Neon Genesis Evangelion: Altered Destinies

Launch Thirty Six

The final Angel was the Angel of Free Will.

Known to some as Tabris, and called Kaworu Nagisa, he was meant to play a role in the battle between Angels and humans, who he called Lilin.

But because he had Free Will, he had choices.

Kaworu, dressed in a borrowed suit, waved an arm. "Taxi!" he yelled.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Good morning, students!"

The surviving students of Tokyo-3's high school were taking classes in NERV, now. So many families had fled the city that full classes were no longer viable. Plus most of the remaining students were family of NERV staff as well. There were so few students left in their grade that they were able to just hold one class in one of the large briefing rooms.

"Big sis?!" Hikaru blinked.

"Hello, everyone," Kodama Horaki waved to the young teens cheerfully. "We're still doing security clearances for your teachers, so for now I'll be supervising."

"Wonder what happened to the old coot teaching us?" Toji wondered quietly.

"It turns out he had a conviction for possession of narcotics on his record," Kodama said, having overheard. "Who'd have thought he did weed when he was younger?"

"What." Mana blinked.

"Anyway. we're starting with World History. Today we'll do a review of Southeast Asia and how law and order were never fully re-established there," Kodoma said briskly. "How many of you have heard of Roanapur?"

Shinji was amused to note that Kodama was at least a more interesting teacher. She asked interesting questions, and brought up fairly unique trivia.

"Toji, you answer this time," Kodama ordered impishly.

She DID, however, like picking on her sister's boyfriend...

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Getting away from Keel's facility in Germany was surprisingly easy. Keel had assumed that Kaworu needed him and SEELE, so had only lightly guarded him. A little psychic manipulation and some reasoned discussion, and he was away.

Keel's private jet was even easier to 'borrow.'

"Mr Nagisa, is there anything I can get you?" the attractive flight attendant asked.

'Keel is a bit of an old goat,' Kaworu noted, taking in the woman's very short skirt and low cut blouse. "Just a cola, please," he asked politely.

"Be right back," she said and trotted off in heels that were probably illegal. Or at least dangerous if you fell in...

After getting his drink, Kaworu looked out the window, silently considering the overall situation. Things had gone profoundly awry, in the ongoing battle between humanity and the Angels. WHY though?

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Shinji sneezed suddenly.

"Someone's talking about you," Ken teased mildly.

They had just finished an odd class where Ritsuko attempted to teach them basic science. On paper she was probably immensely qualified to teach the class. However, she clearly wasn't used to dumbing down to a high school student level and kept losing them. It was a frustrating experience for everyone involved.

"I'm hoping the old teacher's come back," Mana sighed.

"I bet Ritsuko does too," Shinji agreed.

"What's next?" Toji asked curiously.

"Take your seats everyone," Hikaru ordered as the next teacher hurried in.

"Oooh, she's hot," one young man muttered.

Satsuki Ooi smiled wryly as the brown haired woman hurried in. "Hello, everyone," the reserve bridge bunny at NERV smiled. "Now, normally you'd be doing Japanese literature, but to be honest I was awful at that."

There was quiet laughter from the students.

"So instead we're going to watch Ranma 1/2 episodes," Satsuki told them as she activated the large screen behind her. "Just don't tell my bosses we did this."

"I like her," Ken noted cheerfully, "can we keep her?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

At least one Angel had simply disappeared. Tabris could no longer sense Arael at all. It could be dead, or possibly have taken on another form. Either way... he casually pulled the handle.

"You won AGAIN?" a young man noted disbelievingly.

The slot machine wailed as tokens poured out, cascading around Kaworu's feet.

"Sorry," he shrugged eloquently to the stunned observers. "You can have it if you want," he noted as he walked away.

The stunned crowd rushed in as staff tried to control the mob.

"I don't think I really see the point in gambling," Kaworu noted to the flight attendant he had recruited as 'adult supervision.'

"Considering you've won every game you've tried," Hilde shook her head ruefully. "I expect the management will throw us out of here too," she added.

They had, amusingly, been chucked out of three casino's so far. The staff didn't KNOW how Kaworu was winning, but they didn't like it.

"Indeed," Kaworu agreed.

"And here comes a suit," Hilde noted.

Within minutes the two were hustled out of the casino by the apologetic man. They weren't accusing them of cheating, exactly, but winning all the time was not allowed. He did, in consolation, give them a voucher for a meal in one of Vegas' better restaurants.

"Not bad," Hilde said, "it's good for up to fifty bucks."

Kaworu just ignored that. "I'm going to need a driver," he admitted, "would you be willing?"

"Considering what you've already paid me out of your winnings," Hilde patted a bulging pocket in her coat, "I'm perfectly willing to continue on."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Please let this not continue on," Ritsuko groaned.

Shinji bit back a chuckle as she readied dinner. Misato and Ritsuko were sitting on the couch together, Rei was helping her and Asuka and Mana were sitting at the table.

"That bad?" Misato asked her girlfriend gently.

"I had completely forgotten how much I hated being a teacher's assistant in University," Ritsuko admitted.

"I could help out," Asuka offered. "I'm a university graduate after all..."

Shinji though about how egotystical Asuka could be, then mentally added that to a class of high schoolers. She shuddered.

"I saw that, Ikari," Asuka growled.

Mana snickered. "You would totally murder someone in five minutes," she noted.

"That's harsh," Rei noted calmly. "Ten minutes," she added.

"Gee, thanks," Asuka rolled her eyes.

"Ok, food's ready," Shinji announced as she loaded up plates and passed them out.

"Thanks for the food!" everyone chorused before digging in.

"No insult intended," Mana nodded towards Ritsuko as she continued, "but any idea when the usual teachers come back?"

"HOPEFULLY tomorrow, barring any unexpected criminal arrests," Misato sighed. Under her breath she muttered, "I STILL don't know how we missed that one drug bust..."

Everyone just ignored that...

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Maria Vincennes, head of NERV New Vegas, blinked at the two bedragged figures that had been escorted in by security. Both their clothes were torn, hair messy and one had blood on his face.

"Kaworu Nagisa," she looked at his papers, then had to ask, "what happened to you?"

The taller woman winced. "We kind of got lost trying to find this place," she admitted, "then we went into a bar to ask directions..."

"Someone decided to get grabby with a lady," Kaworu admitted.

"Then I hit him with a chair," she added.

"And things just kind of snowballed from there," Kaworu finished.

Maria decided she didn't really want to know. "All right, putting that aside," she said, "why are you here, Mr Nagisa?"

"Ah, right," he straightened his tie and tidied his clothes a bit, "I was chosen by the Marduk Report, ma'am. I'm here to pilot your Evangelion."

Maria looked at him blankly. "WHAT."

To be continued...

Notes: So bringing Kaworu in, really isn't in character for him to be randomly wandering Vegas, but I suspect his adult chaperone suggested it and he shrugged and went ok.

I haven't decided what I'm going to do with Areal, the Angel of Mind Rape yet. As it mostly appears as a plot device to remove Asuka, I probably won't follow canon.