Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything belonging to Marvel Comics or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Superwomen of Eva: Emerald Fury

Chapter 12: Things Get Complicated

I don't believe this, Makoto thought wearily as he entered the bar, one of several such establishments in Tokyo-3. And a place that was frequently packed with people, seeking relief from the various forms of stress associated with NERV and the war against the Angels. Though it wasn't one of the nastiest bars he had ever been to, to say that this place was high-class would be unfairly generous at best, an out-and-out lie at worst.

Man, I can't believe I have to do this! Makoto continued to grumble inwardly, uncomfortably aware of the people looking at him. Scrutinizing the intruder to their group intoxication, even as the otaku Lieutenant scanned the place. Searching for the sole reason he had come to this place.

When Makoto finally spotted her, he let out a slight gasp of disbelief at the condition Maya was in. She was sitting unsteadily on one of the stools, with her head resting upon the surface of the bar. Her uniform was a disaster, her hair was worse, and her cheeks were that rosy shade of pink that only occurred when someone had had several drinks too many in one sitting.

Shaking his head woefully, Makoto began to make his way over to her. Trying very hard not to disturb one of the other patrons, who all looked somewhat volatile and more intoxicated. "Why did Shigeru have to recommend this place to her…?" the otaku muttered beneath his breath as he threaded his way over to the bar.

Finally arriving at Maya's side, Makoto looked her in the face, only to decide that she looked even worse on closer inspection. "Hey, Maya…" he started, not certain as to how he should converse with someone who was utterly plastered.

Sniffing unhappily, Maya slowly craned her head up, and unsteadily looked at Makoto. Frowning at the sight of the bespectacled Lieutenant, she tottered about for several moments, before enough wattage lit up in her mind for her to actually process his presence. "Oh…Makoto," Maya got out, her boozy breath causing Makoto to grimace before waving the smell away. "Whaddaya…doing here?"

I was about to ask you the same thing! Makoto answered inwardly.

"Looking for you," was what Makoto said aloud. His concern growing, he leaned closer to his friend. "Maya, what are you doing here?! Dr. Akagi told me that you still have a lot of paperwork to do, and…!"

"Phhbt! Paperwork! Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork! That's allsh I ever do these daysh," Maya slurred badly, shaking her head woefully at the glass of beer that still sat before her. Then she looked at Makoto perplexedly. "Why do I have to do so mush…damn paperwork, anyways?"

"Uh…" Makoto paused, realized that he had perhaps underestimated Maya's condition. "Because…it's your job?"

"Feh! Job, schmob! This isn't a (hic!) job! Ish…hell! Pure hell!" Maya snorted, shaking her head in disdain. "I used to have a…real job, you know that? A real job…with real work. Working with…synthetic peptides…and genome shequences. Cellular development and cybernetic interfashes…and stuff like that." Her expression growing even more sorrowful, Maya once again eyed her drink. "And I had to give it away..."

"So I heard," Makoto returned, thinking of the woman Maya had chosen as her successor. "Chihiro Mifune, right?"

Maya nodded in drunken assent. "Yup. She's…Lieutenant Mifune now. Wow. You should've…sheen the look on her face…when I told her about her new job. Right before the…last Angel. My old job…and it's all hersh, now…"

"Aw, c'mon, Maya! It's not all that bad!" Makoto tried, hating this situation.

Almost two weeks had passed since the engagement with the 10th Angel, and every day, Maya had grown more stressed and haggard. For while she was an excellent technician, she clearly wasn't coping with the bureaucratic policies and the mounds of red tape she had had to plow through recently. Not to mention the fact that, with both Ikari and Fuyutsuki still away, every UN request, every communication from the JSSDF, everything that kept NERV running had landed squarely on Maya's head. With the recent batch of budget demands Ritsuko had told him about being the straw that wound up breaking her back and sending her running from NERV to drown her sorrows in beer.

"Not allsh that bad?!" Maya protested, looking up at Makoto like he was the world's biggest idiot. "Every day, nowsh…I've gotta deal with (hic!) stupid people with…shtupid problems. They keep…arguing about money, and shupplies…and whoever's more important. And because of them…I keep getting morsh…damned paperwork." With this declaration, Maya's head once again fell to the bar. "I ushed to wonder…why the Major drank so mush. Notsh…anymore!"

"Uh…well, there might have been more to it than that…" Makoto suggested mildly, not exactly sure how to handle this situation.

"Thish really…isn't so bad. Tastes pretty good…and it helpsh ya not think about…paperwork or…shtupid people," Maya commented, hoisting the glass of Yebisu, sloppily downing some of it. "But you know what would really be greatsh?"

"Um…getting your old job back?" Makoto guessed.

"Yup!" Maya nodded eagerly. Then a dull spark that might have passed for cunning flashed in her eyes. "Shay…why don't I promote you?"

"What?!" Makoto got out, not sure if he had heard her correctly.

"Sheriously. I could promote you…then demote myself…and get my job back!" Maya suggested sloppily, jabbing her finger into Makoto's chest. "Whaddaya think, Makoto? You like the Major…rightsh? How'd you like…her job, huh?"

"Maya…c'mon. Get up. Let's get you home," Makoto instructed, bending down so that he could take Maya's arm and brace it over his shoulders. Wrapping his free arm about her waist, he eased the Captain off of the stool. "We'll talk some more tomorrow…after you've slept it off."

"Y'know…I can see why you like the Major…she ish pretty, ishn't she?" Maya drawled, her feet rubbery and unstable beneath her.

"Huh?" Makoto started, looking sideways at Maya.

"Pretty. The Major," Maya elaborated, smiling crookedly. "Sempai's great and allsh, but…the Major's nishe, too. Especially when she'sh all gr-"

Slamming his hand upon Maya's mouth, Makoto looked about, searching for anyone who looked like he or she might have been listening a little too closely. Seeing nothing but faces that looked suspicious to him, he started laughing nervously. The otaku Lieutenant then quickened his pace, dragging Maya out the door as fast as he could. When they finally exited the bar, he looked about quickly, searching for any sign of someone who might overhear them. "Maya, watch it! You're not supposed to be talking about…well, you know!"

Her eyes widening, Maya slowly nodded her understanding. Breathing a sigh of relief, Makoto took his hand away from her mouth, and she smiled. "Shorry…forgot about that."

Sighing in relief, Makoto continued to help Maya to his car. "Hey, it's no problem. This stuff happens, you know?"

"I'm not, though," Maya suddenly commented. When Makoto looked back down at her, she swayed somewhat, almost knocking him off his feet. "I'm…notsh gay, that is. At least…I don't think sho."

"Huh?!" Makoto gaped.

"It's…alwaysh been this way with me…I've always had an eashier time…dealing with women. You don't get…spanked for that…or anything else," Maya slurred, almost dead on her feet. "My mother...she was always so nashty. Telling ush to…shtay away from boys…"

"Right, right. I hear ya," Makoto shook his head as he desperately. Unable to believe just how far gone Maya was.

"Have you ever sheen…melted, grey broccoli?" Maya wondered unsteadily. "Well, I have. Mother…always made us eat it. And…other shtuff as well. Always yelled at us…for not eating it. And for being near boys. Got beaten up for it…too."

"Right, right," Makoto groaned as they finally arrived at his car. "You're totally smashed, you know that?"

"Hmmm…yup!" Maya responded, only to break down into a case of the giggles. While Makoto was easing her up so that she could lean upon his conveyance, the former tech was laughing madly. As if she had just discovered the world was completely insane, and she was only person intelligent enough to laugh at it all.

Rolling his eyes and wondering what exactly he could have done to deserve this, Makoto decided to change tactics. "Anyway, you won't have to worry about a lot of that paperwork for much longer," he spoke encouragingly. When Maya settled down enough to look back at him, Makoto smiled more deeply. "The Commanders should be back in a day or so. So at least you won't have to worry about the UN or…"

"Phhbt!" Maya retorted, obviously unable to think of anything intelligent to say. "Knowing them…they'll probably dump all their paperwork on me, just so they'sh don't have to do it. I know…that'sh what I'd do!"

"Now, Maya…!" Makoto started.

"Remember how the Major was…after the 7th Angel? With all that paperwork?" Maya prompted, rolling her eyes back into her skull. "Mountainsh and mountainsh of it…all because the Commanders…didn't want it! And who would?" Bringing her hand to her forehead, the brunette wiped her brow. "Makesh me shick…just thinking about it."

"Maya, c'mon!" Makoto urged, opening his door and gesturing for Maya to get inside. "Let's just go home, and…"

It was then that Maya really was sick. Her eyes ballooning out of their sockets, her mouth puffed out like a toad's before she curled over. Staggering over to the side of one of the buildings, Maya's stomach violently protested her activities of this evening by sending its contents flying all over the place.

Groaning in dismay as he watched his friend vomit, Makoto placed his hand to his temple, shaking his head woefully. I think I hate Maya's new job even more than she does! he thought, realizing that he was in for even longer night than he thought.


"Hmmm…" was the only sound to escape Ritsuko's lips as she looked at the display before her. Scrutinizing the magnified image of the blood sample she was studying.

"You don't sound too happy, Dr. Akagi," came a relatively unfamiliar voice. When Ritsuko looked up, almost expecting to see Maya at her traditional place, she saw her new understudy instead.

"I'm not, Chihiro" Ritsuko confessed immediately, pinching the bridge of her nose as she studied Lieutenant Mifune, who was proving to be a capable assistant, but less subdued and adept than Maya. The two of them were working in the research lab that lay just outside of Misato's current residence, going over the various specimens they had taken from the purple-haired woman. Both before and after the battle with the 10th Angel.

"Care to tell me what the problem is?" Chihiro asked with an undercurrent of concern. "I know I don't understand the Major's condition as well as you do, but…"

"That's just it. I'm beginning to think I don't understand it at all!" Ritsuko protested tiredly. "Every time I look at one of Misato's cell samples, I find something new. And I'm not talking about in a good way."

"So…do you have any idea what happened out there?" Chihiro wondered, cocking her head as she looked at her superior. "Why she reacted to those blasts like that?"

"I have a few theories, but…" Ritsuko admitted, before shaking her head. Desperately wishing she could enjoy a smoke while within several miles of the delicate materials before her.

"Not looking forward to telling the Major about them, huh?" Chihiro gathered.

"Something like that," Ritsuko confessed. "Besides…I'd like to make sure of a few things before…before I try to talk to her about them. I mean…we know a lot about what this mutation does, and what triggers it, but when it comes to the whys and hows…" Trailing off as she raised her hands helplessly, Ritsuko let out a wearied breath. "I swear, it's like Misato's body is doing everything it can to drive me crazy!"

Chihiro could do nothing but smile sympathetically. "There now. We'll take care of this," she stated easily. "After all…if we don't, we don't get that bonus we're supposed to be earning!"

"A bonus?" Ritsuko snorted laughingly, smiling lopsidedly at her new understudy. "With NERV's budget? Are you kidding me?!"

"Hey, I never said we'd actually get a bonus either way!" Chihiro shrugged impishly. "But we'll certainly have earned one, once we cure the Major. Won't we?"

Eyeing the woman Maya had chosen as her successor, Ritsuko couldn't help but smile broadly. "True," the doctor conceded. Neither woman aware that they weren't the only ones critically analyzing various forms of data.


"Whoa…" Misato went as she sat back in her couch, once again reviewing the battle against the 10th Angel on a holographic display. Once again watched the recordings made by Maya and the others from a relatively safe distance.

"She just…keeps going. No matter what happens," Misato murmured, thoroughly awed by her bestial other. The utter savagery she displayed, the power she wielded. Seemingly indestructible as the Angel tried to defend itself from her. Its explosive orbs, even its destruction, the detonation of an N2 mine, and falling all the way down to the earth below unable to truly damage the She-Hulk, let alone slay her.

Shaking her head, Misato leaned back in her seat, only to look from the display to the frail human body she now wore. Barely able to believe that such awesome power now slept within her.

"An Angel. That thing…beat an Angel…with its bare hands," Misato muttered, raising up a fist and studying it like she could find the answers to all of her problems just by looking at it closely enough. Fists completely unlike the ones that had sounded the 10th Angel's death…and yet were the same fists, nonetheless.

Ultimately, it was too much for Misato, who leaned back so that she could look at the ceiling. So many thoughts, so many possibilities had tumbled about in her mind without end. Along with questions she had no answers to.

"What now?" she asked herself, doing so more for the sake of hearing a voice more than anything else. Frowning, Misato once again looked at the battle, analyzing what she saw. The power that she held within, but lay in the control of another.

"I guess that depends on what happens next," Misato finally decided. Sighing in boredom mixed with loneliness, she finally shut down the display, banishing the monster from her sight. Knowing that a lot hinged on what Ritsuko learned from her studies of her cell samples. As well as her planned discussion with Commander Ikari.

"An Angel. She…I actually killed an Angel," Misato murmured, once again shaking her head in awe at the very thought. A reality she had no memory of, yet knew to be true. And as much as she might want to deny it, with this thought came two things.

The thrill in her blood, the knowledge that she, not one of the children, had taken actual, physical revenge on one of the monsters that had haunted her for fifteen years. And the realization that, if it could happen once, then there was the possibility that it could happen again. And again. And again.

And keep on happening…until all the Angels were dead.


"Are we certain of this information?" came a single voice. One voice that was heavy with age and cruelty echoed about the room that was filled with nothing but darkness in various forms. From the various shadows lurking in the many nooks and crannies to be found there, to a more concentrated brand of darkness, manifested in the form of twelve black monoliths that hovered in mid-air. The surfaces of the holographic specters marked in red by the word 'SEELE', as well as a number. The speaker's voice came from the monolith marked SEELE-11.

"Positive," came another voice, emanating from a different monolith, this one SEELE-02. "The data sent to us by Recon Satellite 4 is somewhat incomplete, due to the 10th Angel's ECM jamming, but we were able to recover several minutes of its video log pertaining to the battle."

While this voice was heard, the portions of the video mentioned were being played in the center of the chamber. Images of a woman falling through the air, a massive green figure carrying some sort of machine on her back, who then forced her way through the Angel's AT-Field by means of pure, brute strength. Then there was a blast of static, and then there was a view of that same figure brutalizing the Angel, seemingly unfazed by its attempts to ward her off. Another blast of static was seen, only to be replaced by the view of the Angel's final annihilation, along with the detonation of the N2.

"The energy released by the destruction of the Angel and the detonation of the N2 blinded the satellite, so we don't have any hard data as to what happened next," SEELE-12 commented as the display disappeared. "However, we already know of the…unusual happenings going on in Tokyo-3, don't we?"

The eleven other cold-hearted men knew exactly what their fellow meant. "So, it would seem that the creature Ikari claims as a mindless victim of an Angelic infection is actually under his control," SEELE-05 muttered. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Yes, and according to one of our people in NERV, Ikari has been devoting considerable resources to studying this creature," SEELE-09 muttered. "Obviously, he must have resurrected his Nephilim Creation Project!"

"But that makes no sense!" SEELE-04 protested. "If this…She-Hulk…is one of Ikari's creations, why would he let it run wild like this?! Risk exposing himself in such a manner?!"

There was silence for a time before the voice of SEELE-01 was heard. "Ikari is clever, but not as a clever as he thinks he is," the voice intoned coldly. "It could be that he decided that the only way to deal with Spirit…was by creating a being more powerful than her, and loosing it upon her."

"Then he's a bigger fool than I thought!" SEELE-07 sneered. "If what our reports say is true, then this beast is completely mindless! And you saw what it did to that Angel! Imagine what a monster like that could do if set loose upon Tokyo-3!"

"Don't forget that most of the information we have regarding this beast was given us to by Ikari himself," SEELE-08 muttered gruffly. "And if you expect him to be honest with us, then you're a bigger fool than even he is!"

"Ikari may play his games, but he is not as foolish as you may think," came the calmer voice of SEELE-12. "If he were to create such a monster, then I'm certain he felt that he had a means to deal with it as well. And given the popularity that Spirit currently enjoys from the public at large, as well as a great deal of NERV's personnel, none of us can move against her in an open fashion."

"However, striking at her in a way that could not be traced back to him is certainly in keeping with the way Ikari does things," SEELE-01 agreed.

"Very true," SEELE-12 verbally nodded. "Think about it. Spirit is killed in the defense of the city, fighting against a monster of some kind. Then the Evangelions are sent in, destroy the monster, and avenge the people's beloved hero. Thus, Spirit is disposed of, and NERV gains greater favorability in the eyes of the public at large. A perfect ending for Ikari, wouldn't you say? And for the Committee, as well."

"Except that's not what happened," SEELE-04 pointed out. "Spirit escaped from the monster. And there's no indication that the Evas were ever mobilized in that confrontation."

Silence once again held sway over them. Silence that was broken by SEELE-01. "There is not enough information for us to reach any conclusion at this time. Aside from the obvious that Ikari is once again playing some sort of game."

"We should have executed Ikari a long time ago!" SEELE-07 complained. "To give such a man full access to one of the keys to the scenario! To allow him such close proximity to the one true Lance! Utter madness!"

"A necessary step, in order to further the scenario," SEELE-01 countered. "However, it does appear that Ikari's scheming has gone too far this time. We need to deal with this situation, and quickly."

"There is one possibility, if I may speak?" SEELE-12 once again spoke. "Over the past years, each of us has made many ploys in order to gain greater power, to achieve immortality, among other things. And while the scenario remains our only path at this point, that does not mean that certain…other pet projects have not borne fruit of their own. Given the appearance of Spirit, I took the liberty of resurrecting one such project of my own, as a means of dealing with her."

"Project? What project?" SEELE-05 demanded

"Just one of many little…experiments carried out by my scientific teams," SEELE-12 commented in an offhand manner. Just as another holographic display appeared in the center of the room. This one detailing a humanoid figure, a large one. "Gentlemen, allow me to present you with one of the most advanced creations of bioengineering and cybernetic systems ever created. A virtually unstoppable engine of destruction my people affectionately refer to as…the Rhino."

Voices lowly muttered in awe as the other members of SEELE took in the sight of the behemoth displayed for their benefit. They scrutinized the technical specifications of its armored hide, the weapons and equipment that it had been fitted with, the strength and physical capabilities shown for their benefit, even as SEELE-12 continued. "This cybernetic man-beast has been equipped with titanium-steel armor, ion boosters, a complement of missiles, lasers, and other long-range and mid-range weapons. His strength has been genetically and cybernetically enhanced far beyond the human norm, and has been proven to be virtually indestructible in combat."

"I see," SEELE-06 muttered with a bit of humor. "And that horn, which is what I assume prompted such a name? Is it merely for decoration, or does it have some…practical application?"

"A very practical application. It is a progressive lance, the design of which is based on the data we have been able to glean from one of the shards of the broken Lance," SEELE-12 continued. "It is designed for the express purpose of penetrating an AT-Field…as well as any other substance known to man."

"Such as the flesh of a young girl," came a low, sinister chuckle from SEELE-02.

"Precisely," SEELE-12 responded.

It was then that the sardonic voice of SEELE-01 was heard. "Spirit is killed in the defense of the city, fighting against a monster of some kind. Then the Evangelions are sent in, destroy the monster, and avenge the people's beloved hero. Thus Spirit is disposed of, and NERV gains greater favorability in the eyes of the public at large. Those were your words, as I recall."

"My words exactly," SEELE-12 agreed. "I had considered sending it on a rampage through the city, starting with the schools. Even if we weren't fortunate enough to kill Spirit in the first attack, it would have certainly drawn her out. And having to avenge the loss of three or four innocent children as well could only help NERV's image, wouldn't you agree?"

No one replied at first. When SEELE-01 did speak, it was with a terseness that wasn't there before. "Can you be certain that this…Rhino…cannot be traced back to us?"

"If I weren't certain of such a thing, I would never have suggested it," SEELE-12 countered in a disdainful manner. "Rest assured, gentlemen, the Rhino is not only fully armed and armored, but also completely under our control. He can be mobilized with but a word, and destroyed just as easily, should it prove necessary."

"Then give the word. Have the Rhino sent to Tokyo-3, but do not send him alone. Have one of our operatives accompany him as well," SEELE-01 ordered. "Their mission will be to track down this She-Hulk, as well as any data regarding her. If your Rhino can successfully destroy her, then so be it. If he is incapable of living up to your expectations, then we will, at least, be able to retrieve some information, and get a better understanding of what Ikari is scheming this time."

"Of course. As it happens, I have just the man in mind for this operation," SEELE-12 returned. "One of our more…competent employees, as a matter of fact."

"Good. Just make sure that nothing can be traced back to us," SEELE-01 stated firmly.

"But surely Ikari will realize we're responsible!" SEELE-05 protested.

"True, but knowing it and being able to prove it to the public at large are two very different matters," SEELE-01 returned. As his words sank in, the head of SEELE drove his point home. "And if Ikari has once again cast himself in the role of God, we must head him off, and quickly. Remind him of whom his masters are."

"Agreed," came the voices of the other members of SEELE, at which point the meeting was ended.


Shinji thought his eyes were going to roll out of their sockets as he stared at the screen of his laptop. Which, given how tired he was of looking at it telling him things he didn't want to know, might have been preferable.

"Hey, Third! Where are you?" came the demanding voice of Asuka. Shinji didn't even turn around as he heard the door to his room open. "Oh, there you are!"

"Oh. Hi, Asuka," Shinji muttered quietly in response.

"Don't 'Hi, Asuka', me! I'm getting hungry here, and dinner isn't going to cook itself, you know!" Asuka grated as she marched in and came up to Shinji's side. Looking over his shoulder, she narrowed her eyes as she scrutinized the images on the computer screen. "What is that you're working on, anyway?"

"This? It's one of the stories about what happened with Jet Alone," Shinji explained, gesturing at the headline. "They're talking about what went wrong, and…"

A growl of exasperation forming in her throat, Asuka threw up her arms in unspent frustration. "Don't tell me you're still wasting time on this schisse!" the redhead snarled. "Look, I've told you before! It was an accident, that's all! The idiots who made that dumb piece of junk just screwed up! What do you expect from a Japanese company, anyway! There's no stupid conspiracy here, so just forget about it already!"

"But Asuka…the whole company went bankrupt after what happened!" Shinji countered as he turned to face Asuka. He then gestured at the article on the screen. The headline read 'Jet Alone Sinks Japan Heavy Chemical Cooperative!', and explained how the company had invested so much of its resources of into the development of the robot. How its disastrous failure had turned its stockholders against the company, after which it had quickly gone out of business as a result.

"So? Why the big surprise? The idiots practically nuke an entire city, and you think they should get a medal of honor?!" Asuka demanded.

"But…Asuka, if Jet Alone was so important to them…don't you think they would have…I don't know. Done something to make sure that something like this didn't happen?" Shinji wondered. Though the boy didn't have the best grasp of such matters, such a conclusion didn't seem too difficult. "Look, it says here that they spent months checking everything before the demonstration! So…don't you think they would have found a problem like that before they started it up?"

"Hey, they just screwed up! That's all there is to it!" Asuka decreed in her 'I'm right, everyone else is wrong' voice. "Besides, do you have any idea what would have happened if that stupid thing had worked right?!"

Shinji blinked at this, unable to fathom the redhead's reasoning. "Uh…no."

"Then they might have tried to replace the Evas with more ugly monsters like it!" Asuka stated, shuddering at the absolute horror of such a scenario. "Honestly! Can you imagine what would happen if we had to rely on things like that?! You might as well hand victory to the Angels on a silver platter!"

Letting out a weary sigh, Shinji returned his attention to the screen. Why can't Asuka see it? That Misato was right about NERV? About…Father? he wondered, not for the first time perplexed by Asuka's attitude. She always seemed to act like piloting Eva and working for NERV were the most wonderful things in the world, and was always surprised when something nasty happened or when it got in the way of her day-to-day life.

Asuka probably was happy when Jet Alone failed, Shinji decided wearily.

"Now, c'mon! Get up and get dinner started!" Asuka ordered impatiently. "And none of that stuff you normally cook! No rice or miso or any of that other crap!"

"Huh?" Shinji started, eyeing Asuka like he couldn't figure out what was going on with her.

"Hey, Misato's not here! So that means that I'm in charge around here from now on!" Asuka decreed, smiling officiously at Shinji. "Which means that you aren't going to be cooking anything but real, western-style meals! Got it?!"

Groaning in dismay, Shinji knew that there was no point in arguing with Asuka. Such protests on his part invariably ended with him being decorated by several ugly bruises. "Alright. Just let me finish up here," he muttered, scrolling down to another article on the page.

Just as Shinji began reading, he was stunned to see his computer screen go black. Jerking back, he saw Asuka's finger planted firmly on the 'power' button. "Looks like you're finished now," Asuka told him with a smirk of pure triumph. "So why don't you stop wasting time, and start working on my dinner?" Then she leaned in added, "And after you're done with that, I've got a couple homework assignments for you to take care of."

"What do you mean? I already did…" Shinji began, only for his mouth to fall open when he realized what Asuka was talking about. "Wait…you mean you want me to do your homework as well?!"

"Why not? If you've got time enough to waste on these stupid theories of yours, then you've got plenty of time to do something that's actually important!" Asuka declared, placing her hands to her hips in an officious manner.

"But – but you're the one who's supposed to do it! You're the one who's been to college and knows all this stuff!" Shinji protested. "Why would you want me to do -?!"

"It's because I am a college graduate that I shouldn't have to waste my time on schisse like that!" Asuka decreed, making a fist and placing it squarely beneath his chin. "So get going already, or else!"

His mouth popping open to give additional protest, Shinji eventually sighed in defeat. "Okay, okay," he groaned, setting aside the laptop before rising from his seat. "Just give me a few minutes."

"Fine!" Asuka grinned victoriously. "Just be sure not to screw up my homework! I want a grade worthy of me, after all!"

Shinji didn't bother justifying this comment with a response. Feeling like that only one enjoying this whole mess caused by She-Hulk's creation was Asuka, he thought of the woman who had done so much for him. And how of his father would be returning within a few days' time. Misato…I'm not gonna give up. I'm not gonna run away. I don't know how, but…somehow, I'm going to prove what Father's done.


The next few days passed slowly, with people working both in and out of NERV, busying themselves with various endeavors of their own. Some worked to get themselves back together, some continued to think what life what had done to them, some plotted and schemed, and still others walked the path of discovery. All of them waiting for the man who held all the answers they wanted to return to Tokyo-3.

When that day finally arrived and Gendo Ikari was once again seen walking the corridors of NERV, Maya, Ritsuko, and Shinji were waiting in the research lab just outside of Misato's gilded cage. And as the Commander of NERV was faced with their expectant eyes, his own expression cool and composed. His face gave away nothing as he surveyed them.

"Commander Ikari! Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki! Welcome back, sirs!" Maya spoke, standing straight as she snapped off a crisp salute. Wearing an air of perfect composure, any traces of her drunken binge completely gone. Falling in line with her, the rest of the NERV personnel present saluted the two of them as well.

"At ease, Captain Ibuki," Gendo returned easily as he and Fuyutsuki surveyed the people there. Approaching Maya, Gendo leveled a steady look at the brunette. "I had a chance to look over your report on the way here today."

"Yes, sir. And…?" Maya started, almost nervously.

"I must admit, I do have some concerns about the…unorthodox method you employed to deal with the 10th Angel," Gendo admitted. "However, all things considered, I cannot fault your judgment, nor your handling of your new responsibilities here."

"Thank you, sir," Maya stated in a subdued fashion.

"While I still reserve some concerns about this situation, I must say that I am pleased with your performance to date. It would seem the Dr. Akagi and Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki were correct in recommending you for this post," Gendo went on. "Given all these things, I see no reason for you not to continue on as Operations Director. Well done, Captain Ibuki."

"Uh…thank you, sir," Maya got out, doing everything she could to keep her expression neutral. When Gendo finally looked away from her, she just about sagged like a lump of jelly.

Why couldn't he have said that I was doing a terrible job and that he'd find someone else to do it?! Maya asked herself, missing her comfortable post as a technician all that much more. What, is this some kind of punishment for helping kill the Angels?! Is that it?!

While Maya was seriously considering gross insubordination as a viable alternative to all that paperwork she had been facing lately, Gendo was turning his attention to Ritsuko. "Dr. Akagi, I trust that you've made some progress in regards to your current assignment."

Nodding, Ritsuko answered. "Yes, I have. Not a great deal, but we have made some headway in regards to treating Misato's condition."

"Very good," Gendo returned. "I'll expect a full report later."

"It'll be on your desk by the end of the day, sir," Ritsuko responded, to which Gendo gave a curt nod.

"Given the Major's role in defeating the Angel, I'd like to take a moment to thank her in person. That is, if she's presently…available," Gendo stated, darting a glance towards Misato's current dwellings.

"Yes, sir. Shinji and I checked in on her just a few minutes ago," Ritsuko explained, nodding towards the boy. While Gendo took a moment to glance in his direction, the doctor cleared her throat, regaining the Commander's attention. "The truth is…she's been looking forward to talking with you as well, sir."

"I see," Gendo responded thoughtfully. "Very well, then. Lead the way."

"Wait," came an unexpected voice. When people looked for the source, they saw Shinji stepping forward, looking intently at the two of them. "I'd…like to come in as well."

Gazing at his son for a short time, Gendo finally nodded. "Very well, then," he finally agreed before looking at Ritsuko. The doctor heeded his silent order to resume, at which point she started towards the enclosed apartment with both Ikaris close behind.

Pressing a button on the heavy door, Ritsuko listened to the buzz that signaled for Misato's attention. She then waited for the intercom to hiss to life. "Yes?" Misato's voice came, the intercom adding an artificial buzz to her words.

"Misato?" Ritsuko spoke. "Listen, Commander Ikari and Shinji are here to see you."

"Oh!" Misato responded, surprise etched in her voice. A few seconds passed before she was able to regain herself. "Well, okay. Come on in, then."

"Right," Ritsuko spoke. The doctor then slid her NERV ID card into the reader, causing the heavy locks to open and the door to creak open.

When the three of them were finally able to enter, they were greeted by the sight of Misato fully dressed in a blue medical gown, her posture tense as she looked at her visitors. "Commander Ikari, sir," the Major greeted him, saluting him a bit shakily. "Shinji, Rits."

"Major," Gendo greeted even as Shinji went up to the woman.

"Well, I see you've managed to keep things fairly tidy around here," Ritsuko noted, surveying the interior and finding no signs of the mess that she had been used to seeing around Misato's apartment. "Did we make a special effort for the Commander?"

Rolling her eyes at this jab, Misato retorted, "It's not like I don't have the time to spare." Then she gave them a lopsided grin. "Besides, I figured it might be a good idea if there wasn't a lot of junk for me to trip over lying on the floor. I'm getting sick of the smell of sleeping gas as it is!"

"Now, now, Misato," Ritsuko replied. "It's only happened three times…"

"And that's three times too many, as far as I'm concerned!" Misato snorted, her arms folded across her chest. Then she focused her attention on Gendo. "Anyway, welcome back, Commander Ikari, sir."

"Thank you, Major," Gendo returned. "I don't have a great deal of time, so I will be brief. I wish to congratulate you on your efforts in this most recent battle against that Angels. If it were at all possible, I would gladly have you commemorated for your heroism."

"Uh, thank you, sir," Misato responded slowly.

"I also understand that Dr. Akagi has made some progress in researching your condition," Gendo continued, to which Misato nodded.

"I know. Ritsuko told me that she had some…things she wanted to check out about that," Misato answered carefully.

These words causing Gendo to look at the doctor, Ritsuko sucked in a quick breath. "That's correct. I'm presently running some simulations on some of the tissue samples. They will require a few more days to be completed," she explained. When Gendo continued to look at her, she flinched somewhat. "As I said before…it will be on your desk later today."

"I see," Gendo responded with a slow nod. He then returned his attention to Misato. "In any case, let me reassure you that we will continue to make an effort to treat your condition, and as quickly as possible."

"Thank you, sir," Misato spoke, seemingly caught between various conflicting emotions. Frowning slightly, she took several moments to order her thoughts. "Sir, before you go, there is something I've been wanting to discuss with you."

"I see. And that is?" Gendo asked.

"It's about Spirit, sir," Misato elaborated, her eyes narrowing somewhat. "In regards to what happened when I…when She-Hulk fought her."

Gendo didn't say anything to this at first. He simply stood there, eyeing the purple-haired woman, as if measuring the value of her words. "I see," he finally spoke. "In that case, I suggest we all sit down. This will…take a few minutes to explain."

"Alright," Misato finally returned, glaring hard at Gendo. She then gestured to the furniture available. "Please, help yourselves."

Nodding, Gendo went to one of the chairs, while Ritsuko sat in another. Almost subconsciously, Misato and Shinji gravitated to the sofa, sitting next to each other as they waited for Gendo to speak.

Sitting back in his chair, Gendo folded his hands on his lap as he looked at her. Fully aware that the wrong choice of words could result in him becoming a very messy stain on a large set of green knuckles. "I…am aware that Dr. Akagi and Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki explained my…decisions regarding Spirit. And how to handle her…intrusion in that situation."

"They told me," Misato agreed, furrows forming in her brow. Knowing that the people opposite her were looking for any sign of green in her eyes. "But what they didn't tell me is why! Why are you and the Committee so determined to kill her?! What is going on here?!"

"That's a reasonable question," Gendo admitted. Then he took a slow breath before answering. "As you are fully aware, Spirit's intervention in NERV's operations has caused a great deal of difficulty for us. Our funding has been cut by the UN, and the Instrumentality Committee has expressed their displeasure with this vigilante. The fact is, I have been under considerable pressure to deal with Spirit, in one way or another."

"But why?! Why is everyone so obsessed with Spirit, anyway?!" Misato demanded.

"Yeah. I mean…all she's ever done is try to help us," Shinji seconded. "Why are you so against her?"

"I'm not. Not personally, that is," Gendo lied in a cordial fashion. When the two of them responded by shooting disbelieving glares, the elder Ikari lowered his gaze somewhat. "I realize that, at present, this girl's intentions are good. But you have to realize just how unstable an element she may be in this war."

"What do you mean, unstable?!" Misato growled, causing Gendo and Ritsuko to slide back in their chairs. Upon realizing that her temper was growing shorter, the Major took a few deep breaths. When she felt her anger become more manageable, she continued. "Look, I've heard people talking about how bad it makes NERV look to have a girl do our fighting for us, that we have a reputation to uphold, that someone like Spirit makes all the money spent on the Evas look like a waste. But that doesn't change the fact that you used me to try and kill her! And I want to know why! No political BS, no games, none of that! I want the truth!"

Silence filling the void left by Misato's declaration, Gendo looked at the Major, only to nod. "Fair enough. You deserve that much," he answered, to which Misato sat back. "As you are…undoubtedly aware, Spirit's genesis is the result of an accidental dumping of an experimental sedative, created by Dr. Akagi. This sedative was designed expressly to help restrain the Evas, should they become uncontrollable. Something we all know can happen, as we are aware of the consequences of such an event." When his audience nodded, Gendo leaned forward and drilled them with his formidable gaze. "However, what you may not know is that there is an…inherent instability to the sedative she created."

"An instability?" Shinji wondered, his eyes widening.

"Yes. This was unavoidable, given the presence of Angelic DNA within the mixture," Gendo continued. "However, according to our analysis, there is a very real danger of this instability worsening in the case of a human/Angel hybrid, such as Spirit."

"Worsening?" Misato asked, her eyes narrowed dangerously. Only to have them widen again. "Wait. You mean that…she might lose control of her powers? She might become…like me?"

"Unfortunately, yes," Gendo spoke. "You are both aware of what happened when you transformed the first time, of the destruction She-Hulk caused. Imagine what would happen if that were to happen with Spirit as well. A free mobile entity, capable of flight and long-ranged attacks comparable to those used by the Angels." He paused momentarily, giving them a chance to imagine such a situation before concluding, "I don't think I need to tell you of the consequences of such a happening."

Her expression shifting from surprise to horror, and finally suspicion, Misato angled her head at the Commander. "But…sir, if that's really the case, why are you dealing with Spirit this way?! If there's really a chance of that happening, why not announce it on the news?! Warn her of what might happen, encourage her to come in for treatment! Something!"

"I had considered that, Major, believe me," Gendo returned, sighing wearily. "However, given the evidence of her activities, she had been aware of her condition for some time. Even before the 3rd Angel's attack. And if she hadn't deemed fit to alert people to her…situation, I decided that it was unlikely that she would betray her secret willingly. Or that she might see such a warning as a trick to bring her guard down." Noting the suspicious looks given him by his son and the Major, Gendo once again lowered his gaze. "Also, we cannot discount the possibility that her mutation may have already destabilized her mind. And such a warning might only provoke the very rampage we want to avoid."

Shinji couldn't help but frown at this. "But…when I met Spirit, she didn't seem dangerous to me. She was just…trying to help us!"

"That may be, but we cannot be certain that she will remain stable. Especially given what Dr. Akagi discovered," Gendo told them, glancing over at the doctor.

As two sets of curious eyes swung towards her, Ritsuko gripped the hem of her skirt. "We did an analysis of the cellular structure of the wings we retrieved after the battle," she explained carefully. "And while it would appear that her physiology is currently stable, the MAGI indicate that there is a 73.8% chance that it may destabilize in the future."

"However, the only way to make a positive evaluation of the potential risk is to bring Spirit in for a full medical evaluation. Something that has proven to be impossible to this date," Gendo explained tersely. "Given this, the Instrumentality Committee has authorized me to use whatever means are available to ensure either Spirit's capture…or her elimination."

"So you decided that it was perfectly acceptable to make me a murderer?!" Misato growled, a tiny spark of green appearing her brown eyes.

"Yeah! Spirit's a hero, like Misato!" Shinji protested. "You can't just…well…"

Gendo did not respond to either of them at first. He just sat in his chair, looking at his hands. "Major…I cannot expect you to accept what I've done," he finally answered in a penitent a manner as he was capable of. "I understand how you must feel, given the situation. All I can tell you is that I have my own obligations to live up to, and duties that I must carry out in the way I see fit. I make no apologies for doing so…but I do not expect to be forgiven for my decisions, either."

When it became clear that Gendo has said all that he felt needed to be said, Misato lowered her gaze. "Very well, sir," she got out, barely able to keep from choking on her words.

Nodding, Gendo stood up from his seat. "Very well, then. If there is nothing else…"

"There is…one other thing, sir," Misato started, catching everyone by surprise. When Gendo looked at her, the purple-haired woman stood, and looked him dead in the eye. "Could you…show me your hands, sir?"

"My hands?" Gendo started, his expression conveying his surprise. Then, with a quick look at Ritsuko, as if to confirm that he had heard correctly, he brought up his gloved hands and showed them to the Major.

"Your gloves, sir," Misato continued, her voice hard and firm. "Please take them off."

Once again surprised, Gendo considered his hands before doing as asked. First taking off his left glove, then his right. When he was done, he displayed the bare skin of his hands for the Major's consideration, flipping them one way, then the next. "Are you satisfied now?"

Taking one more moment to examine his hands, Misato finally nodded. "My…apologies, sir," she spoke insincerely. "That will be all."

"Very well then," Gendo spoke before turning away. "Come, Dr. Akagi. We have much to do today."

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko acknowledged as she stood as well. "Take care, you two."

"Right," Misato responded, her eyes falling to the floor as the two of them departed.


I don't understand! Misato thought, quickly reviewing the meeting and everything else in her mind. Recalling the dangerous sensations she had felt before, both the one that had led her to the 10th Angel…and the one that had shaken her to her soul, just before she had shaken Gendo's hand in his office. One that had been surprisingly absent when Gendo had arrived there that day.

I thought for sure that there might have been…I don't know! Something strange on his hand, but… Misato frowned, thinking of the bare flesh of Gendo's hands. With the only thing standing out about them being the burn scars he had received as a result of pulling open Rei's Entry Plug after the disastrous activation test with Unit 00. Could there have been something on his hand before, and then…but that doesn't make sense either! Why would…what could…?

"Misato?" Shinji's voice piped up, cutting into the woman's thoughts. As she looked at her ward, she saw him looking at her in concern. "Is something wrong? Why did you ask Father to show you his hands?"

"I…oh, I don't know," Misato grumbled, shrugging helplessly. "It's just…a couple days before I…I changed for the first time? The last thing I remember before I passed out in Gendo's office…was me shaking his hand. So…"

"So…you thought there might be something on Father's hand?" Shinji continued.

"Maybe. I…I guess it must seem crazy, but…" Misato faltered, her expression rife with perplexity. "I guess everything that happened that day must have fried my memory or something!" Heaving a deep breath, Misato turned to look at Shinji. "So…when do you have to go today?"

Shinji seemed to consider this question for a few moments. "Well…there's some stuff I wanted to check out, and Asuka…she was pretty insistent I get back home before seven, so I can start on dinner," the boy spoke. "I guess I can stay for another hour or so."

A wan smile ghosting across her face, Misato nodded. "Good. I'm glad," she murmured, gazing fondly at the boy who meant so much to her. "I mean…well, I'm just…"

Shinji signaled his understanding with a nod, just before he gave Misato a more questioning look. "Um, Misato. I was just wondering…why are you wearing a medical gown? I thought you had plenty of sweatshirts and jumpsuits…things like that…"

"Oh, that?" Misato asked, taking hold of the simple fabric that hung about her slender body like a tent. Just before she smiled her familiar, impish smile. "Well, considering what I wanted to talk about with the Commander, I decided that there was at least a decent chance of me getting pissed off. And I'd rather wreck this thing than any of the other stuff Rits got me!"

"Oh. I see," Shinji replied with an easier smile. "That makes sense."

"Although…if I really wanted to play it safe, I guess I wouldn't be wearing anything at all, now would I?" Misato wondered in an absent-minded fashion. Her smile deepening as Shinji's face beamed bright red. "And it certainly wouldn't hurt to give you a little extra…incentive to drop by more frequently."

"What?!" Shinji yelped, almost stumbling as his nose prepared its usual response to his hormones.

"What's wrong, Shinji-kun?" Misato asked, going up to the boy. She then knelt down and looked him in the eye, taking on a pouty expression even as she wrapped her arms about her chest. "Aw, don't tell me you're not impressed with these anymore! You mean you actually prefer Greenie's oversized jugs?!"

"Uh, no! That's not it!" Shinji fumbled, unsure of exactly what to say. "I mean…well, that is…!"

Laughing as her teases struck home, Misato leaned forward and wrapped her arms about Shinji's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Shinji," she murmured, her breath tickling his ears. "It's just…being without you…I don't know what to do…when you're not around, that's all."

"Misato…" Shinji got out, looking at the woman who spent so much of her days alone now. And found himself powerless to resist the urge to return her embrace.

Succumbing to the warmth of their mutual embrace, the two of them stayed together for some time, neither knowing nor caring how long they remained that way. It was only when Misato finally pulled back and looked Shinji in the eyes, her eyes moist and filled with emotion, that they finally separated. "C'mon. Let's think of something fun to do, okay?"

"Okay," Shinji murmured in response. Reluctantly pulling away from Misato, he made his way over to the entertainment system.

As Misato stood there watching him, her thoughts rolled back to some of the things he had said before. A hero? Shinji thinks…I'm a hero? she thought, considering the boy. But…it was She-Hulk that stopped the Angel, not me. It was because of her that we stopped the Angel. Even if she almost blew it!

Frowning as she thought about what happened, how She-Hulk had taken what had been a nearly impossible situation and turned it into a victory for them, Misato was once again driven from her thoughts by Shinji's voice. "Say, Misato?" he called out. When the Major looked at him, she saw Shinji holding up a newspaper. "Where did you get this from?"

"Huh? Oh, Makoto dropped it off for me," Misato explained. "Sometimes, when you're busy with school and everything, I have him drop off the paper and few other things like that. Why?"

"Well…would you mind if I looked at it?" Shinji asked.

"Of course not! Go right ahead!" Misato replied, even as she looked at Shinji's expression, and found herself surprised by it. By the spark of determination that now glinted in his eyes.


Later that day, Shinji was walking along the streets of Tokyo-3, looking at the newspaper he had gotten from Misato. More to the point, he was looking at a specific article that hung near the bottom of the page.

It was a story about a large crash down in the slums of Tokyo-3. 'Road Party Ends in Death', was the headline for the article, and it relayed how a gang of teenage thugs had gotten themselves high on both drugs and alcohol, basically throwing a party in the back of a flatbed truck. Unsurprisingly, the mixture of drugs, booze, and driving had ended in disaster, with the truck crashing through a building before flipping over several times, killing everyone on it in the process.

At just about any other time, Shinji would have looked at the article, frowned somewhat at the blatant stupidity evidenced by such morons, maybe even give weary thought as to how if they were dumb enough to do something just so stupid, then they probably deserved what they got. But not this time. Mainly because it wasn't the article itself that held his interest. It was the picture that lay next to it. Showing a crumpled truck lying on its side.

Why didn't Misato notice? Shinji wondered as he studied the photograph, his eyes narrowed as he superimposed the sundered vehicle on his own memories of what might have been one of the worst days of his entire life. Memories that included a gang of thugs that had prompted She-Hulk's horrific second rampage, causing her to blast their truck with an Impact Roar. Rendering it the brutalized wreck that Shinji now saw in the newspaper.

Frowning at the thought, Shinji then remembered that Misato had little to no memories of what happened when she was in her She-Hulk state. Given everything that had happened that day, he decided that he couldn't be surprised that she might not have even noticed the significance of this article.

Kaji said that NERV was only going to hold those creeps until they could be sure that they wouldn't tell anybody what happened, Shinji thought bitterly. I guess they won't be telling anyone about Misato now!

Shaking his head in frustration, Shinji continued on through the streets, feeling lost and confused as he did. He knew that his father had deliberately used Misato for his own ends, that he had plans for his guardian that Shinji was certain he wouldn't like. And that meant that Ritsuko was possibly involved with them. As the Head Scientist of NERV, the faux-blonde would be necessary to whatever his father had in mind.

Misato did say that Akagi-san was there, at the Jet Alone demonstration, Shinji reminded himself, his frown deepening. And if Kaji knew about it, then…what do I do? Is everyone at NERV in on this?!

Feeling as if the weight of the world had just fallen upon his young shoulders, Shinji lowered his gaze to the streets, feeling more lost and alone than he had ever felt before. The one person who had ever fought for him, held him, felt that he was worthy of a home and her caring was a prisoner of the same organization they both worked for. And he had absolutely no idea of what he could do to help her.

Making matters worse for him was the fact that, while Shinji was indeed lost…he was far from alone.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" came a brusque voice. Lifting his eyes from the streets, Shinji gaped at the sight of a bunch of kids who were about his age. The 3rd Child didn't recognize any of them, however. None of them went to his school, and they were all dressed in ragged street clothes. They looked like junior versions of the punks he had just been reading about. And the worst thing was, he didn't have giant green Amazon around this time to protect him.

"Looks like somebody lost his way home, doesn't it?" asked the lead punk, a greasy creep with dark complexion whose hair looked like it was made of pure mousse.

"Uh…" Shinji started, not liking the looks of this. This batch of creeps looked like trouble, and trouble was definitely the last thing Shinji wanted. Slowly backing away, he looked left and right as the band of hooligans started towards him. "I'll just be going now."

"Not before you pay the toll," the lead jerk stated, his fellow jerks chuckling in agreement.

"Toll?" Shinji repeated.

"Yeah. You see, this is our turf. And nobody gets by here…without paying the toll," the lead creep explained nastily. "So, either hand over your wallet…or we'll just take your hand!"

His eyes widening at this statement, and growing even wider as the punk drew forth a knife for emphasis, Shinji decided that telling himself not to run away was perhaps not the best advice he could give himself. And seeing how his NERV ID hadn't worked on the last group of thugs he had confronted, he felt that relying on his legs would be a lot smarter than wasting time on any other strategy.

Turning on his heel and bolting, Shinji heard the lead creep snarling, "Get him!" This command was followed by the pounding of feet, something that served only to spur Shinji on even faster.

Where's Section 2 when you need them, anyway?! Shinji thought, looking for any sign of NERV's secret police even as his feet pounded against the concrete. However, if any of the people Misato referred to as the most useless morons on the face of the planet were in the area, they were remaining out of sight.

Taking a moment to think evil thoughts about NERV in general and Section 2 in particular, Shinji looked over his shoulder. Bad move. All he saw was the same punks, still hot on his heels and getting closer.

Continuing to run as fast as he could, Shinji looked for possible avenues of escape, potential hiding places. Only to see nothing of use. The streets of Tokyo-3 were relatively empty, as was usual, given the number of people moving away. Even worse was that the neighborhood Shinji had wandered into was not one of the better ones. The alleys were dank and dirty and looked only promising if what someone was looking for was trouble.

Shinji didn't want more trouble. He wanted to be rid of the trouble he already had. So he kept on running. He ran until his heart sounded like a drum in his chest until his muscles ached and his lungs burned.

Until Shinji had the bad luck of trying to jump over a curb, only for his foot to not quite clear it. Falling to the concrete face first, the boy had the wind knocked out of him, and was unable to move. Even with the sound of feet pounding up to him.

Gasping as he felt hands wrap around him, Shinji was suddenly turned on his back, just in time for a fist to smash into his face. Blood already flowing, the boy was helpless to stop the bullies from kicking him in the sides, from dragging him up by his shirt, only to punch him again.

"Should've just given us your money, wimp!" the lead creep grinned as he dragged Shinji up to look him in the face. Holding up his knife so that glinted in the 3rd Child's face. "Now you're gonna lose your money and a lot more, too!"

At that moment, as Shinji looked at his tormentors, saw the pleasure they drew from making a victim out of him, his mind stepped back, and he saw the battle play out a different way. From the outside of his own body, he saw his eyes flare bright green. He saw huge muscles filling his body, his frame expanding past the limits of his clothes. And he saw a monster standing up to roar at the punks…just before it returned their abuse tenfold.

Just as Shinji was getting lost in this vision, a familiar voice cut through it. "Hey! Get away from him!"

Gasping as the pain of his injuries hit him full force, Shinji looked in amazement as his assailants looked up, only to have their leader smashed in the face by a punch right in the jaw. Watching as the leader of the punks went flying away, Shinji watched as a set of hands wrenched another of the hoods away from him.

Trying to reorient himself, Shinji searched for the source of his sudden rescue, only to gape in surprise. "Toji!" he gaped as he watched his friend and fellow Stooge whip the goon he had grabbed into a streetlight.

"Well, if isn't Mototani and his goon platoon!" Toji grunted as he raised his fists at the various jerks, including their recovering leader. "And when did you all come crawling out of hiding?!"

"Suzuhara!" Mototani spat out, his own blood mixing with Toji's name. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"I think the real question is, what are you snakes doing, beating up on a friend of mine?" Toji demanded, staring hard at the creeps. While the thugs were flinching at the dark-skinned youth, Toji cracked his knuckles suggestively. "If you know what's good for you, you better find some rat hole to crawl into!"

"Heh! You always were good at talking tough, Suzuhara! But you never could back it up!" Mototani sneered, holding up his knife as he took a battle-ready stance.

"And you never learned how to fight without having to scare little kids with that butter knife of yours!" Toji shot back, grinning in anticipation of battle.

"Why, you…!" Mototani snarled, rushing towards Toji, flashing his knife at him. The jock easily dodged the attack, letting his over-moussed adversary strike empty air. Taking advantage of the opening, Toji fired a blow into Mototani's head, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"Looks like somebody's bark is still badder than his bite!" Toji noted with a grin.

Snarling, Mototani recovered his feet and waved his knife at Toji's face like a snake baring its fangs. "And it looks like you never learned to keep that damn mouth shut!" he sneered, approaching with greater caution.

As Shinji watched, helpless with the remaining goons surrounding him, Mototani struck with his knife, slicing at Toji and forcing him back a step at a time. "Not so tough now, are you?" the lead goon smirked. "Betcha wish you hadn't butted in now, huh?"

Toji didn't say anything. He just kept dodging the deadly blade, searching for an opening. Never once losing his outraged expression.

While Shinji watched as his friend fought on his behalf, he noticed one of his other tormentors getting to his feet. Realizing that Toji was in danger of being double-teamed, Shinji threw himself as best as he could at the other boy's legs. The thug let out a cry of surprise as he fell, smashing his head against the concrete before falling limp.

"You stay out of this!" one of the other punks growled, jumping down on Shinji and smashing his face with another devastating blow.

"Hey, Shin-man!" Toji cried out, looking over towards his friend. Taking his eyes off of his own adversary.

"Gotcha!" Mototani grinned, His demented glee causing Toji to once again look at his, the gang leader drove his knife straight towards Toji's eye.

Letting out a gasp of horror, Shinji was certain that Toji was finished, while he was doomed to be able to do nothing but watch his friend die. Only to gasp in relief as Toji dodged the fatal blow by the tiniest of margins. Mototani's strike succeeded in nothing but cutting a bloody streak in Toji's hair.

Fully committed to his attack, Mototani practically fell into Toji's arms. Which quickly proved to be the bully's undoing. Grabbing his enemy by the mass of gel that was his hair, Toji dragged him up to his face. "Shit! That hurt, you freak!" Toji snarled, just before he drew back his fist and delivered a crushing blow to Mototani's nose. The sound of cartilage breaking filling everybody's ears, the jock never allowed his grip on his enemy's gelatinous do to falter, and brought him up close so that he could punch him again, then again. With one final blow tearing Mototani free of Toji's grip, at which point he collapsed to the street.

With their leader unmoving and bleeding profusely, Mototani's underlings could only look at Toji, then to their leader, and back again. At which point Toji shot them a deadly glare, and once again raised his fists. "Hey! You guys want some of this, too?!"

Mototani's thugs quickly decided that, no, they weren't in the mood for knuckle sandwiches. They liked dishing abuse out just fine, but when it came to taking it, they would rather find prey that wouldn't hit them back. So they leaped off of Shinji and ran away to look for greener pastures to harass.

Stunned by the realization that he had been saved, Shinji watched as his tormentors fled before Toji's wrathful gaze. Leaving them both bruised, battered, but in one piece.

Looking up to see his friend letting out a weary breath, Shinji then watched as Toji walked up this side. "That was a close one, hey, Shin-man?" the jock asked, even as he extended his hand for Shinji to take. When he did so, Toji easily pulled his friend back to his feet. "Good thing I happened to see those creeps take off after you!"

"Uh, yeah," Shinji answered, his heart still pounding, his mind filled with conflicting emotions. Staring at his friend, the 3rd Child then frowned his confusion. "Say…what are you doing here, anyway?"

"Me? I was on my way to pick up a few things at the store," Toji replied, folding his arms across his chest. "By the way, thanks for nailing that creep back there! Mototani and his creeps are pretty easy one at a time. Just one of the reasons they never fight fair!"

"Huh?" Shinji started, completely baffled by Toji's statement. "But…you're the one who saved me, remember?"

"Well, I guess we can just call it even then, huh?" Toji returned, patting Shinji on the shoulder. Only to start when the boy winced at the gesture. "Say, are you alright?! You didn't get hurt too bad back there, did you?"

"Uh, no. I'll be alright," Shinji answered, looking almost ashamed. His helplessness almost palpable as he looked at his athletic friend.

I can't do anything by myself, Shinji thought miserably. I couldn't stop those creeps…any more than I've been able to help Misato…

"Anyway, some of those goons might still be hanging around," Toji stated in an offhand fashion. "Tell you what; why don't I walk you back to your place? Just in case."

"What?" Shinji started, looking at his friend. Then, with a weary smile, he nodded. "Well, okay…if you're sure you don't mind…"

"Of course I don't mind! What are friends for, anyway?" Toji wondered casually. "Now, come on. We better get you patched up. You took a pretty big beating back there."

"Okay," Shinji nodded, and with a body that was already stiffening up from the amount of abuse sustained, he led the way back home.

When the two boys finally arrived at Misato's apartment building and rode the elevator up to his floor, Shinji couldn't help but cast a grateful glance at his friend. Though Toji and Kensuke tended to be too loud at times and sometimes exasperated Shinji with their overactive hormones, he had been a good friend to him. There were times that Shinji still couldn't believe that the day they had first met, Toji had been doling out a beating to him, just like those thugs had.

Still, I guess I can't be mad at him for what happened, Shinji admitted ruefully. Besides, he's helped me out since then. He… It was then that the 3rd Child's mind seized upon his own thoughts like a bird of prey. That's right. Toji…he saved me back there. He…helped me out…when he didn't have to. He…

Not even giving himself a chance to complete his own thoughts, Shinji stopped and turned to his friend. "Toji…"

"Yeah, what is it?" Toji started, raising his eyebrow at Shinji.

"I…" Shinji started, trying to find the right words to express what he had to say. Taking a deep breath before looking his friend in the eyes, he drew up all his courage. "Toji…you're my friend, right?"

Now both of Toji's eyebrows shot straight up. "What, you mean you actually have to ask something like that?! After I almost got knifed by Mototani?!"

"I know. I mean…it's just…" Shinji fumbled, some of his uncertainty returning to him. Then he remembered Misato, imprisoned in the depths of NERV. Trapped with a raging monster inside of her, waiting for a cure that might not even be in the works. With no one interested in learning the truth, in truly helping her…except for Shinji himself.

This image adding further fire to his ire and courage, Shinji tried again. "Toji, I…I need your help with something."

"Like what?" Toji wondered, growing more concerned. "C'mon, man! What is it? Tell me!"

"It's…it's real serious, and…" Shinji spoke, looking about. Searching for any sign of NERV's eyes and ears, the dull-witted thugs known as Section 2. Frowning somewhat, he decided to try a different tact. "Could you ask Kensuke to meet with us somewhere tomorrow? Somewhere private?"

"Huh?" Toji started, taken aback by Shinji's unusual request. He then rolled his head to the side, studying his friend's expression, and saw the seriousness with which he spoke. "Well, sure. We can go to my apartment. My dad's gonna be busy at work for the next few days, so we'll have the place all to ourselves."

"Great!" Shinji got out, relieved as one part of his task neared completion. Then he thought of something else, another element he might need for this. "I'll…ask Hikari to come as well."

"What? The Class Rep?" Toji demanded, his tone colored with disbelief. "Why her?"

"I…" Shinji stalled, his brain locking up. The real reason for his desiring Hikari's presence one that he felt he couldn't explain just then. Especially since he had no proof, and no right to speak it. Then he realized that Toji was still looking at him, waiting for an answer. At which point, Shinji decided to fake it. "Well…let's just say that…we're gonna need all the help we can get."

"Shinji, what is this?!" Toji demanded, taking hold of his shoulder. "Are you in some kind of trouble? Is that it?!"

"Uh, no. Not exactly. I…" Shinji fumbled. Frowning slightly, he looked Toji square in the eyes, the intensity of his gaze causing the taller boy to step back. "Just…please, have Kensuke over at your place tomorrow, okay?"

"But -!" Toji tried again.

"I promise, I'll explain everything then!" Shinji vowed, hoping that his courage would last long enough. "Toji…please…"

Upon seeing the desperation in his friend's face, Toji let out a sigh of resignation before lowering his eyes to the ground. "Alright, Shin-man. Tomorrow," Toji finally got out. Then he gave Shinji a warning glare. "But I'm telling you, this better be good!"

"It isn't. I mean, it is, but…" Shinji fumbled helplessly. Then, letting out a confused breath, he smiled gratefully. "Thanks, Toji. Really."

"Yeah, sure. Whatever," Toji returned, looking away in the traditional macho fashion. Then he shifted his eyes back towards Shinji. "Anyway, you better get yourself patched up, or you won't even be able to move tomorrow, let alone get to my place!"

"Oh, I'm okay," Shinji smiled sheepishly. "I usually get worse from Asuka, anyway."

Toji couldn't help but grin at this. "Now that I can believe!"

As if these words were a cue for Murphy's Law to kick in, the door to Misato's apartment slammed open, revealing an irate redhead with flames pouring from her eyes. "Hey! What're you doing, wasting time with that creep?! You were supposed to be back an hour ago!"

"Well, looks like that's my cue!" Toji declared, quickly running away. Looking over his shoulder, he smiled for Shinji's benefit. "Sorry, Shin-man, but when it comes to the Devil, you're on your own!"

"Who are you calling a Devil, you stupid Stooge?!" Asuka shrieked, already in hot pursuit of Toji.


"So, I take it everything went as planned?" Gendo asked, the Commander of NERV seated in a dark chamber within the depths of Terminal Dogma. Surrounding him were various tubes and chambers filled with a brilliant, almost glowing fluid.

"Perfectly, sir," Ritsuko answered, her own voice subdued in the face of her superior and sometimes lover. "Misato didn't suspect anything, nor did anyone else."

"Excellent," Gendo decided, holding his right hand with his left. "You may leave now, Dr. Akagi."

"Yes, sir," Ritsuko replied. She started away, only to stop in mid-step and look back at the Commander. "Sir…there is one more thing."

"Oh?" Gendo replied, swiveling his chair around to look at her. "And what would that be?"

"This is all…very experimental," Ritsuko spoke, gesturing at the equipment that now hummed about her. "This equipment, even this facility…none of it has ever been used before! And we still don't know enough about the mutation to be able to predict how it will interact with cells cloned from Lilith! There are just too many variables to consider, and…!"

"That is one of the reasons I will be spending a great deal of time here, Dr. Akagi," Gendo responded, turning his attention towards a rack filled with vials of a red fluid. "The key to power has been placed in my hands, and now I will learn how to turn it. To master the forbidden fusion of Adam and Lilith."

"But, sir! What you are proposing would be dangerous, even under the best of circumstances!" Ritsuko protested. "To work here alone…and even with everything currently in place…!"

"Your concerns are duly noted, Dr. Akagi," Gendo cut in, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. "However, I will still have access to the MAGI, as well as your own research. And for the time being…this is something I must do alone."

Still not satisfied, Ritsuko once again opened her mouth, only to stop when she realized that nothing she said would make any difference. Her lips closing tightly, she lowered her gaze to the floor. "Yes, sir," she finally got out. Turning about with an air of disgust, and leaving Gendo behind.

Hearing a door hiss shut, Gendo smiled at the chamber before him. A chamber in which many young girls were seen floating within, their eyes vacuous as they examined the man studying him, each of them laughing emptily. Even as one of them hung before him, isolated from all the others.

"Now, to begin," Gendo whispered as he pressed a button. A moment later, the machinery began pumping two entirely different samples of blood into the chamber. There they began running up a set of tubes that terminated in bands about the girl's wrists, where they would be free to mingle with her bloodstream. "Thank you, Major Katsuragi, for your contributions to my scenario," he spoke as the two potent DNA cocktails infused the girl with their power. "Your efforts will not be forgotten."

Gendo's smile only deepened as the two different genetic codes interacted with the girl's own. At once, she stopped laughing, her eyes widening with shock. Then her body began to convulse, green flowing through her body…even as she began to scream in pain. All the while her doubles within the other tank looked on and continued to laugh…


Toji's apartment was a disaster area, to say the very least.

As Hikari sat at the living room table, looking from Toji to his living space, she decided that she couldn't blame him entirely for the condition of his home. The apartment he lived in wasn't exactly one of the most premium dwellings to be found in Tokyo-3. While not as bad as some the Class Representative had seen, with Rei's apartment being the absolute worst, there were definite signs of wear and tear to be seen. That didn't change the fact that neither of the male Suzuharas apparently saw fit to keep the place especially neat and clean. Various odds and ends lay everywhere, seemingly at random, and it had clearly been a while since the floor had enjoyed a proper scrubbing.

Frowning, Hikari turned her attention from her crush's apartment to Toji himself. "So…" she started slowly, trying to get Toji to talk. "Did Shinji tell you why we're here?"

Toji's eyes widened in shock. "Huh? You mean he didn't tell you?!"

Shaking her head, Hikari answered, "No. He just said it was serious, and that he'd tell me when we met here today." Her frown deepening, Hikari leaned closer to Toji. "Did Shinji say anything to you? Anything at all?"

"Huh. Just that he'd tell us when we're all here," Toji answered, leaning back in his chair and looking away. Then he narrowed his eyes in frustration. "Man, what's keeping Kensuke, anyway! It figures that we'd be stuck waiting on him!"

"You're one to talk, Toji," Hikari grumbled, looking away for a moment. Only to kick herself mentally afterward.

I hate this, Hikari thought, thinking of the way Toji reacted to her when she was herself. When she was carrying out her duties at school, handling herself the way she had learned to at home, when she had taken on the role of matriarch for the Horaki family. As a result, criticisms and lectures came easier to her when dealing with the boy she had a crush on than sweet talk. With the only time she could escape that role was when she stopped being Hikari…and donned the scandalously revealing costume of Spirit.

If only I could get him to look at me that way as Hikari, the freckled girl thought woefully. Then a somewhat nastier voice kicked in around the back of her mind. Of course, considering the fact that he's a boy, I'd probably have to wear a thong bikini to outdo Spirit!

While Hikari was mentally reviewing the various difficulties relating to having a secret identity, not the least of which was the expenses associated with replacing shredded costumes, she heard a door opening. "Hey, Shinji! How're you doing?" came the familiar voice of Kensuke Aida.

"Oh, great! You're here!" Shinji responded. As the sound of the door closing reached their ears, both Hikari and Toji looked in the direction of the door and watched as Shinji led Kensuke into the living room.

"Hey, Ken!" Toji greeted with a wave of his hand.

"Looks like the Three Stooges are all here," Hikari noticed as the other two boys sat down at the table.

"Yeah! So will somebody tell me what this is all about?!" Kensuke wondered, his eyes glowing with excitement behind his glasses.

"Sure. I know I'd love to know the details," Toji replied, just before he swiveled his head to look at his fellow Stooge. "We're all here, Shin-man! So would you mind telling us what's going on here?! What's going on with you, anyway?!"

"I…" Shinji hesitated, glancing worriedly at the three of them. A thousand shades of fear, worry, and concern forming a mosaic across his face.

"Yeah, what is it?" Kensuke asked, causing Shinji to freeze up a bit more.

"Guys, come on," Hikari protested. Then she leaned over towards Shinji and placed a comforting hand on his own. When Shinji looked up at her, she smiled sweetly. "Shinji…Toji said that you need our help with something. Now, I don't know what problem you have, but I do know that we want to help you. But we can't do that unless you tell what's wrong first."

"That's right, Shin-man!" Toji declared. "Now come on! What is it?"

"I…" Shinji tried again. This time, however, his expression hardened, and he looked at his friends more sternly. "Before I tell you, there's something you should all know. That…NERV's involved with this."

"NERV?!" the three other teens repeated, with Hikari getting a very ugly feeling about this.

Nodding solemnly, Shinji then continued. "In fact...the stuff I'm about to tell you is top secret, and…if anybody ever found out I told you, we could all go to jail. Or…maybe even worse!" the boy declared. As his words sank in, Shinji lowered his gaze, his hands tightening about each other. "So…before I…say anything, I thought you should know that. Because…well, it could be dangerous, and…well…if you didn't want to do it, then I'd understand, and…"

"Hey, what did I tell you before, Shin-man?!" Toji demanded. When Shinji met the jock's gaze, he found eyes that were hard and resolute. "If you need our help, then just tell us!"

"That's right!" Kensuke chimed in enthusiastically.

Hikari wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as the boys. She had had more than a couple run-ins with NERV, as well as Section 2, all of which would have ended very badly for her if she hadn't been able to escape. If this had taught her anything, it was that NERV played for keeps. And as she thought of this, she realized something potentially worse. For while she knew that the boys would be in enough danger if NERV caught them doing something not allowed, she would be in a whole different world of trouble. If NERV decided to test her, examine her, they might discover the truth. That her body had been infused with Angelic DNA, that she was Spirit. And if that happened, Hikari couldn't even begin to imagine the consequences. Not only for herself, but for her sisters, and her father.

Even as she sat there, horrible images of Section 2 agents breaking into her home filled Hikari's mind. Of them arresting her family, or even gunning them down. Of being rendered a fugitive for life or being imprisoned within NERV.

Then Hikari once again looked at the desperate expression on Shinji's face and felt her own fears take a back seat to her conscience. To the knowledge that friend of hers clearly needed help, and she had a feeling she already knew why.

"Shinji, please tell us!" Hikari finally demanded. "I don't know what's going on, but…we do want to help."

Gazing soulfully at Hikari, then looking at the others nodding their agreement, Shinji swallowed a lump that had formed in his throat. Taking another deep breath, Shinji geared himself up to speak. "You all know…about Misato, right? That she's…not around right now?"

"Yeah, that's right," Toji agreed. "You said she was on special assignment."

"Well, the truth is that…she isn't on assignment," Shinji admitted. While the rest of them looked at him in surprise, the 3rd Child continued. "In fact…she's been in NERV all this time."

"Whoa! Really?!" Kensuke got out, even as a bad feeling began to gnaw at Hikari.

"Hey, wait a minute!" Toji started, annoyance shading his face. "If she's not on assignment, then why hasn't she been around lately?! What's going on?!"

"Well…you see…my father had Misato locked away," Shinji confessed.

This definitely grabbed the attention of both the other boys. Kensuke's entire face became a picture of astonishment while Toji shot to his feet. "What?!" the jock demanded, raising his fist. "What do you mean?! What happened?! Why would he do something like that?!"

"It's because…" Shinji stalled, his own worries and fears clogging up his throat. The boy then squeezed his eyes shut, and seemed to be reciting something beneath his breath.

It was only after several seconds that Shinji was able to open his eyes again, the fear in his eyes even more prevalent. "You remember what happened with Jet Alone? How it went crazy, and Misato stopped it?" When the others nodded to this, with Toji settling down again, Shinji heaved another deep breath. "Well…before she went inside, she…cracked her helmet, and was…exposed to the radiation."

"No way!" Kensuke gawked in horror.

"You mean…she's dying?!" Toji demanded.

"No, no! That's…not it," Shinji spoke lamely. Watching as his friends settled down, their confusion clear, the boy tried to explain. "You see…Misato was…exposed to an Angel a while ago, and…because of what happened, she was able to absorb the radiation without it hurting her."

"Oh, wow!" Kensuke got out, his interest growing exponentially. "Are you serious?! That's so cool!"

While Hikari was taking a moment to wonder exactly what kind of fluff occupied the space between Kensuke's ears, Toji clearly experienced a similar thought, shooting the geeky otaku a deathly glare before returning his attention to Shinji. "Wow, man," the jock got out. "Is that why Misato-sama's…locked up? Because of what the Angel did to her?"

"Actually…there's more to it than that," Shinji confessed nervously. "Have you heard about that…that creature that fought Spirit?"

"You mean…that She-Hulk thing?" Hikari spoke, doing her best to be careful. To not give herself away. So doing her best to appear natural, the Class Representative widened her eyes and brought her hand to her mouth. "Oh, no! You don't mean that…Misato is that thing?!"

Shinji nodded miserably to this, sending Toji and Kensuke's jaws clattered to the floor. "No way!" the bespectacled otaku gasped in astonishment. "Misato-sama?! She's She-Hulk?! Oh, man!"

"Shinji, is this for real?!" Toji demanded. When Shinji once again nodded, the jock once again shot to his feet. "But that's crazy! Why would she fight Spirit?! It doesn't make any sense!"

"That's just it! Misato doesn't have any control of herself when she…she changes," Shinji explained woefully. "She can't even control it. It just…happens when she gets angry, and she…can't stop it."

While both of the boys sat there, stunned by all of this, Hikari was considering her next words. "Shinji…I'm so sorry," she murmured, once again placing her hand upon his. Then she took a breath, her expression hardening. "But there's something I don't understand. If Misato has become as...dangerous as you say, then why is NERV just keeping her prisoner? Given what you've said they've done to try and get Spirit, I'd have thought that they would…"

"Kill her?" Shinj guessed. When Hikari nodded, the 3rd Child shook his head in negation. "Well…Dr. Akagi and Father say that…they're trying to cure her. But…they also want something from her."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Hikari wondered.

"Well, you see…it's about the Evas," Shinji confessed, causing expressions of confusion to appear on all their faces.

"The Evas?!" Toji repeated. "What do they have to do with anything?!"

"Well, they're partly organic," Shinji explained. "So…my father thinks he can use her to…make them even stronger."

"Huh? For real?!" Kensuke gaped, caught between horror and excitement.

"Yeah," Shinji tersely nodded. "You see…Misato – She-Hulk…well, you know about the last Angel, and how we had to evacuate the city because of it?"

"Sure we do!" Toji answered. Only to have his eyes balloon out of their sockets. "Wait! You mean that…Misato-sama was the one who beat that thing?!"

"Yeah. It was the only way we could think of to stop it," Shinji admitted. He then went on to explain the details of that confrontation, as well as giving the three teens some of the facts and figures NERV had recorded during their studies of Misato's She-Hulk form. An explanation that had Hikari grow a bit more pale with every word.

"No way…you're saying that…Misato survived the Angel exploding, an N2, and falling thousands of feet to the ground?! Without even a scratch?!" Kensuke drooled, excitement outweighing whatever horror he might have felt at Misato's condition.

Shinji nodded once again. "Anyway, Dr. Akagi figured that it was possible that they could mutate the Evas the same way Misato was. And…now that they know just how powerful She-Hulk is…"

"They aren't going to want to cure her anytime soon," Kensuke concluded.

While Shinji was nodding, Toji looked at Hikari's face, and noted the ill expression she wore. "Hey, Class Rep! Are you alright?"

"Huh. O-oh, sure! I'm…just fine! Thank you!" Hikari responded, trying not to make that fake laugh she sometimes made when she was lying.

The instant Toji looked back at Shinji, apparently satisfied, Hikari began mentally kicking herself clear to the moon. That thing survives an N2, the Angel blowing up, and the fall, all in one day?! Without an AT-Field?! And I was trying to fight it with my bare hands?! What was I even thinking?!

While Hikari was giving serious consideration to making a dunce cap and putting it on her own head, Toji was looking straight at his friend. "Shinji, I…I don't know what to say, man. I'm sorry, and…" the jock started, more sincere and apologetic then Hikari has ever heard him before. Then his features hardened again into a façade of false toughness. "But…what can we do to help?"

"Well, this would never have happened if Jet Alone hadn't gone crazy, and…" Shinji began hesitantly. "And…I think NERV had it sabotaged!"

If the things Shinji had told them already hadn't been enough to send their collective minds reeling, this latest declaration would have done the job. "No way! Are you serious?!" Toji demanded.

Shinji gave a quick nod to this. "Misato told me about it. She said that…someone had reprogrammed it. And…well, I can't think of anybody else who might have done it! I mean…who else would've done it?"

"Well, there are probably a few other companies that might have benefitted from that," Kensuke pointed out.

Toji responded to this by giving the otaku a steely frown. "Yeah, but we all know NERV has done some pretty shady things before. Especially with Spirit!"

"Shinji…I'm so sorry," Hikari murmured sympathetically. "But…why tell us about all this?"

"Because I…don't know what else to do," Shinji answered miserably. "I've talked to a few people, but no one believes me about Jet Alone, or anything else. And…I didn't know what else to do. I mean…I don't know. I had to do something, but…I don't know how to do anything by myself, and…"

As Shinji trailed off miserably, Hikari looked sorrowfully at the boy. I should never have left them alone, she scolded herself, remembering how she had just flown away that day. Leaving both Shinji and Misato at NERV's mercy. Her insides turning inside-out, she gazed at the desperate boy, and for a moment, forgot her earlier concerns. "Shinji…I'm not sure what I can do, but…I'll do everything I can for you," Hikari vowed. "And for Misato-sama."

"Yeah, that's right!" Kensuke declared enthusiastically. "Hey, maybe I can get some information online! There might some clues left lying around somewhere!"

"You couldn't keep me away even if you tried! Count me in!" Toji declared, jerking his thumb at himself.

Relief practically flowing out of his body, Shinji smiled as tears began to well up in his eyes. "T-thank you, everyone," the boy practically sobbed out. Gulping loudly, he struggled to regain control of himself. "But…you do know this could be dangerous, right? I mean…I think my father had some people killed…to keep what happened to Misato a secret."

As Shinji explained what he had seen in the newspaper, Hikari noticed the expressions of the boys sobering somewhat. I guess I wouldn't blame them if they decided to back out, she thought somewhat sadly. I mean…I have special powers, and still…

It was then that Hikari noticed Toji stand up again. The jock walked over to Shinji's side and placed his hand upon his friend's shoulder. "Shinji…like I said. I'm your friend, man. And friend's don't just back out on each other when they need them. Right, Kensuke?"

"Huh?" the okatu gaped. When Toji shot him a reprimanding glare, Kensuke straightened up and smile. "O-oh, sure! That's right!"

"Besides, Misato-sama needs our help, right? So I say we do it!" Toji grinned, sticking up his thumb. "Besides, with this brigade of teens on the case, what can NERV do to stop us?"

While Shinji was practically fainting with relief, Hikari was smiling as well. Well said, Toji-kun, she thought. Then she grinned more broadly. The Teen Brigade, huh? That's kind of corny…but I like it!


Author's Notes: Ugh! This chapter just didn't want to be written! But I hope you'll read and review, anyway! And maybe check out some of my other stories.

Mike313, you're right about Gendo and the consequences of his not praising Shinji. Let's just say I've got some big plans on that front.

Not much else to say, except for onto the omakes!

Omake 1

"What in the…?!" Gendo started as he entered his office for the first time in what felt like forever. Only to see a massive grey-skinned woman in a broad purple hat and business suit seated behind a massive desk that now stood where his old one had been.

"Well, welcome back, Commander Slimeball!" She-Hulk grinned, leaning back in her outsized chair. "What do you think? You like what I've done with the place?"

His jaw hanging open, Gendo swung his head one way, then the next, for the whole expanse of his office had been transformed. Where there had been nothing but empty space, perfectly calculated for intimidating underlings, there were now potted plants, paintings, a television and two refrigerators.

"W-what…what is going on here?! Major Katsuragi!" Gendo shrilled, staring hatefully at the huge gray woman.

"It's what's known as a hostile takeover! With Misato Fixit doing the taking over!" She-Hulk grinned. "Long story made short, you're out, and I'm in! Got it?"

Rage bubbling up within his mind, Gendo stared hard at the beast-woman gone gangster. "How dare you…you honestly think you can get away with this?!"

"Sure do!" She-Hulk answered brightly, swinging up both her legs up over her desk for the entire world to see. "See, I've got the brains, the bod, and the team I need to succeed! Which means you and your precious little scenario are heading straight for the recycling bin!" Chortling at the outraged look on Gendo's face, She-Hulk shifted her legs about in a provocative manner. "Hey, I might not be green anymore, but I can still be green-minded. Though I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to be recycling toxic waste like you!"

"Now, see here…!" Gendo started.

"Oh, well, I suppose I'll figure something out," She-Hulk finally shrugged. Then she looked at one of the refrigerators. "Oh, PenPen!"

At this, one of the refrigerators opened, revealing the warm-water penguin. PenPen stepped out, wearing a black business suit and hat, a Tommy gun held tightly in his flippers. "Do me a favor and escort this garbage down to a holding cell? Maybe I'll let Shinji use him as a piñata later!"

"You won't get away with this!" Gendo all but shrieked, even as PenPen waddled up to him and prodded his family jewels with the barrel of his weapon.

"Now, now. Be careful, PenPen!" She-Hulk cracked as the penguin led Gendo away. "According to Rits, that's a very small target!

Omake 2

"Looks like the Three Stooges are all here," Hikari noticed as the other two boys sat down at the table.

"Soitenly!" Kensuke agreed. "So, eh…what's this all about, anyway?"

"How should I know! Nobody tells me nothing around here!" Toji protested, raising his hands in emphasis.

"That's because nothing sticks with you knuckleheads!" Shinji snorted. "I swear, if you had any brains, I'd knock 'em outta ya!"

"I guess that's one of the advantages of not having the, eh? Nyuk nyuk nyuk!" Kensuke grinned.

"Oh, a wiseguy, huh?" Shinji sneered, angling two of the fingers of one hand straight at Kensuke's bespectacled eyes.

"Wooo!" Toji grinned as Kensuke fell over. Only to earn a scornful look from Shinji, at which point he bopped the jock in the face.

Hikari just sat there laughing as the other two boys recovered and punched Shinji in the face, at which point Shinji returned the gesture to both of them, the three of them arguing the entire time. "You three are hilarious!" Hikari declared. "I swear, you're going to win the school talent show no problem!"

Shinji grinned at this. "So what do you say? Want some 'Moe'?"