Disclaimer: Neon Genesis Evangelion belongs to Gainax. I make no profit by writing this fiction. All ideas in this story are my own; similarities with other fictions are purely coincidental.
Special thanks to Asaudan and Mares Guyver for pre-reading.
----------
Chorus of Redemption
Misato suddenly brought her car to a screeching halt, stopping just inches before a cliff that overlooked the vista of Tokyo-3. She panted heavily, as that was perhaps the most daring stunt she had ever pulled. Her fellow passenger, a young girl sitting next to her at the shotgun, didn't even make a sound. Instead, she held an eerie air of calm about her, pale features glowing angelically in the moonlight.
"Well," Misato began as she turned off the engine, "Why'd you do it?"
The other girl kept quiet, her ruby eyes staring dead ahead at the gleaming city. Her deadpan features betrayed no emotion as Misato awaited her reply.
"Don't worry, there's no one else here," Misato said reassuringly, "You can trust me." It was midnight, and the only sound to be heard was the ceaseless chirping of the cicadas.
Again, the girl made no reply.
"Damn it!" Misato hissed as she lost her patience, grabbing the girl's shoulders and shaking them violently, "Do you realize what you've done! Think about the consequences!" Angry tears born of frustration and confusion formed behind the older woman's eyes, but still silence followed.
Still no answer from the girl.
Quickly regretting her outburst, Misato tried to calm down. Logic implied that there was no room for flared up emotions if she was to find out the truth. She took a few deep breath, and then whispered, "Talk to me, Rei. I want to help you…"
"But you can't," came the glib reply, causing Misato to blink at the broken silence. Taking a slow breath for control, Misato pressed forward in the same gentle tone.
"I'll do my best. At least let me know what happened…Why did you do it?"
The girl cast her eyes downwards, "Because…"
Another silence followed. Misato waited anxiously.
"…Well?" the older woman finally asked.
"Because…" The girl hesitated, seemingly having difficulties finding the right words. After a brief moment, she turned to Misato and answered, "Allow me to start from the beginning."
----------
I was just an abnormal girl trying to live a simple life. Everyday, I woke up, brushed my teeth, showered, got changed and then went to school. Occasionally, Ikari would offer me lunch, which would cause Pilot Sohryu to make some peculiar comments. At NERV, the Commander and the doctor would give me instructions, I would follow them, and then afterwards I would return home and go to sleep. Life was quite tolerable, until one day…
I woke up thinking it would be another normal day, but I was wrong. When I turned on the shower, only freezing cold water came out. I checked the pipes, and they seemed to be operating adequately, so I assumed that it was the hot-water tank causing the problem. I did not wish to bother the Section-2 agents, so I went to the rooftop myself to investigate.
Once I arrived on the rooftop, I saw another person already standing there. He appeared to be a fragile-looking teenager with curly brown hair. He had two squinty eyes and wore a pair of thick glasses that rested precariously on his round nose. He had thick lips, floppy ears and a face covered with pimples. In short, he was very ugly.
Nevertheless, I recognized him as Aida Kensuke, one of my classmates. I had noticed him following me recently, but I believed that he did not mean any harm.
"Hello," he greeted when he saw me.
"Hello," I replied. It was the first time in my recollection that I had talked to him.
"Having troubles with the showers?" he asked me with a seemingly friendly smile.
"Yes," I answered, sensing something odd, "How can you tell?"
"The hot-water tank is broken."
"You checked it?" I asked as I bent down to inspect the tank myself.
"No, I broke it."
Feeling a little confused, I stood back up, "I beg your pardon?"
"I broke it," He said, with a smirk on his face, "I broke it on purpose."
"Why?"
"Because I'm writing a story on you," he said, handing me a leaf of papers, "Here, have a look. Tell me what you think."
I flipped through the pages, spotting my name here and there. It was not very comprehensive, but I could tell that he was serious about his work. "Is this why you have been following me?"
"Yes."
I felt a little offended, "Why?"
"Because I want to know more about you…You just seem so lonely…and I want to be your friend," He replied with a sympathetic tone, "I'm doing this because I care deeply about you…And when I finish my story, I will let the whole world know what an amazing person you truly are."
"No, I was asking why you broke the tank."
"Oh…that…" He stuttered, "I broke it so that you wouldn't have hot water. Imagine this, a young quiet girl living in an abandoned apartment, with no one to care about her, and worst of all, with no hot water! Can you imagine how much empathy that could generate? You would appear so fragile, so gentle, so-"
He began to sound very enthusiastic. I left the rooftop without another word.
----------
"W-wait, hold on there," Misato interrupted her, "How exactly does that have anything to do with us?"
"Everything," Rei replied.
"I think you misunderstood my question earlier," Misato said disapprovingly. It seemed that the girl was still trying to avoid facing the truth. Misato couldn't blame her though. She understood that Rei was facing intense pressure, and was probably regretting what she had done not only a few hours prior. Nevertheless, the NERV Major pressed on, "I'm asking you again, Rei, why did you do what you did? Please…you have to trust me…"
"It is very important that I finish my story first. Otherwise you would not be able to understand my motives," Rei stated in her usual monotone.
Misato stared into the girl's red eyes, which stared back with equal intensity. The young girl was refusing to back down, and as frustrated as she was, Misato could not help but sympathize with her. She sighed in defeat.
"Very well, continue please."
----------
It was a week later before I spoke to Aida again. Once again, I woke up that morning thinking it would be another normal day, albeit with cold shower. Once again, I was wrong. I turned on the shower, and just as I was soaping myself, the water disappeared. At that moment, something snapped inside of me. I felt not quite as . . . restrained as I previously had been. For some reason, I began to understand emotions that had before always eluded me. For some reason, I began to feel like a normal, human, teenage girl.
And I was furious.
I wrapped myself with a towel and stormed upstairs, still covered in soap. As predicted, I saw Aida standing there at the rooftop with a big smile on his face.
"Hello," he greeted when he saw me.
"Did you do that?"
"Blocking the water outlet?" he asked, still smiling, as if he was proud of what he had done, "I sure did!"
I kept still, staring at him. The temperature of my body began to rise rapidly, especially in my face. My vision became lined with red, the color I hate.
"Oh my, you sure look hot dressed in just a towel. I'm going to ingrain this image into my memory for later use."
My eyes were still fixed on Aida. My temperature was reaching the boiling point. Cutting off the hot water had been bad enough. But cutting off the entire water supply while I was covered in soap! That was going overboard.
No more tolerance…no more sufferings…I would not keep silent anymore…
"Did I mention I like girls with blue hair?"
"Fuck you."
"…Excuse me?" He looked quite shocked.
"Fuck you and your ugly face." I pushed him violently.
"Hey!"
"Fuck you and your fantasy!" I pushed him again.
"S-stop! Don't get so angry!"
"Fuck you and your stupid story!" I pushed him again. He was nearing the edge of the rooftop.
"W-wait, I can explain!"
"Fuck you and your disgusting stench!" Very near the edge now…
"N-no don't do this!"
"FUCK YOU!"
I gave one final push, and with that, he slipped off the edge and fell screaming to the bottom. There was an unpleasant, bone-breaking splat, but other than that, everything became silent once more.
And for the very first time, I felt truly alive…
----------
"Stop right there!" Misato shouted, feeling very dismayed, "You're saying that you murdered Kensuke?"
"Yes, I did, and rightfully so."
"But the official statement was that he committed suicide! How was that possible!"
"I am sufficiently skilled at bending the truth."
"You lied to the police investigators!"
"They were too foolish to suspect anything."
Misato grabbed the girl's collars, "Don't you feel any remorse at all!"
Rei kept quiet.
A intense silence followed, after which Misato began mumbling, "We believed he was in love with you…I mean…after reading all those papers he kept beside him…we thought he had become obsessive, and that when you rejected him, he fell apart…we thought he committed suicide…we…we've all been deceived…"
Again, Rei made no reply.
"Still," Misato continued, "That doesn't explain your actions earlier this evening." Even though Kensuke's murder would have serious repercussions, Misato understood that there were other graver matters at hand. "Answer me! Why did you do it? Don't test my patience anymore! Answer me now!"
"As you wish…"
----------
Things changed after that incident. Everything became very different. Admittedly, I was not quite the same as I used to be. The first person to notice the change was, unsurprisingly, the very same woman that had been forced to change my diapers when I was younger.
It was a few days after the funeral for Aida. I was scheduled to have a synch test, and the Second Child had hers before mine. We were changing in the restroom—her into the standard school uniforms, and I into my standard plug suit. It was then that she suddenly made another one of her peculiar comments.
"So, how was your weekend?" she asked, "Bet it was pretty quiet."
"No, it wasn't" I replied.
"It wasn't?" She raised her eyebrow, looking quite surprised.
"I got laid."
As expected, my reply stunned her. The Second Child appeared speechless; her eyes were wide and her mouth hung slightly open.
I approached her.
Then I smacked her face.
I left while she was still recovering from the confusion.
An hour later, I was inside the entry plug, synchronizing with Unit-00. The doctor and the usual three technicians were overseeing the operation. Breathing the LCL fluid was something that had become very familiar throughout the years. But this time, I sensed something different in the stillness. For the first time, I was aware of myself controlling a nearly unstoppable biomechanical robot.
For the first time, I felt...power…
And...dominance…
And subsequently…a desire for vengeance…
My eyes inevitably went to the tiny figure known as Doctor Akagi Ritsuko. She was just standing inside the command centre…and only a layer of safety glass separated her from me…
I thought it was as good a chance as any…
----------
"What?" Misato yelled, "I thought that was an accident!"
"It would appear so."
Misato rubbed her temples. This latest development was starting to give her a bad headache, "Let me get this straight. You purposely broke the restraints, shattered the safety glass and attacked Ritsuko, all the while pretending that you were in pain, and tricking us into believing that your Eva had lost control?"
"Regrettably, my victim survived."
"Your victim," Misato gritted her teeth, "is bed-ridden for the rest of her life."
"True, but her mere survival gave her the chance to plan her revenge."
Misato was slightly surprised, "Her revenge?"
"Yes, I will explain it in full details later. For the moment, please allow me to continue my story…"
----------
I have never forgiven the doctor for the sins she committed upon me when I was young. There was a saying which read "a good nanny is one who changes your nappies regularly". The doctor, despite being given the privilege to change my diapers, largely neglected her duties and drowned herself in the Evangelion construction project. As a result, I had a bad diaper rash. It was so severe that it destroyed a certain line of stem cells in my pubic region. The capacity of hair growing down there has since been obliterated.
----------
Upon hearing this, a dumbfounded Misato stared at Rei, and then rolled her eyes slowly downwards to stare at her pubic region, "You mean . . . you don't have hair down there?"
"Did you not hear me the first time?" The young girl shot back with a hint of annoyance.
Misato was still speechless.
"Stop interrupting me," The girl continued, "As I was saying…"
----------
I blamed the doctor for my shortcoming. In fact, I hated her more than she hated me. Therefore, I was justifiably upset when the three technicians severed Unit-00's electrical supply, which then resulted in my failure to end the doctor's pitiful existence. Instead of sending her to her grave, I only managed to send her to the emergency department. It was very disappointing.
After I changed back into my uniform, I met up with the three technicians at the hospital. They were sitting just outside the operation theatre, and they looked very concerned.
"How are you doing, Rei?" the female of the trio asked when she saw me, "You didn't get hurt, did you?"
"No."
"That must've been horrible for you, losing control of your Eva like that," the man with spectacles said empathically. He patted on the seat next to him, "Here, why don't you sit down. I'll get you something to drink."
"No, I will be leaving shortly."
"Oh, don't worry then," the one with long hair said, "The doctor will be fine. We'll let you know when she comes out."
At the time, I believed that it would be the technicians' fault if the doctor ended up staying alive, for it was them who stopped my Eva's assault. Admittedly, I was quite angry, but I did not let it show. Instead, I spoke to them very softly, and very politely…
"I am only here for one reason—to tell you what I have observed during my time here at NERV. Since you three were made in charge of the Evangelions, accidents have been happening much more frequently during synch tests, all of which resulted in devastating consequences. In my opinion, this is not a coincidence, and certainly not acceptable. Additionally, whenever an accident happens, you three always appear to have immense difficulties containing the situation."
I then stopped for a brief moment, allowing them a chance to respond. However, the only reply they gave was a stunned silence. So I decided to continue.
"In conclusion, I do not believe you three to possess the competency to perform your duties. Therefore, should anything happen to Doctor Akagi, it would be entirely your fault."
Again, they appeared too startled to say anything. After a while, the woman began to sob. The man with spectacles slumped defeated. The one with long hair hid his face in his hands, apparently too ashamed of himself.
I left without saying another word.
----------
"Their names," Misato sighed, "are Maya, Makoto and Shigeru, but I guess it doesn't matter anymore, now that they've all resigned."
"I am glad I did the right thing."
"You think so, don't you?" Misato retorted, "Did you know that Maya now suffers from depression and has to take regular medication? Did you also know that Makoto and Shigeru never found another job because you destroyed their self-esteem?"
"It does not mean anything to me," The girl replied softly, seemingly unrepentant to the sufferings she had caused, "My intentions might be cruel, but I was simply telling the truth."
Misato was about to respond angrily, but stopped when she realized that Rei would not be easily convinced. She then took a big sigh. At the moment, she just wanted the truth, the secret that Rei was still hiding. Nothing else mattered.
"Never mind…just tell me what happened next…"
----------
Inevitably, things at school also changed. I began to notice the curious glances that other students tended to throw at me. It was understandable, considering the public knowledge that I was the indirect cause of Aida's death. However, none of them seemed to be immensely affected by the suicide. Aida had never been a very popular person after all. Only his close friend Suzuhara Touji appeared to be greatly saddened.
Suzuhara is an athletic teenager with short spiky black hair. He used to be a reasonably cheerful boy, but since his friend's incident, he had been casting me vengeful glares. There was a constant frown on his face, showing both his disgust and hatred. Soon, I began to feel threatened and uncomfortable, so I decided to confront him.
I started by sending him a message:
Suzuhara, I understand that you are still rightly upset by Aida's loss. Should you feel that I was responsible, I am willing to meet you at the backyard after school, alone. And should my reasoning fail to convince you, I will submit to your vengeance. In return, I ask that you cease your hostility towards me after our meeting.
After he read the paper, he shot me another glare and nodded. The fire in his eyes left me no doubt about what he was planning to do. Nevertheless, I was not foolish enough to tackle him myself. After all, I was just a young fragile girl with no friends, and I was well aware of my own limits.
It was no secret that Suzuhara had a huge crush on Horaki Hikari, our Class Representative, and she on him. However, very few knew that there was also another senior student who was quite interested in having an affair with Horaki.
His name was Flash Thompson, a huge and very well-built American exchange student who happened to exhibit a unique fetish for Japanese schoolgirls. I also sent him a message:
Thompson, this is your Daddy Suzuhara speaking. I heard you've got eyes on my girl. Well, you're about to get your ass fried. Meet me at the backyard after school. Come alone if you got any balls. We'll settle this man to man, once and for all.
After that, things went on pretty quickly. School ended shortly afterwards, and Suzuhara gave me a final, defiant look before heading to the backyard by himself. Despite my plans, I had never harbored any hatred towards him, so I decided that it would be a good chance for me to convince Horaki of his feelings.
The plan was to let the class rep witness Suzuhara fighting the fearsome Thompson for her love, and to let her take care of his subsequent injuries. After all, many girls found it attractive when boys showed their vulnerabilities.
Horaki was talking to Pilot Sohryu when I approached them.
I turned to the Second Child, "Hello, Wondergirl."
"What?" As expected, she appeared very startled.
I gave her a hard smack on the face. Then, as quickly as I could, I grabbed the class rep's wrist and darted out of the classroom.
Horaki was yelling and thrashing all the way to our destination. It was very difficult to move because school had just ended and all the students were trying to exit the buildings. Nevertheless, the hustles and bustles muffled her screams, and no one noticed her struggles as a result. Eventually, I brought her to an empty classroom overlooking the backyard, and once we arrived, I released her hand.
"What did you do that for?" She looked reasonably upset.
"I did it because I had to get you away from Pilot Sohryu."
"What? What's this all about?"
I pointed to the window, "Have a look yourself."
She then did as I had asked, and her eyes widened in surprise and horror. Just outside the classroom, a miserable Suzuhara was vainly trying to fend off a ferocious assault from a very angry Thompson.
"I overheard their conversation at the cafeteria, and I thought I should let you know," I said, attempting to sound as honest as possible, "Do not blame Suzuhara—Thompson was at fault for starting the quarrel. He was calling you derogatory names, and Suzuhara was simply trying to defend you."
A tear made its way down the class rep's cheek, as she covered her mouth to choke back a sob. She then ran down the stairs and out to the backyard, shouting for the boys to stop. They were both shocked to see her. As Horaki knelt beside a fallen Suzuhara, taking him gently into her arms while furiously reprimanding a clueless Thompson, I walked away with a small smile.
My objectives had been accomplished.
I had taught Suzuhara a lesson: Never mess with me. To compensate for his injuries, I had facilitated the romance between him and Horaki. In addition, the brutish foreigner was later expelled and sent back to his western origins. God was in his heaven, and all was right with the world.
----------
"I see…that's certainly quite interesting…" Misato took a deep sigh, "So far you've just been avoiding the issues, Rei, when are you going to get to the important parts of our conversation?"
"I was just about to."
Misato was skeptical, "Oh really?"
"Yes. Just as I was leaving the scene, a figure emerged from the shadows. She was a girl of my age, with similar heights. She had reddish brown hair, and a beautiful face. Her eyes were emerald."
"The way you described her, it's as if you found this girl attractive," Misato commented.
Rei looked away.
Misato then waved her hand, "Anyway, continue please."
"She said she was impressed by my schemes. She also said that she was a high ranking agent working for an organization called SEELE, and that she was actively looking for potential new recruits."
"What?" Misato was confused.
"She then gave me her name card. It said that she was a weapon and combat specialist."
"What's her name?"
"Kirishima Mana."
"Then what happened?"
"I rejected her offer."
Misato rubbed her temples. A small, frustrating smile appeared on her lips, "How relevant is this? Like, exactly how important is this going to be in your story?"
"Very."
----------
My relationship with Pilot Ikari had always been a unique one with very indistinct borders. At certain times, it felt as if we were soul mates, separated long ago only to be reunited recently; at other times, however, our bond had felt very awkward and tense. Nevertheless, I was never one to actively seek friendship, and Ikari was responsible for initiating most of the conversations we shared.
It was approximately a week after the Suzuhara incident. Morning lessons had just ended and it was during lunch break at school. I was sitting at the rooftop, enjoying the views and quietly contemplating about my life, when I heard footsteps approaching from behind. I turned around to see Ikari smiling and walking towards me.
"Hello," he said, "Sorry for interrupting. I didn't know you'd be here."
I nodded, returning to my view of the courtyard below.
The boy sat down beside me, "Have you had your lunch?"
"No."
Upon hearing this, Ikari began to unpack his lunchbox, "I brought some extras today." He sounded enthusiastic. "Would you like to have some?"
I turned to look at him, "Are you not angry?"
He seemed startled, "About what?"
"About Aida's death," I answered, "Your friend Suzuhara was very upset."
"Oh…that…"
"Do you not blame me?"
"…No…I think I somehow understand…" He replied, seemingly very thoughtful, "It was Kensuke's fault for being too obsessive…You only did what's right…"
"You think I did the right thing?"
"Yeah…I believe so…" He took a bite from a piece of toast, and then offered another one to me, "If you never had any feelings for him, then I believe rejecting him was the right thing. Besides…besides…I…"
He trailed off.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I…I think I would rather you turn him down, than accept him…" He said, blushing slightly, "I-I mean since you never liked him anyway."
I nodded, munching on the toast, "It tastes nice."
"You like the food?" He sounded happy.
"Yes, I do."
"That's great!" He chirped, "I made them this morning."
We remained silent for a while after that. The sun shone gently in the sky, giving us a clear view of the school front yard. There was also a cool breeze in the soft wind. A few birds could be heard singing in the distance. Everything appeared so peaceful, and my heart began to flutter. There was a longing sensation. I decided to be honest with him about my feelings.
"Ikari, may I ask you a question?"
"Yes of course," He turned to look at me, "What is it?"
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"Why are you offering me your food so frequently?"
"Oh…because…" He stuttered, "I…uh…"
"Do you love me?"
"What?" He started choking on his food, "I-I don't know. Maybe…I…uh…I'm not sure…"
"I want to know the truth."
"I…I…"
"Please."
He took a big sigh, "Yeah…I guess I do have some feelings…I kind of feel attached to you I suppose…I don't know…I can't help but feel greatly concerned about you…about everything you do…or feel…"
I nodded, returning to the view once more.
"Well…how…how do you feel about me then…Ayanami?"
"I'm sorry."
"What?"
"I'm sorry, Ikari," I replied, "There has been some recent discoveries…that makes it improper for me to fall in love with you."
"What?" He began to sound agitated, "What do you mean?"
"I am not considered normal, Ikari. The society has yet to accept my people, but when the day comes, you will understand my reasons. I'm sorry."
"B-But…why…" He cried, "I…I care so much about you…"
I stood up, "I am sorry, but I will not fall in love with you simply because you care. Thank you for the lunch."
And then I left without looking back.
Admittedly, I wished our parting had been much more pleasant, since Ikari was one of the very few people who genuinely cared for my well-being. There used to be a time when I would consider a romance with him, but not anymore. Changes had been made. I was no longer sensitive to his emotional support. I had learnt to choose my own destiny, and my destiny was not with him.
On my way down, I noticed Pilot Sohryu running frantically up the stairs. She was also mumbling loudly under her breaths.
"Stupid idiot Shinji…Never listens to what I say! Huff…Huff…Told him to bring lunch to the canteen…And what did he do? Huff…Huff…Brought it up this fucking stairs! To the rooftop that's what he did! Huff…Huff…If Hikari hadn't told me she saw him up there…Huff…Huff…With that psychopathic bitch no less! Huff…Huff…Bloody idiot…I swear I'm going to kill him! Huff…Huff…"
She kept her head down, so she didn't see me until we were face to face with each other. It took her by surprise.
"You…" She gritted her teeth when she finally noticed me, "What were you doing up there!"
"Ikari told me he loves you."
"Oh I'm not going to fall for-" Her eyes then widened, "What? What did you say?"
I gave her another hard smack.
And then I watched in amusement as she tumbled down the stairs and bumped her head on the concrete wall. I walked past her unconscious body wearing a small smile.
----------
"You really enjoy doing it, don't you?" Misato frowned.
"What?"
"Slapping Asuka, that's why you kept telling me."
"Yes, I suppose I do."
Not for the first time, Misato sighed in frustration, "Never mind…Carry on…"
----------
Afternoon classes started soon afterwards, and everyone went back to their seats. Moments later, Pilot Sohryu also returned together with the class rep after paying a visit to the school infirmary. Nevertheless, there was a huge lump on her forehead, and it seemed that she was still in a state of shock. Her eyes appeared out of focus as she walked in, and throughout the remaining lessons, I observed that she was always staring blankly at her monitor while mouthing some inaudible words.
Ikari, on the other hand, was fidgety for the rest of the day. He was constantly looking down, and he rubbed his eyes every once in a while. His hand was slightly shaky when he held his pen, and he did not respond when other students tried to talk to him. It seemed that he was having a difficult time recovering from the rejection.
About halfway through the afternoon, I saw him glancing back at me. It was then I noticed how badly affected he was. His inflamed eyes told me a thousand words about how much I had hurt his feelings. At that moment, something stirred inside me. I could not describe what it was, but something stirred.
I showed him the finger.
He never spoke to me again.
----------
Misato shook her head in disbelief, "So, that's how you repay his friendship. After all the things he's done for you, that's the best you could do. Seriously Rei, have you ever questioned your own humanity?"
Again, the girl looked away.
"You could've at least been more polite!" Misato growled, barely suppressing her anger.
"Being polite would not have made a difference," Rei replied, "He would still be hurt. Nevertheless, Ikari deserved better, so I made compensations."
"You made compensations?"
"Yes, I did."
Misato was unconvinced, "Oh really? And how exactly did you do that?"
----------
It was the day after my conversation with Ikari. He was absent from school, apparently still unable to accept the harsh reality. However, other than that, everything went on as usual. Not many students noticed his absence, and those who did simply thought that he had fallen sick, which could be true nonetheless. Suzuhara was preoccupied with his new girlfriend, whereas Pilot Sohryu was inattentive and seemed to have adapted a new interest in staring vacantly at her monitor. I would have assumed that the Second Child was in a state of deep contemplation about certain complexities in life, but I did not believe she possessed enough wisdom to do so. Nevertheless, nothing major happened until after school break.
I was walking down the corridor when I saw Pilot Sohryu standing at the corner. She was leaning against the wall. Her eyes were on the floor, and her foot was tapping impatiently. It appeared that she was waiting for someone.
She looked up when she noticed me approaching. As if acting on reflex, her hands quickly went to cover her face. I found myself grinning in satisfaction as I walked past her.
However, to my mild surprise, she stopped me before I could leave.
"H-Hey! Wait!" She blurted, "W-We need to talk!"
I turned around, feeling indifferent to her apprehension, "What is it?"
"Well…Uh…This is awkward…" She hesitated while shifting her balance from one foot to another, "Hmm…How should I start…"
"Stop wasting my time."
For a moment, she looked clearly offended by my response, but forcefully shook it away, "Well…alright then…This may sound strange, but do you remember what you said yesterday?"
"Yes," Admittedly, I was getting slightly curious, "What about it?"
"I…you see…I can't get it out of my head…So I've been thinking…" Again, she looked uncomfortable, but hopeful, "Well…is it true then? I mean about what you said of Shinji…is it true?"
At that instant, a brilliant and noble idea materialized in the plane of my vast intelligence. After the agony I had caused, it was the least I could do for Ikari.
"Yes, it's true," I replied, "He told me he loves you. From the way he always talks about you, I have no doubt about his sincerity."
A bright gleam appeared in the Second Child's eyes, "Really? B-but why did he never tell me?"
"Ikari is a very shy and quiet boy," I explained, smiling to myself, "You may have to take the initiative."
"I-I know! He's always acting so passive!" She laughed, barely able to suppress her delight, "But what I don't understand is…why? I mean…I haven't been exactly nice to him…I'm always scolding him, and accusing him, and-"
"Have you ever heard of the term masochism?"
She seemed confused, "Yes, but what does that have to do with-" And then the haze was cleared, as Pilot Sohryu finally realized what I meant, "Oh…Oh I see…" A mischievous grin appeared on her face, "So the boy likes it huh? He actually likes it! Hah!"
I nodded, feeling that my mission was accomplished, "Good luck, and do what you must. I have to get going."
"W-Wait," She stopped me again, "I don't accept favors. You've helped me, so I'll help you too. Unfortunately, I don't have much to offer, except this…" She then handed me a stack of documents, "I don't have any use of it now, but I thought you might find the information useful…you're pretty smart after all…"
After that, I accepted her gratitude and went back home. When I read the documents, they revealed a very valuable piece of information…
----------
By now, Misato was shaking her fist in despair. A vein was about to pop on her forehead; it happened every time she got frustrated, "You…you call that compensation? …Do you find this funny? Or are you really that clueless?"
Rei tilted her head, "What do you mean?"
"By hooking up Shinji and Asuka of course! You've made him her victim!" Misato nearly shouted, "Do you really think you were helping him!"
"Ikari has never experienced another heart break since," Rei explained, "As far as I know, they are still a couple."
"That's exactly my point! THEY ARE STILL A COUPLE!" Misato yelled. She grabbed the girl's collar and started yanking her back and forth, "Do you have any idea how much pain and suffering you've caused! Do you! Huh? Do you!"
At that moment, Misato's mind went blank and her eyes became blinded by rage. All she knew was anger, and she vented it all on Rei. Each thrust grew more violent as the last bits of her self-control evaporated.
Suddenly, she heard a loud crack. Her senses returned, and Misato gasped when she saw the young girl clutching her head. Apparently, Misato had knocked Rei against the window, hard enough so that the safety glass actually spiderwebbed from the blow.
Despite this, it was difficult to feel bad for her. Misato's resentment was at a peak due to the accumulation of all the events Rei had described. She had had enough and to make things worse, Rei had not even revealed the truth she wanted to hear. It was truly frustrating.
"I…I didn't mean to do it…" Misato released the girl and slowly backed away, "I'm sorry."
"I am not guilty," She replied quietly.
"What?"
The girl turned to look at Misato. There was a blank expression on her face, and her eyes looked distant. She seemed confused and disorientated, "I am not guilty."
Misato sighed, "Let's not dwell on that. Just tell me what I want to know and get this over with."
A lengthy silence followed, with the girl still wearing the vacant look.
Misato began to get suspicious, "Rei? Are you alright?"
It was then the girl seemed to regain her focus. She blinked a few times, before staring intensely at Misato. At that instant, Misato noticed something different. There was a shimmer in the girl's red eyes that felt somewhat malevolent, yet familiar. Misato quickly realized that it had been there all along during their entire conversation in the car, ever since they had left NERV headquarters earlier, and had only been lost briefly during the short period when Rei was looking blank and vacant.
The secret had yet to be exposed, but Misato believed she now had part of the answer. There was definitely something odd happening with the First Child.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Rei asked.
Misato tried to recompose herself, "Nothing…Just…nothing…" She then cleared her throat, "Anyway, let's move on. You were saying that Asuka gave you some valuable information? Well, what is it?"
Once again, Rei cast her eyes downwards. The girl contemplated for a while before she began to answer.
----------
Although Pilot Sohryu's simplicity was astounding, she was certainly a very astute stalker. I soon realized that these documents had been obtained while she was spying on the Special Agent Kaji. They were his medical records, and the details shown were something he definitely would not be proud of.
Nevertheless, Kaji possessed skills that I didn't. He was an excellent special agent, and I believed he would be willing to offer his useful service in exchange for these records.
So I contacted him and requested a private meeting. We eventually met at a ventilation maintenance room at NERV.
"You're late," He said casually when he saw me.
"No I am not," I replied, "I arrive exactly when I want. Never early, and never late."
He raised his eyebrow in response, "So you mean you purposely kept me waiting here for more than an hour."
"That is correct."
There was an awkward silence, interrupted only by the large fan spinning nearby. He then dropped his cigarette and stepped on it.
"That's not very funny, you know," He said, clearly not amused
"Neither is this," I replied, flipping him a manila folder. He then opened it and retrieved the papers inside. After a few glances, his eyes widened as he realized that those were his shameful medical records.
"T-These…But how…How did you get these?"
"That is irrelevant," I said, "The important thing is what you want to do with them. That is why I am here."
He frowned and looked at me intensely, "Are you blackmailing me?"
"Yes I am."
"You're not getting anything from me."
"Then I will release these documents to the entire city."
"That won't do anything," He said with his chin held high, "I am completely cured."
Perhaps he needed me to remind him of just how shameful those records were, so I cleared my throat, "According to this information, you caught Syphilis during a trip to South East Asia, Gonorrhea in India, Chlamydia in China and Herpes in Brazil. Once this is made public, any hope of you reconciling with the Major will vanish. It will also destroy your reputation, and subsequently your chance of bedding another female." I paused to look at his pale face, and then I continued, "Besides, it says here that you are currently testing for HIV—something you may have caught during your trip to Africa last month."
There was another tense silence. He began to sweat profusely. After a while, he sighed and slumped his shoulders, "Very well…I concede defeat…I'll make you a deal."
"Speak."
"You give me these documents, including the originals," He began, "And in return, I will enlighten you with my recent discoveries. They're highly valuable pieces of information, I assure you. It takes great skills as a spy to retrieve them. So, how does that sound?"
"I am well acquainted with the happenings in NERV," I replied, not feeling impressed, "Therefore, your information may be worthless to me."
"Unlikely," He said confidently, "It is something that concerns you."
I was still not convinced, but his calm demeanor persuaded me to listen, "Fine, but there will be no deal if the information fails to satisfy me."
"It won't," He grinned, "What if I tell you that Ritsuko has already grown suspicious of you long ago, ever since, if I may make a guess, you put her in hospital?"
Admittedly this new development surprised me, and for a moment, I became speechless. I had thought the doctor to be a broken woman ever since the incident with the synch tests. Apparently, I had been wrong.
Kaji seemed to notice my reaction, "That's right, and there's more. She has just told the Commander about her suspicions, and I believe he's now planning to eliminate you," He continued, smiling, "Yes, he will be your most dangerous adversary yet. What are you going to do about it?"
I contemplated carefully, and decided that Kaji was right. There was very little time left. I then made attempt to leave, "That will be all. Thank you."
"Wait," He said, "I think you have something that belongs to me."
I turned around to face him, "Your medical documents, including the original copies, will be sent to you once I take care of the Commander."
"I'm afraid I'm not as inexperienced as you think," He shook his head, brandishing a pistol from his jacket, "Take me to these documents now or…Well…what's there to stop me from killing you?"
"If you attack me, there will be consequences."
Again, he smirked, showing his teeth, "Oh really? Like what?"
At that instant, a red dot appeared on his crouch. It took him a while to notice, but when he did his face slumped in defeat, "Oh…" He took a deep sigh, "Section 2 agents?"
"Better," I said, "She's a friend."
He then put on a wry smile, "You're more resourceful than I thought."
I gave him another look, before turning away and left the scene.
A few minutes later, I was at the NERV entrance, waiting for my associate to turn up. We had chosen to exit the complex by separate routes to avoid unwanted attention. Nevertheless, it took her only a while to arrive. Her reddish brown locks fluttered in the wind, and her green eyes sparkled when she saw me.
"Well, that was unexpected," she said, "It seems that the woman still got something left in her."
"Yes. She will learn her lesson soon."
We began to walk.
"What are you going to do with the Commander?" She asked.
"I need machine guns," I answered, "with a rapid firing rate."
It was time to settle this once and for all…
----------
"Before you continue any further…" Misato interrupted, her eyebrows drawn together as she shifted uneasily in her seat, "I want to know if it's true…about what you just said…"
"What about it?"
"Did he…I mean…Did Kaji really have all those nasty diseases?"
"Yes, I believe so," Rei answered, "It is all documented in his medical files."
Misato's face turned green. She opened the door, exited the car, ran to a nearby tree and began to throw up.
"URK…! SO THAT'S WHERE I GOT MY HERPES FROM! URK…! THAT LYING BASTARD! URK…!"
She began shouting profanities, all the while continuing to vomit. Her skin turned into a mixed shade of red and green. It took a while before she was finished. Misato was still shaking in anger and, to a certain extent, disappointment when she walked back into the car. She made an attempt to get some napkins from the drawer in front of the Rei's seat. The blue haired girl backed away consciously, with her red eyes carefully fixed on Misato.
Misato noticed the girl's reaction. She frowned in dismay, "Rei, I am completely cured."
"I don't believe you."
It was another assault on Misato's threshold of tolerance. Already very frustrated, she then grabbed Rei's collar and ran her hand all over the struggling girl's face, "There! You happy now! It's nothing! You can't get infected just by touching alone!"
Rei, however, was not convinced. She frantically seized some napkins for herself and began to furiously rub her face clean, "Major, if I ever caught STDs from this, I will personally terminate you."
Nevertheless, Misato was not paying much attention. She was still preoccupied and upset by Kaji's apparent betrayal, "I still find it hard to believe…" She shook her head, "I mean, after all these years…after all we've been through, and this is how it ends…"
A lengthy silence followed. Rei was still rubbing her face. Misato began to hyperventilate.
"He's gone too far!" The woman suddenly slammed her fists down on the steering wheel, "I swear, if not for our current situation, I would make it my business to get his records and spread it to the entire world! Let's see if the monkey can still screw around after that!"
"That can be arranged," Rei said quietly.
"What? What do you mean by that?"
"I still have those records. I could give them to you."
Misato raised her eyebrow, "I thought you had a deal with Kaji? Didn't you promise to return them to him?"
"I am too smart to keep my promise."
Once again, Misato sighed, "Yes, I'm sure you are."
She then closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, seemingly in deep thought. It was now obvious. Rei was a skilled manipulator, just like the commander that had brought her up. Despite her fragile appearance, the young girl could prove to be a powerful friend or a fearsome enemy. Misato was becoming curious on how a duel between mentor and pupil would turn out.
"Anyway, that's not important right now," She said, "You mentioned that the commander was looking for you? What happened next?"
Rei bowed her head, staring at her lap. After a while, she spoke, "It happened very recently. The commander came searching for me last night…"
----------
Author's note: Well, I wrote this one evening after getting a sudden burst of inspiration. It was meant to be a one shot joke, but it ended up pretty long, so I decided to break it into two. I haven't started on the second part yet, but hopefully it won't take too long. Like it or hate it, go ahead and fire your comments!