"Hooaaah." Asuka yawned as she flopped over on her new beanbag-chair, roughly a week after her recovery from the Sixth Angel's attack.
She had finished her homework, at least as much of it as she understood since Japanese Kanji were still a bit difficult for her, and she was currently just lazing around in her new 'apartment'. Or rather, the third floor of the apartment complex that had been given to Second, with him giving the entire floor to her.
'...Boring…' Asuka rolled from the beanbag to the floor, and rolled from left to right, and then from right to left a couple of times in a feeble attempt to amuse herself. Second had helped her move into her new apartments, and a state of normalcy had resumed for the time being… Except for Asuka shunning Shinji at every available opportunity, providing that Second was around to protect Asuka if Shinji decided to get violent once again. Outside that, things had been quite normal… For a week.
NERV had suddenly ordered all pilots to stay in the 'controlled areas', which effectively meant 'house arrest where NERV can grab the pilots at moment's notice', which clued Asuka to the possibility that another Angel might have been sighted but it was too early to tell for certain.
Not to mention, they were down a pilot since the 'replacement pilot' had apparently whacked herself comatose with Unit-01 during its activation test, although the loss of the spare pilot didn't hamper their overall operations since all three available EVA's had been fixed and each had a 'actual' pilot for them.
Shinji hadn't been amused by the news of Mari's state and had been stuck between horror and determined anger, as the boy had likely pooled his repressed anger at Angels and at himself. That alone was enough to make Asuka incredibly worried that Shinji would lash out again, and this time there might not be Kaji to save Asuka if she got ambushed on her way to school or something.
Thus it was clear to Asuka that Shinji was just bottling his anger up, yet his actions during Asuka's packing-up had made it clear that Shinji was trying to make amends- But if he believed that Asuka would forgive him just like that, he was sorely mistaken.
In fact Shinji had gone on his knees and then bowed towards Asuka in what Asuka remembered faintly to be 'seppuku' stance or something like that as soon as the teenager had spotted the now-healed Third Child.
A stream of apologies followed, but Asuka had merely huffed and walked past Shinji… Although she kept a good distance from the boy, just in case, and held to the Second's hand as she had insisted for him to help her move her stuff to the new apartment.
Initially Asuka would have wanted Kaji to come and help her move… But she was a bit annoyed at him as well, as Kaji had been in the room when Shinji had assaulted her and he hadn't managed to save her from being concussed into a coma. Not to mention Misato had told her that Kaji was 'I don't know, or care, so he's somewhere I guess?' when Asuka had asked about the man's whereabouts, and Kaji had only sent her one 'get well' message in the form of a card.
Not to mention that Kaji wasn't answering Asuka's calls, making her anger towards the man double. So she went for a secondary stratagem: Coercing Second to help her, and clinging to him so that if Kaji happened to be somewhere and saw the two, he'd get jealous over Asuka and tried to confront Second.
Asuka wasn't sure what would happen next, but she figured that if Kaji was heroic enough then she could nurse him to health (assuming Second pulled a 'Shinji maneuver' on the man), or she play the role of a kidnapped maiden if Kaji was acting distant, making Kaji repent for his actions.
Second seemed to be in a good mood and had agreed to help Asuka move, albeit she hadn't told him about her plan in regards to Kaji, and Second had accompanied Asuka to Shinji's and Misato's apartment.
Rei had been present in the apartment, while Misato had excused herself and had left almost as soon as Second and Asuka had entered. Although the woman had been a bit green and had clearly wanted to say something as she spotted Asuka holding the side of Second's shirt with her hand.
Asuka had excused herself into her room in Misato's apartment for a while, which she had used to package some of her really private stuff into a backpack without being seen. Like makeup, perfumes… And the knitted doll she had gotten from her mother. The last and most treasured gift her mother had given Asuka, before she had fallen into insanity and would no longer recognize Asuka, or anyone else.
Asuka would not risk the doll being damaged should Shinji spot it and decide that it was childish of Asuka to have the toy before getting rid of it, or risk the chance that Second accidentally damaged it during the transport. Afterwards Asuka had invited Second in to grab her stuff with the backpack closed and securely tied to her back..
Second had then put all of Asuka's stuff into his portal, much to Asuka's combined surprise and fascination, and Second had stopped by to pat Shinji's head and tell him to 'give it some time' before leaving with Asuka to furnish her new apartment.
A week had passed after that, almost like in a dream. A mundane dream, but a peaceful nonetheless, where Asuka had mostly kept her distance to Shinji and attended the high-school, as childish as it was since Asuka had long since surpassed the curriculum… At least until Second had discovered Asuka's academic prowess and had proposed a trade: Second would teach Asuka more about Japanese kanji, and Asuka would help Second learn mathematics and geographics.
Asuka had agreed after giving it a long thought, and much to her combined surprise and relief the offer had been one made and executed at face value. No surprise ambushes, strings attached, or instant death from Angel-related means.
'...It's empty…' Asuka listened to the sounds, or rather, the lack of sounds of people living in the mostly-empty apartment complex as she finally rolled on her back in her empty apartment-room.
When she had grown up in Germany the palace she had been put in had been quite lively with maids and whatnot other servants, and when her training had begun she had lived in close contact with a lot of trainers and instructors.
To be allowed peace and tranquility was calming for a while… Until the peace allowed the nightmares to come in and threaten to crush Asuka's already limping and wounded self-worth after her repeated failures against Angels- Despite her superior training, genetics, and tactics. To that end Asuka always tried to go out or hang around her classmates whenever possible, and attempt to stave off the rising uncertainty and dread that way.
However, when the pilots had been locked down, such a past-time was denied to her, and she needed to occupy herself somehow or she'd have to face her nightmares once again.
To that end she crept out of her apartment and into another, as she had keys to every apartment in the floor thanks to Second's generosity. Afterwards Asuka put her ear against a water-pipe that ran up from the heating element of the room… And heard voices coming from the room above the one where she was. Or rather, from Misato's living room.
Her pride was not yet softened enough to allow her to consider going to the other pilots and Misato in order to feel less lonely. Not to mention, she'd need to bother Second to come as her bodyguard in case Shinji acted up.
"...and then…"
"...That sounds pretty incredible, Misato-san…"
"Yeah, you should have…"
"...Apparently it was one of Second's agents who tried to…"
"...I don't think that he would do that…"
"....By the way, is Asuka-chan with Second? That really isn't good…"
"...Misato-san, are you sure it's healthy to be so paranoid-"
"...Shinji-kun. Second is an Angel, even if he puts on a friendly face. Anyway, I better go check on Asuka, just in case. Stay here."
Asuka pulled her cheek from the water-pipe, and huffed in annoyance.
'So now Miss Kapitain wishes to act as the concerned mother, even if she's only here to act as a guard and prison-warden…' Asuka felt vindictive so she marched off the empty apartment and into the elevator, and took it to a level below. 'Not good to be with Second, huh?! After he healed me and delivered us a victory after my dumb ass pride almost had us all killed? He's an Angel, I guess, but… Bah, I don't care.'
Asuka then marched until she reached a door that was made of ivory decorated with gold inlays, and pushed her access card against the card-reader.
Asuka was fairly sure her access card wouldn't work on Second's door but she tried out of instinct while her rational mind re-evaluated the wisdom of the action… Except that the sliding door opened. 'Eh? Don't tell me… Second didn't key the card and just gave me a master-key to the house?'
She blinked her confusion off as she heard a elevator let a 'ding' somewhere in the distance, cluing her that Misato had likely decided to start her search for Asuka in Second's apartment.
Asuka's annoyance rekindled and she huffed before marching into the dark room, pausing to knock twice on the way.
The sliding door closed behind her and she waited for a brief moment for her eyes to adjust to the light… Before she noted that the apartment seemed empty of life.
'Hmh. So Second is skulking somewhere… NERV ordered all pilots to first-stage readiness aka house arrest, but I suppose they wouldn't have the balls to order Second around…' Asuka looked around and heard something letting soft noises like a pair of bellows.
She moved from the living room, opened the bedroom door, and found that Second was currently sleeping in his bed. Although he looked oddly… squishy, for the lack of a better word. In fact, one of his arms was at an odd angle that made Asuka more than a bit uncomfortable.
Asuka had frozen still in the doorway, unclear on how to proceed… Before she heard the ringing of the door bell from the main room.
She huffed and walked into the bedroom… And sat into Second's bed. 'He's totally asleep, right?'
The door rang again, increasing Asuka's annoyance-levels but at the same time she was starting to realize what she was up to. And that her annoyance at Misato probably wouldn't be worth getting into serious trouble with Second- For all his seemingly benevolent posturing, he was an Angel.
However, when the apartment door opened after a while and Misato hollered something to 'Second' from the main room, Asuka realized that she would probably cause problems for Second if she just outright fled the bedroom when Misato was in the main room and would see the door opening. Not to mention that such an action would also lead to some quite not-good accusations directed at Second.
'Well shit.' Asuka realized that her pride and lack of anger-management had caused her to do impulsive actions once again. '...I really need to do a sanity-check before I do anything… I forgot that by annoying Misato by proving her 'fears' thrue I'll also stain Second's reputation… Fuck…'
She considered going to sleep beside Second for a brief moment, but forsook that idea she was quite aware what that would look like, and so instead she hesitated for a while… And then reached to correct Second's arm-position.
For some reason the arm felt more like jelly or a tube of meat than an actual arm, making Asuka more than a bit creeped out… But after that she started to stroke Second's cheek while he slept like a baby.
And after a moment Asuka started to sing a quiet lullaby that her mother had sung to her, in what was now a distant memory.
The door to the bedroom opened after roughly ten seconds, and Misato barged right into the room while she had her hand in her pocket… And she paused as she saw Asuka.
And Misato double-took the situation as she looked at Second's peacefully sleeping face and Asuka who was stroking his cheek while singing a lullaby.
"What the… Asuka-chan- Listen, some things have happened and right now is really not a good time to be around Second." Misato whispered while she sounded nervous. "Come here… I got a call from Gendo and apparently he's asked Second to come to him. Apparently Gendo is planning on confronting him about something… If that goes sideways…"
Asuka merely sent a haughty glance at Misato while keeping the cheek-stroking going.
Misato seemed to get frustrated and creeped beside the bed, grabbed Asuka's arm and dragged her away from the bed- Although not without a silent struggle happening between the two. However in the end Misato emerged victorious as Asuka let her win, and the red-head was dragged off and kicked out of the apartment with 'order' to go to Shinji and Rei, and head to the top floor of the apartment from where a trio of VTOL-aircraft would carry the pilots into Central Dogma to stand by for further orders.
'...Ha. Shows that bint…' Asuka felt quite vindictive over Misato's manhandling and stomped off. Although she was feeling a bit better as she had seen the frustrated look on Misato's face when she had spotted Asuka, and had seen her doing something perfectly innocent instead of whatever Misato had been thinking about.
.
.
"Second- Wake up, please. Gendo has some news for you." Misato spoke with a loud voice, but Second kept on sleeping. "Um…"
She walked closer and poked the slowly breathing body… And got no response.
Misato blinked in surprise from the oddly elastic feeling, before she reached to grab Second's hand… And realized that the fingers on his hand were acting more like sausages than actual fingers.
In other words, they didn't have bones inside of them.
Or, in other-other words… 'This is just Second's discarded fleshy 'overcoat'- The Angel is somewhere else entirely and has ditched our tracking equipment'
Misato closed her eyes, breathed out, breathed in…
"We're so fucked…"
.
.
A day earlier.
"Good." Gendo closed his computer after going through Ritsuko's research notes. "It seems that field testing proves my earlier guess correct- Second is not an Angel. But rather, something else entirely."
Ritsuko was sitting opposite to Gendo in his office in one of the upside-down 'skyscrapers' hanging off the ceiling of the Geofront, sipping cocoa.
"Angels traditionally emit a 'Blue Blood' signature that forms the pattern Blue waveform that MAGI can detect. The fact Second doesn't emit such a signature should already be a hint- But I assumed that he was capable of suppressing his waveform." Ritsuko agreed. "We have quite a few data-samples of AT Field in effect from Angels, as well as from the AT Field our EVA's can generate. In light of that, I can say with a high degree of confidence that the resistance to damage shown by the specimen you brought to me does not originate from AT Field, but rather from something more… Occult, for the lack of a better word. Moreover, I find it somewhat unlikely that it is a creation of Second, as it differs greatly from the 'Rogue Angels' our friends in JSDF have been hunting. It is more… Refined, as wicked and foul as it looked, for the lack of a better word. At least when compared to the almost undead-like horrors Second has sent forth."
"As befitting of demons." Gendo was leaning his chin against the back of his hands while thinking, causing the visor on his face to reflect pale red light.
"I've been meaning to ask… What is the purpose of the visor?" Ritsuko seemed quite curious and Gendo handwaved the issue.
"The result of my trip. Do not pry further." Gendo told Ritsuko. "Since we've confirmed Second doesn't have AT Field, we should consider renaming it to ease our identification if it's likely that Second is not the only Demon we have to worry about."
"Instead of Absolute Territory, the demons have something akin to Absolute Understanding- While AT Field separates us from each other, and us from Angels, the field that the corpse you provided for me seems to track intention, rather than effect. In a way, it serves the same purpose as AT Field, but approaches it in entirely different fashion. If I thought that I was going to stitch the corpse together to save it, to heal it, I could penetrate its carapace with even a needle. But if I sought to harm it, I would not be able to affect it even with a plasma cutter." Ritsuko adjusted her glasses. "Moreover I suppose the fact that I could 'fool' the AU Field was possible only because the creature was dead, and thus could not put it's own 'intention' to decipher my 'intention', meaning I was able to more or less go at it at my heart's leisure as long as I thought I was trying to help it."
"Hm. Yet, somehow Unit-05 managed to kill it." Gendo looked thoughtful. "The combat data shows that Pilot Makinami managed to stab the Prog Lance right through the monster's chest after a momentary battle, during which it attempted to destroy Unit-05 using a set of 'charm papers' as well as physical attacks. However, it seems that AT Field is able to counter AU Field…"
"...Which makes sense, considering that the two are diametrically opposed. One field is born of understanding the other's intention, and the other is born of rejection of another." Ritsuko sighed and drank the rest of her cocoa. "In all honesty I am becoming a bit overwhelmed. Could it be that Angels and Demons have a War in Heaven, and our earth has become the battleground?"
"It would make sense to an outside observer." Gendo agreed. "It is not quite so, however."
"The Dead Sea Scrolls?"
"There may be more of them, but SEELE is keeping them close to their chest. The Dead Sea Scrolls speak of prophecy of salvation in doom… Yet, the fact Second has chosen to help us, there may be a prophecy of a doom in salvation." Gendo muttered half to himself, half to Ritsuko.
"SEELE's Human Instrumentality Project?" Ritsuko noted. "I thought we were opposed to it, when we first built GERN with Fuytsuki and learned of SEELE's existence and goals?"
"We are. Yet, just because one fate is awful, doesn't mean there aren't more miserable fates. It may be better to die once to become a human hive mind, united in understanding of the Fruit of Life yet forever denied the Fruit of Knowledge, rather than linger in a doomed world as a corpse that is neither alive or dead." Gendo noted. "The creatures Second has unleashed are… Distinctly human in their anatomy. Withered and horrible, and bound to an existence of torturous lingering. At the same time a huge group of homeless have disappeared from Kyoto- It does not take a concrete proof to match the two."
"...I see." Ritsuko sighed. "I suspected as much when I saw the photos JSDF provided. But I suppose I wanted to delude myself into false hope than realize that we are besieged by enemies without and within…"
"Second is not yet our enemy. The fate he offers to us may be worse than that of SEELE, but it does not mean we can't use him as a tool to our ends. Since Angels do not seem to care much for their own kind, and as Angels and Demons are diametrically opposed, it is possible that Demons share tight bonds."
"And the shambling dead?"
"I doubt Second considers them fellow 'Demons'- After all, they were humans who became Second's thralls." Gendo noted while he had a revelation and his glasses glinted ominously. "I see… I suppose that was one of the reasons Second sent them out- An attempt to mask the fact his kind care about one another by attempting to fool us into thinking that it isn't so by sending hapless pawns into slaughter. After all, one must never let the kidnapper know hostages are of value to them."
"...You're suggesting we capture Second, then?" Ritsuko sounded doubtful. "I doubt we have anything that can do that, other than…"
"No, but we can use the corpse of the 'Second Demon' to drive Second's rage towards SEELE, away from us… And open his back to us while the Angels. Demons and SEELE wage their war." Gendo noted. "For that, I need you to make… Adjustments to the corpse. I trust you are capable of doing that?"
"...I see. I suppose I can do that… What about Mari? She was the one who struck the final blow, I believe?"
"Her fate is unfortunate one, but she is only a spare Pilot." Gendo noted without a shred of emotion in his voice.
"I… See." Ritsuko sighed. "I'll make the preparations, then. When do you plan on telling Second about it?"
"Tomorrow, initially through Katsuragi and then personally. It will be a touch-and-go… And while I was able to contain Second the first time around, I predict… Fifty-fifty chance that I'll be able to do so again. But if I fail…"
"...Then I suppose I should have the Lance and Rei prepared?"
"If the worst comes to worst… We may have to trade containing one evil for containing another."
.
.
"What's going on?" Shinji asked as his VTOL-aircraft landed in Central Dogma alongside two other aircraft, and unloaded their passengers. "Misato's not here? Is it an Angel?"
Rei tilted her head a bit to the side while Asuka merely huffed and kept a distance to Shinji after disembarking. Although for some reason the redhead had a massive blush, which had been plastered on her face even before Shinji saw her arrive at the apartment complex's rooftop landing pad.
A squad of NERV technicians motioned for Shinji and the two other Pilots to come and they followed them deeper into NERV HQ.
'This feels off… Normally they'd have those guys in black uniforms ferry us to EVA's, or Misato-san would drive us… Something is fishy…' Shinji was starting to feel a bit sketched out while Rei was in her usual tranquil and emotionless state, and Asuka was clearly distracted by something as she was marching with exaggerated parade march-movements.
The trio finally reached the prep-room for entering their EVA's, and got orders to stand by.
"This is unusual." Rei commented while she moved to a section of the room that was separated from the rest by a near-opaque glass wall, and started to strip her clothes in order to fit her plug-suit.
Shinji moved behind his glass wall and changed into his plug-suit, although he had a massive blush all the while since the glass let him see the shape of Rei's body even if the glass prevented him from seeing 'details'. And then he blushed harder as he realized that Rei had sent a minute, slight glance towards Shinji as well while he had been undressing… And Rei had a small blush on her cheeks.
Shinji found it incredibly hard to concentrate on the oddness of the situation after that.
However, he realized after a while that Asuka hadn't put on her plug-suit and was just sitting on a bench, seemingly in a trance.
"Asuka-san. We should get ready." Rei told Asuka. "Are you ready for a potential combat situation, both physically and mentally, Pilot Langley-Sohryu?"
"...Right, ahem. Of course I am." Asuka shook herself out of her stupor and started to pull her blouse off… Before she seemingly realized that she had been in the middle of the room, in clear view of both of the pilots.
Shinji fell over with a water-bottle shaped imprint in his face as Asuka had instantly tossed the nearest somewhat solid object in her immediate reach, and hit a bullseye on her target. "Peeping tom!"
"You're the one stripping in the center of the room! Go there to change!" Shinji complained while rubbing his barely-healed nose, and the bottle-impact wasn't making the healing process any easier.
"Hmph!" Asuka harrumped and moved behind the milky glass wall while giving Shinji a glare.
"Oww…" Shinji sat down on a bench and rubbed his nose… And Rei sat beside him. "Hm?"
Rei was offering a medical kit. "There is a tube of cooling salve here. Please apply it to the injured area."
"Thanks…" Shinji took the hit and rummaged around a bit until he found a tube, and put some of the stuff on his nose. The aching eased almost instantly. "You're a lifesaver, Rei-chan…"
"You were not in mortal danger, Shinji-kun…" Rei commented a bit blandly, although the fact she was staring at Shinji from such a close distance made him blush and look away.
Shinji's attempt to look away was foiled, however, as Rei put her hand on his cheek and turned his head towards her… And then rubbed more of the cooling salve on his nose. "The instruction manual calls for repeated use."
"I… um…" Shinji was not sure what to think or say as Rei was rubbing his nose with her fingers. 'It feels kind of funny… But… um…'
"Bleh." Asuka feigned throwing up as she walked out from behind her changing wall, now clad in her crimson-red plug-suit. "Don't tell me you two have been going at it like bunnies in heat for the last week… I'm glad I jumped ship when I did. Anyway, limit your horndog hornswaggle to when you're alone, or something. It's disgusting."
"We haven't been- I mean, we- um, I… R-Rei and I aren't like that, um, ahem…" Shinji sent a nervous glance at Rei as she had turned to stare forwards with a bland, emotionless look on her features after hearing Shinji's words, and he felt a bit ashamed… But at the same time a bit angry over Asuka's claims. "Asuka-san. Aren't you the one who's hanging around Suzuki-san all the time? People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones…"
"Wha- Pervert! Leech! That's not what we- I was doing!" Asuka blushed and threw a sandal from a nearby bench… Except that Shinji managed to block it before it would have hit his face.
"Enough." Shinji forced his tone to be calm and controlled while leaving no room for arguments, like he had seen his father speak. He had practiced the look after he had asked Suzuki for advice on how to keep his posture and cool under pressure, and Suzuki had advised Shinji to practise making grand gestures and expressions in front of a mirror. And that had been what Shinji had been doing for the better part of the past week.
It seemed to have paid off as Asuka paled and her outstretched hand shook a bit… Before she bunched her arms and huffed while looking to the side. "Whatever. I'll just go somewhere out of earshot… I don't want to hear you two mooch or whatever you perverts get up to."
'...Dad, I can start to see why you use that gaze.' Shinji resisted the urge to sigh in relief as Asuka marched off and slammed the automatic door on her way out. Somehow.
However, it didn't change the fact that Asuka clearly hated Shinji, and that it was all his fault.
A touch on his face brought him out of his depressive mood, and Shinji looked to the side to see that Rei was touching the side of his nose with her finger.
"Rei-chan. I think that was enough of the paste." Shinji moved her hand gently to the side… And Rei sat beside him to re-package the medical kit. 'E-eh? Our legs are touching…'
Rei didn't seem to even register the touch as she turned to stare forwards with her usual emotionless stare plastered on her face, leaving Shinji with furious blush on his cheeks. 'U-umu… Suzuki-san… What should I do in this kind of situation?'