Rebuild of Third Genesis
Three
In the early morning the city of Yokohama was quiet, and the apartment building was only beginning to stir. It was the third largest city in Japan, behind Tokyo-2 and Tokyo-3, and was the nearest major city to Tokyo-3. In the aftermath of third impact many people had ended up there, away from NERV yet near enough to return, if practical.
In one apartment the phone rang shrilly once, then it rang once again. A hand came out from under the covers of the bed and reached out for it blindly, shifting around and feeling for the source of the annoying sound. A empty glass on the night stand fell to the floor, a book soon joined it but finally, the receiver was grabbed and pulled sluggishly under the covers.
"Yes?" the sleepy woman's voice asked. There was a moment's pause, then she mumbled tiredly, "Yes, this is Maya Ibiki. Yes, this is she."
There was a extended period of silence, and a sleepy mind slowly began to work. Suddenly Maya sat right up in her bed, her brown eyes wide and her short black hair sticking up wildly as the sheets puddled around her waist, revealing she slept in a battered old t-shirt..
"Misato?" Maya blurted out into the receiver.
Misato's clearly amused voice came through loud and clear as she noted, "I'm glad to hear that you're awake at last."
"How can I help you?" Maya squeaked nervously.
Misato quietly answered, "I hope you'll agree to come back to work. NERV has been fully reactivated, and we could use your help."
"I resigned," Maya reminded her, "after everything that happened with sempai." She thought of Ritsuko and felt a burst of pain that she quickly tried to bury. After everything that had happened and all she had done to help save the world, Ritsuko was still put on trial for shooting Gendo. And they didn't even have his body, or any idea what happened to him!
"I know," Misato admitted. She paused for a few seconds, and Maya wondered what was happening on the other end of the line. "I was just thinking that Ritsuko could really use your help," Misato said with a false casualness.
"She's there?" Maya gasped softly.
"I couldn't get the charges against her dismissed," and Misato sounded quite satisfied with herself as she said, "but for her punishment I was able to get her assigned as a scientific resource here at NERV." There was a beat of silence, "Things are pretty disorganized here right now. So, would you be interested in rejoining NERV?"
Maya didn't even have to think about it as she answered, "Yes, I'll be there. When do you need me back?"
"As soon as possible," a very relieved sounding Misato answered. "Ritsuko will be getting here at Tokyo-3 tomorrow, can you make it here by then?" she asked.
"I'll be there," Maya answered her firmly. She found out that the NERV pyramid would continue to be their base and was offered an new apartment in the city before she gently lay the phone back in to its cradle.
Maya looked around her apartment, already thinking of the details she needed to attend to. First, she called her landlord, apologetically explaining that she had to move out immediately. Then, she started packing her clothes. Most of her items she just bundled up as small as she could and packed into the cases, then she reached the bottom drawer of her dresser. She pulled it open and almost reverently pulled out the plastic wrapped bundle that lay there.
It unfolded easily, her NERV uniform. Maya hadn't been sure why she had saved it so carefully when she had resigned, but now she knew. She let herself think the thoughts that she had been fighting back since Misato called, 'I get to see Ritsuko again!'
Early the next morning, and Maya was ready to go. She called up a few friends she had made in town, put the items she couldn't pack up into storage, and prepared to leave. She had come to Yokohama because she wanted to get away from Tokyo-2 and it's sister city Tokyo-3, and everything that they represented to her. She wanted a normal life, or as normal as she could get.
The train was easy to catch, the first taking her from Yokohama to the capital of Tokyo-2. It was a popular trip, people from the city wanting to see the 'city of the future' that was so nearby. Maya looked out at the buildings running by, and let herself think.
Maya remembered some of what happened in the end, at least she thought she did. The army had invaded NERV, and she had crouched down behind a control panel, waiting for rescue. Or if she was honest with herself, waiting to die. Then... it happened.
The gunfire, the weapons discharges, they all slowed, then finally stopped. She flowed through the ceiling at her, smiling warmly. Ritsuko's ghost.
'But she's alive, isn't she?' a frowning Maya thought to herself. 'So what was it that I saw?' she wondered. The memories got awfully blurry after that, and she eventually found herself back where she started from, crouched down in the NERV control center as someone announced over the communication system that the fighting was all over.
The next few days were pure chaos. Misato in the hospital, watching over the survivors and trying to manage the insanity. Ritsuko being held in a military infirmary, pending her trial for the attempted murder of Gendo Ikari. Rei gone, Shinji in a coma, all the EVA's in ruins or had hit her limit, and tendered her resignation to her immediate superior. She left NERV, intending never to return.
'So much for that idea,' Maya thought to herself wryly.
Arriving at Tokyo-2, Maya made a little detour before boarding her next train. She changed clothes in the ladies bathroom, pulling on that familiar, comfortable uniform once again. She felt curious glances as she went to the military train, curiosity and a bit of respect. When she showed her NERV pass to the officer at the train, he threw her a instant salute.
'What on Earth is going on?' Maya wondered.
She settled into a seat beside another young woman, a dark haired woman who looked at her wide eyed. "Are you really a NERV officer?" she gushed.
Maya blinked in surprise, but since it wasn't classified at all she answered, "Well, yes..."
The woman actually squealed with happiness. "Where you there for the battle for NERV headquarters?" she asked eagerly.
"Yes," Maya answered her cautiously.
"What was it like?" the girl looked at her breathlessly.
"Chaotic," Maya blinked. "Who are you?" she asked quietly.
"Oh," the girl blushed, "my name is Nako." Maya looked at the girl push her large, round glasses up higher on her nose and dearly hoped that this trip was going to be much faster than she thought it usually was.
Maya left the train, feeling a bit guilty that her new friend had to continue onward. She looked around to get her bearings, and then made her way through the high tech city that was rising from the ashes. The Geofront was cracked open, the buildings being lowered to the floor and set up in the new lower level. Looming over everything was the NERV pyramid, which seemed to draw Maya towards it.
Maya went up the elevator then down the hall, slowing as she neared the Commander's office. From here Gendo Ikari had run NERV, and to be honest he had frightened Maya quite a bit. Cold, calculating and cruel at times he had been a cancer at the heart of NERV, in her opinion. And his relationship with Ritsuko had sickened her when Maya found out.
Shaking off memories Maya walked to the door, blinking as she was it was slightly open and she could hear a bit of the conversation inside.
"... found a Rei Ayanami," Misato finished.
There was a short pause, and Maya heard Ritsuko-senpai say, "A Rei Ayanami? You mean another clone?"
Maya drew her hand back, knocking loudly on the doorway before she could hear anything else she probably shouldn't.
"Come in," Misato called out.
Maya pushed the door open and moved to stand in front of Misato and managed a pretty good salute as she said, "Maya Ibiki, reporting for duty, sir." She paused, "Or ma'am, whichever you'd prefer." Ritsuko sat up almost as soon as she saw her, and Maya had to fight a smile.
"Just Misato," the dark haired woman smiled wryly, "I'm not too into the military style."
"Maya," she said and Ritsuko smiled, "it's good to see you." The blonde pushed her hair back nervously, revealing how pale she was.
'I forgot, it hasn't been that long since she got out of the hospital,' Maya thought. Before she could stop herself she asked, "Have you been getting enough rest, sempai?"
Ritsuko blushed, looking down as she muttered, "Don't start being a mother hen to me, now."
Misato shifted on the couch, wincing a bit as she grabbed her ribs. "I bet we could both use some of that, actually," she admitted.
Maya smiled at Misato, silently mouthing 'Thank you.'
Misato smiled back, "Actually, Maya, you should take the rest of the day off, get settled in. You can report for work here tomorrow morning."
"Thank you," Maya smiled shyly, "I got my bags shipped back to Tokyo-3, but I wasn't sure where to send them."
Misato didn't look terribly happy as she admitted, "We have a housing block and are usaing it for NERV staff." She looked at Ritsuko and smiled slightly, "Your apartment got thrashed, so you're moving there too."
"But..." Ritsuko started.
"In fact, why don't you go together?" Misato smiled impishly before adding, "It'll give the two of you a chance to catch up with each other, too."
Maya did her best not to smile as she answered gravely, "That's a very good idea, ma'am." She looked at Ritsuko as she shyly offered, "If there's anything open we can shop to replace some of the things you lost."
"You don't need to...," Ritsuko said, looking away.
Maya reached out and took one of Ritsuko's hands as she answered her firmly, "I know, I want to help you."
"She's right," Misato said as she got up, shooing both women out of the office, "now get going. I don't want to see either of you until tomorrow."
To Be Continued...
Notes: Moved the city Maya took off to to Yokohama. It's the nearest large city to where Tokyo-3 is, tho I don't know if it actually survived second impact. Also added some dialog & description.
