration, but the most difficult part should be physically installing the system."
"I'll take you're word for it. You're sure your data is accurate?"
"The schematics I have are for the 'Alpha Unit'," the blonde said, putting her now empty mug down on the desk between them. "I doubt very much that there have been any major changes made since. Unfortunately, our sources haven't been able to provide us much information on the 'Beta' or 'Gamma Units'.
"Do you think they suspect sabotage?" Kouzou asked, concerned. If that was the case then it would cause them problems.
"Unlikely. They have increased their security slightly, but not that much," Akagi informed him. "Most likely their investors have called for increased security."
"Let's hope so. Have our sources look into the matter, just to be safe," Fuyutski instructed.
"Very well. Was there anything else?"
"Yes, actually," the professor responded. He pulled an envelope out of one of his desk draws. "This arrived this morning," he told the doctor, passing it to her.
"A letter for Asuka?" Ritsuko commented, frowning, after looking at it.
"Yes. The third branch forwarded it to us," the grey-haired professor explained. "Please see that Hyuga passes it along."
"Of course."
- - -
"Where's Toji?" Shinji enquired. He'd noticed the boy was absent earlier in the day, but had had to work up the nerve to ask.
"Said he was gonna go see Noriko," Kensuke explained, leaning back slightly in his chair, the remains of his lunch spread across his desk. "His parents are gonna be at some meeting all day and won't be able to stop by. He didn't want her to be alone all the time."
Ikari looked down at his feet, guiltily. "How's she doing?" he asked quietly.
"Don't worry about it," the bespectacled youth told him, sitting upright and staring his friend in the face. "She's improving. It's a slow process, but she is getting better." Silence reined for a few minutes as Shinji became lost in thought, none of which were pleasant.
"Shinji? Can I ask a question?" Aida eventually asked hesitantly.
"Depends," the third-child answered. "What is it?"
"How do you get to be an Eva pilot?"
"Why?" Shinji enquired, puzzled by the question.
"'Cause I really wanna be one," Kensuke replied enthusiastically, staring off into space, lost in an imaginary battle against an Angel.
"No, you don't," his friend replied sadly.
Aida was snapped out of his trance by the tone of the pilot's voice. "But, Shinji-"
"Kensuke," the third-child interrupted forcefully. "Trust me. You don't wanna be a pilot." He sighed sadly and shook his head, looking at his feet. "It brings nothing but pain and sadness." Shinji looked Aida in the eye, the pain he'd endured clearly visible in his own. "I'm telling you this for your own good. Just… Just forget it, okay?"
- - -
Hikari hesitated for a moment as she looked at the redheaded girl who was lost completely in whatever it was she was reading. Asuka wasn't the most approachable of people, but the brunette had noticed that she didn't seem to have any friends, other than her fellow pilots. Reaffirming her resolve to make friends with the fiery German, Horaki walked over to her.
"Hey, Asuka," she said, coming to a stop beside her.
Asuka looked up and blinked. "Oh. Hi, Hikari."
"Mind if I join you?" Hikari asked, unsure as to whether the redhead welcomed the intrusion or would prefer to be left alone.
"Go ahead," the pilot replied, scooting over on the bench to make sure she had enough room before going back to her reading.
Hikari sat down next to Asuka, looking over at the letter in the pilot's hands in the process. "What you reading?"
"Huh?" Soryu grunted, looking at her confused. "Oh, this?" Hikari nodded. "Just a letter."
"Who's it from?"
"A friend back home," the redhead said, sounding almost sad.
'Guess that's what German looks like,' Horaki thought as Asuka slid the letter into her trouser pocket. There was an uncomfortable silence for a few moments as both girls struggled to think of something to say.
"So… What do you think of Japan?" the brunette eventually asked.
"It's…different than I expected," Asuka smiled. "You've got some…unusual customs. But I'm adjusting."
"And you're settling in okay?"
"More or less," the second-child shrugged. She paused slightly before adding "I am having a bit of trouble with all the Kanji."
"I could help, if you'd like," Hikari suggested.
"That'd be great, thanks," Soryu responded, her tone sounding fairly flat.
"You okay, Asuka?" the brunette inquired, a look of genuine concern on her face.
"Huh? Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Why?"
"You seem a little, I don't know, distracted."
"Just thinking, is all," Asuka told her. She gave her head a gentle shake. "Have Professor Koyasu's lessons always been so…"
"Insightful?" Hikari suggested with a smile on her lips as he pilot trailed off.
"Yeah."
Hikari shrugged. "Can't say for sure, but I doubt it. I'll say one thing though, all the lessons I've had with him have been the same."
Asuka smiled. "Well, he does seem to be getting on a bit," she commented. "Maybe he's gone senile." Hikari spluttered into laughter and the pilot began chuckling a few moments later.
- - -
Miki quickly backed round the corner she'd just turned. She paused for a moment, uncertain, before peering round. She frowned to herself as she saw the two girls talking. It took all of her self-control to keep from stamping foot. First Shinji discussing something with that four-eyed idiot Kensuke, and now that redheaded bitch was chatting merrily with Hikari.
'Dammit!' she cursed mentally, withdrawing behind the corner once more and flopping against the wall, folding her arms across her chest. The class rep. had invested a considerable amount of time and effort to keep the pilots viewed as outsiders by the rest of the class.
Despite how much she wanted to march up to the German and smack that smug grin off her face, Miki knew that it was unlikely that she would be able to get away with it. Even if Nerv chose to do nothing about it she'd still have to face Asuka's wrath, and she clearly remembered the strength the girl had demonstrated during their previous confrontation.
No, Miki couldn't tackle her head-on. She'd have to be more subtle and make sure it couldn't be traced back to her. A shadow passed across her face and she looked up. A smirk spread across her face as she watched the blue-haired pilot walk past.
"An accident, maybe?" Sadamoto murmured thoughtfully before pushing herself of the wall and following Ayanami.
- - -
"Where is she now?" Fuyutski sighed, slumping back in his chair. Things had been going so well. All three Eva's were fully functional, and all the projects were on schedule. 'I should have expected something like this,' he thought bitterly.
"In the infirmary," Dr. Akagi informed him as she stood in front of his desk. "Fortunately Section Two was able to intercept the ambulance before reached the hospital."
"Good. What's her condition?"
"Four bruised ribs, a hairline fracture of her left clavicle. Both her left radius and fibula are broken as well," the blonde answered, looking at the clipboard she held in her hand.
"Do you see any complications?" the professor asked, leaning forward and resting his forearms on the desk.
"Not with Rei," Ritsuko said. "But Dr. Brahms may cause a few problems."
"With how quickly she'll recover, yes?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Perhaps it would be better to reassign him," the grey-haired commander mused.
"There is that option. We could also assign each pilot to a separate physician."
"How would that help?"
"It would prevent any questions being raised if I took over Rei's care."
"You have too much else to do," Kouzou responded. "But having the pilots' doctor aware of her…unique nature would be an advantage." He paused and sighed again. "The question is, can we trust Brahms with that information?"
Akagi was silent for a moment, lost in thought. "I believe I may be able to convince him, but I'll need to check his records first," she told him.
"Do so. If we can't trust him, we'll have to replace him."
- - -
Ritsuko looked up from the report she was reading as the door to her office opened and Dr. Brahms walked in, coming to a stop in front of her desk. "Ah, doctor, thank you for coming," she said to him. "Please, take a seat. I'll be with you in just a moment."
Aaron sat down in the chair opposite her and waited. He watched as the blonde finished reading something and then stared off into space for a moment before taking a pen and signing her name. She closed the file and put it to one side.
"Do you know why I asked you to see me?" Akagi asked, looking him directly in the eye.
"I assume it has something to do with why I've been ordered not to reveal the extent of Rei Ayanami's injuries to anyone but yourself and Professor Fuyutski," the pilots' doctor answered.
"It does," Ritsuko told him. She paused for a moment before telling him "You should know that we are considering replacing you."
"I see," Brahms responded through clenched teeth. "May I ask why?"
"The current situation involving the first-child requires that the doctor in charge of her care be aware of certain facts, facts that require a higher security clearance than you possess."
"These…'facts' would relate to the anomalies in her blood work, I would assume," Aaron surmised.
"In a way, yes."
"You could always raise my clearance," he suggested.
"That is one option that is being considered," Akagi informed him. "However, your past record is working against you."
"That's understandable. I've done a lot of questionable things, the majority of which I'm not proud of," Brahms said. "But I do believe my record proves I'm capable of keeping my mouth shut and keeping secrets."
"True. It's the nature of those secrets that is the issue."
"There is one other thing in my favour."
"Oh? And that is?" the blonde doctor asked, not sure as to what her colleague was getting at.
"That Shinji has accepted me," Aaron told her. "I'm sure you know how he feels about hospitals and medics. So in that respect, replacing me would work against your interests, wouldn't it?"
- - -
"So, Rei, what happened?" Dr. Brahms asked as he sat down on the stool next to the bed in which the first-child lay.
"I was not paying sufficient attention to where I was going," she informed him.
"Why not?" Aaron questioned, clearly surprised by her response.
"I had been distracted."
"By who?"
"My class representative, Miki Sadamoto," Ayanami said.
The doctor frowned, lost in thought. "Do you think she did it deliberately?"
"I do not believe she includes me amongst those she considers to be her friends. However, I do not believe there was any malicious intent behind her actions."
"Fair enough," Aaron commented, but making a mental note to have Section Two look into this Miki Sadamoto.
"How much time must pass before my injuries have healed sufficiently for me to return to active duty?" the blue-haired pilot inquired.
"Rough estimate… I'd say about two and a half to three weeks. It would be longer for most people." Rei looked at him, her confusion shown only in the slight lifting of one eyebrow. Brahms caught her expression and said "I know about…"
"I understand," the pilot responded as he paused to think of the right words.
Silence reigned for almost half a minute before the doctor spoke. "Are you surprised I know?"
"Given the current situation involving myself, it is logical for the physician in charge of my care to possess that information. I did not expect them to impart that information to you," Rei told him, tone even and flat.
"I see. Well, I hope I prove myself to be worthy of their trust."
"As do I."
- - -
Hikari slumped down in her seat, feeling utterly defeated. "No one ever listens to me!" she complained. The bell signalling the start of the school day had rung a few minutes ago and she'd been trying to get her class-mates to take their seats without success.
"Be glad they don't," her bespectacled friend told her, cheerfully. "With your grades you'd be class rep. if they did."
The brunette looked him in the eye. "Do you know how good being class rep. looks on a college application?" she asked, her tone far more forceful that she'd intended. She sighed. "I'm sorry, Kensuke. I didn't mean to snap at you."
"It's okay," Aida assured her. "You got any idea where Miki is today?" he inquired, puzzled by the class rep.'s absence.
"No. Why would I? It's not like we're friends or anything," Horaki whispered to him as Professor Koyasu entered the classroom and everyone hurried to their seats.
"Good morning, class," the elderly teacher said as he sat down at his desk. "I see Miss Sadamoto is absent today. Has anyone spoken to her?" Silence greeted his question as a few curious glances were cast around the room. "I see. Let's move on to the roll shall we." He looked up. "Miss Ayanami is still absent. Mr. Ikari, do you know when she will be returning?"
Shinji felt his cheeks heat up as the class turned to look at him. "N-no, sir," he stammered, doing his best to ignore how nervous he felt. "Would you like me to ask?"
"That would be appreciated, thank you."
- - -
'Maybe I should ask if I can go visit Rei,' Hikari thought as she came to a stop just outside the school gates. The school day was done and usually the brunette couldn't wait to go home. But today was different. She had spent the day wondering how the blue-haired girl was doing; it had been almost a week since her accident, and she hadn't been to school since.
"Excuse me, miss," a male voice called, distracting her from her ruminations. She looked in the direction the voice had come from and saw a fairly handsome, tall, black-haired man with a thin beard standing next to a black car, the late afternoon sun glistening on his tinted glasses. "I'm looking for Shinji Ikari and Asuka Soryu."
"Oh, are you from Nerv?" Horaki asked, feeling slightly foolish even as the words left her mouth.
"Correct," he replied, warmly. "Captain Rokobungi. I've been sent to collect them."
"They should be along in a few moments," the girl informed him.
"Thank you, miss…"
"Horaki, Hikari Horaki."
"Hikari, you say," he responded quietly. "Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, oh brilliant light," he added louder, bowing deeply to her. Hikari blushed and Rokobungi smiled at her.
"Come on, Shinji," Asuka's voice called from behind the brunette. "I wanna get this stupid project done as soon as possible." Hikari turned to see the two pilots approaching the gates.
"I'm afraid it's going to have to wait a little while longer," the captain informed the redhead.
Soryu came to a stop just inside the school gates. "Gendo? What are you doing here?" she asked, puzzled by his presence.
"I was asked to take you to headquarters."
"Why? Is there another Angel?" Shinji questioned.
"I hope so," the German smirked. "I haven't had a chance to kick an Angel's ass yet."
"You'll have to ask the professor," Gendo responded, but he had obviously noticed the almost feral look on the second-child's face.
"Then let's get going," Asuka told him, striding purposefully over to the car.
"Bye, guys. See you tomorrow," Hikari called as she opened the passenger's door.
"See you, Hikari," the redhead responded before climbing in. Ikari waved to her before entering the vehicle as well.
The captain got in and closed his door, reversing away from the gates slightly. Stopping with a smile on his face, he wound down his window and said loudly "Farewell, oh glorious light." Hikari felt herself flush again as he drove off and found herself watching the disappearing car.
- - -
"Why'd you call her that?" Asuka asked as Rokobungi closed the driver's window.
"Didn't you know that 'Hikari' means light?" he asked simply.
"I never though of it like that," the redhead admitted. "You sure you can't tell us why we're going to headquarters?"
"I can't tell you what I don't know," the captain responded. Nothing more was said on the trip.
- - -
"The Angel appeared about forty-five minutes ago, fifty miles to the north," Makoto explained as he walked the two pilots from the changing rooms to the Eva cages. "It's only travelling at about ten miles per hour."
"That's slow," Shinji muttered.
"Yes, it is. Which is why the Angel alarm hasn't been sounded yet," Hyuga continued. "The professor wants it intercepted before it reaches the city. If you haven't stopped it before it gets five miles from the city, the alarm will be used."
"You won't need to," the second-child informed him confidently. "That Angel won't get within twenty miles of here."
"Doesn't matter how close it gets, as long as we stop it," Shinji said to his fellow pilot. "Right, Makoto?"
"Right."
"What about power? There's no way you've got an umbilical cable that'll reach that far," the redhead asked.
"The Eva's will be airlifted to a point approximately thirty-five miles north," the pilot rep. told them, coming to a stop outside Unit 01's cage. "By the time you arrive a support team will have arrived and field generators will be standing by. Just remember, the umbilical cables you'll be using are shorter than the ones here."
- - -
"Sure is taking its sweet time," Asuka commented glibly, leaning against one of the support beams for the gantry that had been erected around the Eva's. "We've been stuck waiting around here for long enough."
"It shouldn't be long now, Asuka," the third-child told her as soothingly as he could without sounding condescending. He was lying down on the gantry, his eyes closed.
"How can you be so calm at a time like this?" the redhead asked, looking down at his peaceful face.
Ikari smiled. "Meditation," he replied, opening his eyes. "You should try it sometime."
"Yeah, right," she snorted.
"The Angel will be within range in three minutes," someone announced using a megaphone. "Pilots, please board your Eva's."
"I guess this is it," Shinji murmured, getting up. "Good luck, Asuka."
"I don't need it," the German responded, sounding and looking sure of herself. Her expression softened slightly and she softly added "But thanks anyway."
As she climbed in to her entry-plug, she noticed one of her hands shaking. Pausing, she stared at it for a moment before clenching it into a fist, squeezing as hard as she could before relaxing the hand and continuing her ascent.
- - -
Asuka stared at the Angel, surprised by its appearance. It had the same basic look of a mouse-shaped cat toy; there were no ears or whiskers, and two ivory-coloured horns sat where the eyes should be. It appeared to have some kind of hard shell, which shimmered black, murky green and dull brown. Just looking at the damned thing made her want to vomit. About two thirds of the way along the back was very pale, almost white circular section. It didn't have any legs that the girl could see, but that didn't mean much. After all, most of the Angels that had attacked had floated in some way.
The second-child reaffirmed her Eva's grip on the pallet rifle in its hands. 'This is it,' she thought. 'My first Angel battle. I gotta get this right. I can't afford to mess up.'
"Unit 02, advance to within firing range and attack the target," Katsuragi's voice ordered over the comm. link. "Unit 01, cover her. Understood?"
"You got it," Soryu responded, making herself sound far more confident than she felt.
"Yes, captain," Ikari's voice replied. The redheaded pilot was sure she heard an uncertainty in his voice and was glad her own had been calm.
"Move out," the director of operations ordered. Taking a deep breath, Asuka willed Unit 02 to move forward, keeping a close eye on the rangefinder. Once she was close enough, she took aim.
A sudden flash blinded her and she had to blink for several seconds, her eyes watering. As she took aim once more she realised something that filled her heart with dread. There was no sound. She couldn't hear anything, not the hum that generally filled the entry-plug, not the sound of the wind outside, not even her own breathing.
- - -
Confusion reigned in the command centre as those present tried to figure out just what had happened. All around technicians were trying to call to each other; some even appeared to be shouting. But there was nothing. It was deathly silent.
Ritsuko stared at the screen, not really seeing it, as her analytical mind tried to figure out the situation. It seemed to her as if she was deaf. She could accept that, but everyone else appeared to be similarly afflicted. Logic dictated that that was not possible. There was something else going on. But what?
She frowned as she focused on the image of the Angel; the pale patch was glowing a yellow-tinted white. It was doing something. A hypothesis formed in her mind.
Ignoring the painfully confused look on her assistant's face, she strode over to Lieutenant Aoba's console and typed in a few commands. As he looked at her, bewildered, sound returned to the command centre.
"What the hell was that!" Katsuragi demanded, relief colouring her voice.
"One moment," Hyuga said, checking his console. "Sir, the Magi report it as some kind of energy field capable of cancelling out sound."
"Like a kind of 'white noise'?" the lavender-haired captain asked, frowning.
"Not really," Akagi answered. "A 'white noise' jut masks sounds. This field is actually negating them somehow."
"What exactly did you do, doctor?" Fuyutski inquired from his usual position.
"I shut off our audio connection to the Eva's," the blonde informed him. "We're still getting the video signal."
"So what do we do about them?" Shigeru asked, gesturing to the screen and obviously referring to the pilots who hadn't moved.
"Deactivate their audio receptors," Misato ordered, looking at the long-haired technician.
"Yes, sir," he responded, turning his attention back to his console. He entered a string of commands, but nothing happened. He tried again. And Again. "Sir, we have a problem."
"What is it, lieutenant?" Katsuragi questioned.
"The signals being refused," he explained. "I can't shut down the receptors."
The captain frowned and crossed her arm, staring at the main screen, lost in thought. "Can the pilots do it manually?" she asked a few moments later.
"Yes, but they don't know how," Dr. Akagi answered. "Maya, send a text message to the pilots. Include in it the instructions they need to disable the Eva's audio receptors."
"Yes, ma'am," the petite brunette said, glad to have something to do that would help Shinji and Asuka.
- - -
'What the hell's going on!' Shinji wondered, feeling panic grip him. 'Why can't I hear anything!' His breathing was becoming ragged as his mind raced in circles. A video window opened in front of him and he was surprised to see a text message. Reading it he frowned. It didn't make much sense, but he trusted that they knew what they were doing.
He finished following the instructions and the sound of his own heartbeat filled his ears. He sighed, the noise sounding more beautiful than he could ever have imagined. He closed the text window and a video link to the command centre appeared.
"Shinji? Asuka? Can you here me?" Professor Fuyutski's voice enquired, his tone tinged with concern.
"Yeah. What happened?" the third-child replied.
"The Angel is using some kind of energy field to nullify sound," Akagi explained.
"What was with those instructions?" Soryu asked, clearly perplexed.
"We had to get you to shut down the Eva's audio sensors," the doctor said. "Fortunately for us the LCL in your entry-plugs in protecting you from being directly affected by the field."
"So all we have to do is kill the Angel and this field will disappear," the German pilot surmised.
"That's correct," Ritsuko responded.
"Then enough chatting, let's just kill this thing and get it over with," Asuka suggested.
"But how?" Ikari asked.
"That glowing patch on the Angel is where the field is emanating from," Makoto announced. "And according to my readings it's also the core."
"Unit 02, proceed as planned," Katsuragi ordered, "but keep an eye out, there's not telling what other surprises that Angel has in store for you."
- - -
The redhead smirked to herself as she took aim. "You're all mine," she murmured and pulled the trigger. Her expression faltered as the shells ricocheted off the Angel's AT Field. 'Dammit! I'm gonna have to get closer so I can neutralise that thing.'
"What the…?" she exclaimed as a sudden urgent beeping assaulted her ears. Looking at the Angel, she saw something flying towards her. "Scheiße!" she cried as she dived to one side, feeling something scrape against her side before she hit the ground. Looking up, she saw what she could only describe as some kind of red ribbon retracting to the Angel. On the end was one of the horns she spotted earlier.
"Are you okay, Asuka?" Shinji asked her.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she told him, getting to her feet and carefully watching the Angel. "At least we know what tricks that thing's got now, huh?"
"It's logical to assume that both of its horns are extendable like that," Akagi's voice told them.
"Then I'll just have to be more careful," Soryu said, crouching down and taking aim again. She fired a short burst and watched the Angel. As soon as she noticed one of the horns moving, she leapt away. Landing neatly, she turned and fired off another burst. As the second horn shot towards her, she jumped aside again. As soon as she landed she took aim and fired, only to have the first horn launched at her again.
"Dammit! That's things too fast!" she complained as she dodged again.
"Unit 01, take up a firing position no closer than five hundred feet to Unit 02," Katsuragi instructed. "Unit 02, when you're ready, signal Unit 01 and open fire. Unit 01, as soon as the horn is launched at Unit 02, fire at the target and dodge."
"Got it," Ikari responded, moving his Eva forward. He took up a good position. "Ready when you are, Asuka."
"NOW!" the redhead shouted, firing a two second burst. As soon as the Angel began its counterattack, she jumped aside and heard the purple mechanoid attack. Hoping Shinji's reflexes were quick enough, she landed and fired again as the horn that had been used against her was still being retracted. She watched, dumbstruck, as it stopped moving backwards and flew towards her once more.
"ASUKA! LOOK OUT!" the third-child yelled at her, bringing her to her sense. Out of sheer instinct she made Unit 02 drop to the floor. The horn sailed over her head, just missing her. Unfortunately it didn't miss her umbilical cable, which was severed.
"Unit 02 switching to internal power," Aoba's voice announced. "Four minutes activation time remaining."
'Only four?' she wondered, surprised. Then it hit her. 'Of course, the reserves haven't been topped up since we were airlifted here.'
"The pallet rifles are having no effect," Makoto declared.
'I could have told you that!' the redhead snorted mentally.
"One of you will have to disable those claws so the other can get close enough to attack the Angel with your progressive knife," Katsuragi told the pilots.
"Shinji, fire at that thing," Asuka told her fellow pilot. "Then drop the rifle and move to the side. As the Angel attacks, try and grab the horn."
"O-okay," he responded. "But what about the other one?"
"I'll catch it and pass it to you," she told him. "Then just hold on tight and I'll kill it. Okay?"
She heard Shinji take a deep breath and release it. "Yeah. Just tell me when you're in position."
Shinji felt sweat seeping from his brow as he took aim. He'd only get one chance at this and he knew it. He could feel his hands shaking on the control yokes as he waited for Asuka's signal. Closing his eyes for a moment he forced himself to breath deeply, emptying his mind.
"Ready when you are, Shinji," the second-child's voice told him over the comm. link.
Ikari opened his eyes and stared intently at the image of the Angel before him. 'I can do this,' he told himself firmly. He took aim and fired a three second burst at the Angel. As soon as he released the trigger he threw the rifle behind him, his eyes locked on the Angel. 'Any moment now,' he thought, tensing himself.
The last shell impacted the Angel's AT Field and the Angel responded by shooting on of its horns at the purple robot. The pilot of Unit 01 made it jump to one side, barely avoiding it. Relief coloured his mind as he realised he'd successfully evaded the attack, but he didn't allow himself to relax. He grabbed the ribbon-like growth to which the horn was connected, thinking 'I hope her reactions are fast enough.'
He felt the Angel tugging at the ribbon in Unit 01's hands and tightened his grip, ensuring his foot was as secure as he could make it. Seconds later a beeping filled his ears. Looking up with a gasp, Shinji saw the second horn flying towards him. Before he could so much as blink Unit 02's hands grabbed hold of the red ribbon and pulled, dragging the horn off target so it passed by harmlessly.
The red mechanoid walked over to his Eva. Holding the ribbon-like connection firmly in its left hand, the third-child wrapped it round the Eva's right. Satisfied the grip was secure, he repeated the process with the one Unit 02 held with his left hand.
"Make it quick, Asuka," Ikari told her, feeling the increased pull the Angel was exerting. It obviously knew it was defenceless and was desperate to free itself. Frowning, he leaned the Eva backwards, digging his feet in as much as he could.
As much as she was concerned for her fellow pilot, Asuka refused to hesitate, not even to steal a glance back to see how he was doing. Beside, she didn't have much time left before she would be out of power. She willed Unit 02 to run as fast as it could, crossing the distance to the Angel in seconds, during which she drew her progressive knife. A press of a button on her control carriage and the blade slid into place. A moment later she felt the weapon begin to vibrate in her hand.
As Unit 02 close on its target, the pilot focused her mind as she'd been taught to, using her Eva's AT Field to nullify the Angel's. She felt a slight buzzing sensation and realised she'd done it. Pushing away the jubilant feeling she experienced, she came to a halt.
The Angel was thrashing about, desperate to free itself from Unit 01's grasp, but to no avail. Smirking to herself, Soryu lifted the knife over her head and gripped it with both hands. "Ich werde Sie töten," she taunted, deliberately speaking in her native tongue, before plunging the blade down into the glowing part of the Angel's back. Sparks flew from the knife as she forced the weapon in. The glow faded and the Angel emitted an unearthly screech, causing Asuka to cringe and close her eyes, before falling still and silent.
"Is it dead?" the German pilot asked, realising she was panting.
"Yes," Makoto confirmed. "The seventh Angel is dead. Congratulations, Asuka, you've just-" Whatever else he had to say was lost as her entry-plug was plunged into darkness.
"Ein zu mir," the redhead murmured before flopping back in her seat and closing her eyes. "Ein Mal, kein Mal," she sighed resignedly.
To be continued…
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author Notes –
And Asuka finally gets to kill herself an Angel. If you want to know what Asuka's letter said, tell me. If I get enough requests I'll write it as a side-story.
Thanks for all the reviews you've sent me. Glad to know you're enjoying the story. You know, as yet none of you have taken up my challenge to name the Angels. It is still open.
Unfortunately this is going to be the last chapter I'm going to be able to post for a while. Although I keep coming up with ideas, they're not ones I can use here. So this story is going to have to go in hiatus for a couple of months. Hopefully I'll be able to resume posting by July at the very latest. And if any of you have suggestions you'd like to make, feel free to. I'd welcome them.
Hope to see you again in a couple of months, Room3
German translations –
Was? – What?
Narr – fool
Ich werde Sie töten – I'm going to kill you
Ein zu mir – One to me
Ein Mal, kein Mal – Just once counts nothing
(although the literal translation is 'one time, no time')