I do not own the rights to Neon Genesis Evangelion, or any of the characters, equipment, or locations written in this fanfiction. The purpose of this fanfiction is merely for the non-profit enjoyment of other readers. If requested by Gainax, Hideki Anno, or other parties which represent aforementioned objects in this story, I will remove it promptly.
Chapter XIX:
Misato may be many things, but she was smart enough to understand when an ally arrives, no matter how terrifying they are, you support them. Fuyutsuki awaited our arrival at the primary checkpoint, as well as several guards. Asuka was allowed to pass, but I was forcibly restrained and frisked. "This goes against everything I believe," the aging professor grumbled, his eyebrows pulled down in anger. "You are too dangerous for a pilot."
The soldiers released me, and forcefully shoved me towards the turnstyle. "Then why are you doing this?"
"I trust Major Katsuragi's judgment," he answered. "Commander Ikari wants to see you before you proceed to the Cage."
The trip to Rokubungi's office was unpleasant to say the least. The entire complement of guards, their MP-5Ns aimed at me, followed the sub-commander and I down the corridors to an alternate, highly secure passageway to the commander's office. This had no elevators, no junctions, and no critical utility junction boxes. It was a solid, heavily armored corridor, and there were heavy airlock doors almost every twenty feet. Then I remembered that this was the one passageway they always showed in the series, the various hatches sealing once the base went to red alert.
The office, I estimated, was a mile away from the beginning of this corridor, as it took nearly a half an hour to reach it at a brisk pace. The hall dipped to a steady, gentle incline. Finally, we reached the end of the corridor, and an alternate set of heavy doors to the commander's office. The guards followed us in, a few of them lowering the night vision glasses rigged on their helmets. Fuyutsuki blinked, squinting in the darkness. Myself, however, I had a trick up my sleeve for this very scenario.
The eyepatch served a tactical as well as medical purpose. Given forty minutes in complete darkness, the visual purple in the human eye will build up, making that person a few thousand times more light sensitive than they are in normal daylight. That is the maximum saturation level of visual purple, and since my eye had been both taped down and covered for days, I was more than capable of seeing in that room. Moving my hands slowly to my face, I removed the eyepatch, and gently pulled the tape away from my skin.
"Major Katsuragi informs me you want to begin harmonics testing with the Second Child," Rokubungi announced. "You are still under observation, and I will not have my decisions questioned!" He was about to continue when he must have noticed I had removed the eyepatch, and quickly replaced my glasses. "What are you doing?"
"I effectively have enough light sensitivity in my bad eye to see you, as well as that pathetic nine millimeter you have pointed at me," I grinned. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark."
Gendo scowled. "Do you know what the punishment is for disobeying a direct order?"
"I assume for NERV that it is death," I answered simply. Rokubungi nodded, and it was then I knew how to approach the situation. Fuyutsuki nervously twitched next to me as I clenched my fists. "Tell me, Commander, can you get decent cell phone reception in here?"
"Why?" he grumbled.
"Do you know where Rei is?" This seemed to get the man's attention, causing him to shift uncomfortably behind his desk. "You probably know I've gone to some of the weapon bazaars in the ruins of the industrial district. I have a friend down there. He has a family and not enough income from his job to keep them well fed."
"Stop wasting my time," Rokubungi snarled, and gestured towards the guards. The men raised their weapons, aiming towards my chest.
"If I don't make a phone call every 12 hours, once during the morning, and another at night..."
"He could not possibly get to Rei," the commander growled.
"Did I mention educators make horrible wages?"
Kouzou stared at me, his jaw hanging in surprise. Gendo simply hissed, and I noticed for the first time his left hand was no longer covered in it's usual glove. "What do you want?" he snapped.
"I'll take the psych evaluation, but I want it today. You people have been wasting my time. Also, I want the Second Child to train on Unit-04 as well as Unit-02. The S2 drive will be mission critical if hostilities between the Committee and NERV continue to exist. The 'old men' as you refer to them are many things, but not complacent."
•••••••••••••
The psych evaluation was just like any other medical exam to me. It was boring, but in a way it was pleasant. It went from pleasant to amusing when the psychologist started to give his assessment. "You have a bit of a temper, but otherwise, you seem perfectly fine." The black haired man was Japanese American who had moved to Tokyo-3, much like the Suzuki family. He was tall and lean, with very thin facial features. "That temper, however, could cause some serious problems. I would like to schedule regular appointments at least once a week."
"Actually, I've already had a similar talk with another psychologist and some family members," I answered. "I find a little distraction to take my mind off things works well enough. Do you know if there is a rec center or gym in headquarters that I may use?" The psychologist sighed, and I knew immediately he was going to start his whole song and dance to sign me up for more sessions. "That, or a nice trip to the target range every once in a while. I tell you, there is nothing like hand loading your own ammunition, and getting to test it. You know what it's like to handle a .357 Magnum?"
Funny how I was doing so well up to that point.
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"You have to be kidding me!" Asuka whined. "I am not piloting Unit-04! You can handle that death trap for all I care!" I found it rather difficult to convince even myself that Unit-04 was entirely safe, so I couldn't argue with the redhead. However, it was important for her to understand the need for Unit-04, particularly with the S2 drive. Staring into the display at Maya's terminal, I took a deep breath, and readied my argument.
"If an Evangelion is captured by an Angel or a hostile invasion force, it may be used against us. If that Eva happens to be Unit-01, which is now equipped with a stable S2 drive, we will be at a disadvantage unless Unit-04 is fully operational." Soryu began to protest, but I interrupted her. "Also, we are using Unit-04 as a control group to test your ability to synch with another production model. If it is Unit-02 acting up, then we will see a difference here."
The German seemed to cringe, squirming in the seat of the entry plug. At least now the techs had gotten the spare Unit-02 plug to display the pulse doppler radar and infrared data for the pilot. There was nothing worse than trying to pilot blind. "I'm not so sure about this..." Asuka hesitantly spoke. "No... I-I can't do this!" Glancing at Maya, I nodded towards the headset. Sighing, the lieutenant agreed, switching off the overhead speakers, and going to the headset. Removing her headset, Maya stood up from her station, and left me to deal with the Second Child.
"Asuka, there's no one listening except me now," I said. "What's up?"
"I'm... not discussing it with you, Fifth!"
"Either you talk to me, or we leave you in that plug and make you talk to Misato. Now which is it going to be?"
Asuka paused, then very timidly stated her question. "What if... I am at fault?"
I shrugged my shoulders. "Then we work on it until we get you back in the game, and if necessary, work to maintain your abilities. I highly doubt, however, it is something serious." That wasn't entirely a lie. Anyone who watched the series might have come to the conclusion that "deep rooted problems" were the cause for Asuka's withdrawal from the world. The way I saw it, though, she seemed to just need a good boost of self confidence. It wasn't necessarily an Asuka problem, but a pilot's problem in general. The same drop in synch ratios happened, although temporarily, to Shinji.
"Why do you care?" the redhead mumbled. "You just want to take my Unit-02, and steal all my glory."
"No," I sighed, shaking my head. Why were things always so difficult with people? I should have just resorted to keeping social interaction to an all-time low. I could have put Rei Ayanami's antisocial behavior to shame, but I had chosen to stupidly act human in this world. But I couldn't just back off now. "What I'm concerned about is survival. The more proficient pilots we have with superior weaponry, the better. Now that Unit-04 is here, we have an opportunity to become truly powerful."
"Are you always this crazy?" Asuka sighed.
"Yes, I am."
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Soryu and I walked together down the street to Misato's apartment, the girl smiling for the first time since I had become Unit-02's back-up pilot. We had spent two days straight training, having never left headquarters. It was nice after all this time to meet someone who had the drive to sit down, and not give up on a problem until it was resolved. Her synch ratio was still low, but she had increased it by eight percentage points. Sometimes, she had even managed to spike three to five points higher during an individual session, but only for a short period of time. Still, it was a steady improvement, and while small, Ibuki noticed each session there was improvement led to a slightly higher increase in gain the next session. In short, the key to Asuka's problem was all a matter of confidence.
It was also a benefit to me, as I learned more about the Eva, our area of operations, and the various tactical weapons at our disposal in those two days from Asuka than in the weeks of "self-instruction" (or dare I say negligence) of Misato's misinformation. What Asuka lacked in understanding about Unit-04, I had an equal lack of NERV procedures or general Eva proficiency. If Soryu and I did not share citizenship with America and post-Impact Japan, I would have best described our two days of maddening training as a cultural exchange. Instead, it was more along the lines of a symbiotic relationship.
We were only a couple blocks from Misato's apartment, the sun setting behind the hills surrounding the city, when the redhead decided to speak. "Are you coming in?"
"No," I said, shaking my head. "I have to get back and prep dinner. I also want to check over all my stuff again for class tomorrow. You know, make sure I'm all squared away." Soryu nodded. "Just... how tough will it be? I still can barely speak the language."
"Just don't piss me off, and I will guide you through it," the German grinned, giving me a wink. I could just imagine how she saw the situation. She was most likely thinking I was her new toady, most likely a few rungs lower in standing than Hikari. But if that is what I head to deal with to stay alive and get through the whole mess until the Third Impact, I could play dumb for a while.
"Right," I said, nodding.
"Fifth?" Soryu asked, glancing over her shoulder.
"What, Second?" I sighed.
"What is that stooge to you, anyway?" My face remained frozen, or at least the left half did, as my right twisted into a grin of amusement. The idea that Aida and I were romantically involved seemed to be getting around, and I suppose I could see why. It was unusual for him or I to have any interaction with others. I always thought a pairing between him and Rei would be far more suiting, but leave it to a female Fifth Child to be paired with the remaining background character.
Turning my head a full 90 degrees, the only way I could see Asuka with my one eye, I decided to tell her the truth. "He's a business associate."
"Business associate?" Asuka exclaimed, frowning. "Don't tell me you make him pay for it!"
"What the hell is going on in that head of yours, Second?" I snapped. "I told you already. I'm male, remember?" Sighing, I turned back to the sidewalk ahead. "I needed Aida to tag along as a translator on a few errands late at night last week. Besides, Aida's cool. He reminds me of me."
"God help us all!" she muttered under her breath.
•••••••••••••
Considering how I would still considered a danger to society, I couldn't help but laugh nearly all day as I attended the junior high for the first time. Apparently I couldn't be trusted with an Eva, but it was more than acceptable to put me in a room full of potential pilots. Then again, it did make sense. I was, of course, the one who helped fight off a platoon of poorly trained and overconfident soldiers. I was also the one who kept a drunk and feeble minded Misato on her toes. Around the other Children, I would simply be the laughable foreign exchange student. I wondered if I should start referring to myself as Fez.
Most of the students kept their distance from me during the lunch break. It was what I was hoping for. People just get in my way. They have a habit of contradicting every smart decision I make. It was that way with Misato, Maya, and even the cafeteria staff at NERV, who insisted I stuff my face with ramen than with food which my intestines would retain for more than five minutes.
"Susan?" I heard a boy's voice behind me. Kensuke Aida walked timidly up to my side, and sat down next to me. The short-haired brunette who regularly sat there didn't seem to mind, as she had no intention of sitting at that desk for the rest of the semester, or however long I would be there. It was the end of the first week I had been at the school, and the boy knew how tough it had been. "Can I... help?"
"How?" I asked. "There are at least three factions of girls in this class, and all of them seem to have their fun spreading rumors about me. Did you hear how they vandalized my P.E. gear?" I pounded the desk once in anger, causing everyone in the class to jump once, stare, then begin to laugh in my general direction. I didn't care anymore about maintaining my cover as a 14 year old exchange student. I just wanted out.
Rubbing my forehead with my right hand in frustration, I felt Aida grip my left gently in his. "I am... sorry," he breathed. "I did what I could to stop the pictures from getting out, but those guys ganged up on me." I didn't for a second doubt the boy's conviction to me, as the bruises on his face were evidence of his attempted heroism. A few girls gasped in their typical, mindless way, and began another teasing session. Hikari, on the other hand, was breaking out in a cold sweat. It wasn't that I didn't appreciate what Kensuke was trying to do, but again, it would have been better had it been my girlfriend. Thinking about her, I just grumbled, but let Aida hold my hand.
"Aren't you the kind who takes those photos normally?" I asked. Kensuke nodded meekly, trying to hide his sense of shame. "Then why do you care now?"
"You are... different... not just eye candy," he answered. For the first time in my life, I took the extra effort to smile in appreciation of a complement.
"After school, you want to toss a football around?" I asked. "I'm sick of all this girly crap."
"But you don't throw a football," Aida sighed. "You cannot touch it with your hands."
"Sorry, I mean an American football." I made a few hand gestures to help describe the object in question. I've always hated sports, except for motorsports. However, a nice game of catch with a football was just the dose of macho, American culture I needed. The weeks surrounded by nothing but Japanese culture was driving me nuts. Even their attempts at mimicking American or European culture left a bad taste in my mouth, like watching a bad movie filmed on location in Canada.
Kensuke smiled and nodded. "Sounds like something new to try." It amused me sometimes, how we were both picking up each other's mannerisms. I found myself at times readjusting my glasses just as he did, while he would walk with a slight lope or begin to slur his words into a bad Oakie accent I had picked up from an uncle of mine once. The funny part of it was he seemed to enjoy it. I reminded myself to find a few episodes of King of the HillIt was time for a little gaijin payback.
I heard a few girls start to snicker and make "cute" sounds. Glaring with my one good eye directly at the girls, then back at Kensuke, I asked "Can you kill them for me?" The girls immediately glared back, their lips pulled into frowns. Once I heard them groan, I snarled, and they backed away. The class representative, however, stayed behind. "Go for the cranial ridge. Makes less of a mess, and ends it quickly."
Kensuke just shook his head, and set it back against the top of the desk. "Why do you make everything so difficult?"
Glaring over at the girls again, the three were whispering and occasionally giving me questioning looks. I thought it was less than common, but these foul mouthed teens even in the post Second Impact world were just the same as back in America. I had heard the rude slang for so many sexual activities, it didn't take me long to realize they had some funny ideas about Kensuke and I. It was also a clue when Aida began to blush, as surprising as that was.
Standing up, I approached the girls, set my hand on one of their shoulders, and jerked the girl backwards in her chair. She hit the floor hard, and as she tried to stand, I knelt beside her. Gripping the bow tie around the collar of her blouse, I pulled her within inches of my face. "Are you listening?" I asked in Japanese. I had made an effort to learn some basic words, and conveniently. The more simplistic phrases were perfect for interrogations. The girl didn't respond at first, but I shook her viciously, and she seemed to comply. "Now, are you listening?"
"Y-yes..." the girl trembled.
"Speak English?" I asked.
"YES!"
"Good," I said, returning to English. "Tell everyone Mr. Aida and I are only friends."
Releasing the girl from my grip, she tumbled back to the floor. The elderly instructor who was normally seen in the series had stepped out for a few minutes, so I thought I was free. However, as I made my way back to my desk, Hikari ran up to my side. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" the class representative shouted.
Glancing over my shoulder, I watched Kensuke start to withdraw, then pause for a moment. Sighing, he walked up to my side, and folded his arms in defiance. He and Hikari exchanged some harsh words back and forth. The minute the instructor came back to the classroom, the 'victim' began to sob uncontrollably. The balding instructor walked briskly to my desk, noticing the conflict seemed to concentrate around me. I could feel the man's stare trace up and down my desk.
"Go to the principal!" the man snapped. The teacher, however, stepped backwards once or twice as I slowly rose to my feet. I could feel my right eyebrow pulled down. That whole side of my face tightened into a lean package of raw hate expressed in gaunt features. I had no idea why the teacher began to shake, however, until I leaned over to put the school issued laptop to sleep. As the screen went blank, my reflection stared back at me, my one iris growing darker in hue.
End of Chapter XIX
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