Koros45 doesn't own Getter Robo Armageddon, Mazinkaiser, or Neon Genesis Evangelion
Stage Nine [ Deep Red ]
The Children had done what Ryoma suggested, meeting with him once a week at the Photon Labs to practice martial arts training and Getter simulations. Asuka made a point to do her best and found she was struggling to beat Kouji Kabuto. Both of them were about even in strength and skill alike. Shinji sparred with Rei, and usually lost but it just annoyed Asuka. It wasn't because she was a girl that he was holding back. It was because she was Rei Ayanami. Wonder-girl whose' patience and delicateness Asuka would never have. Shinji looked conflicted even as Ryoma patted him on the back and encouraged him to try again.
"You too, Soryu! Kabuto! If you have time to talk trash to each other, you have time to go another round!' Ryoma yelled as the four stretched once more to go a final round. Kouji hunched over with a grin on his face, steadying his right hand in a chopping position as he circled and matched her movements. His ridiculously sharp sideburns and eyebrows really did make him look like a miniature Ryoma Nagare and it would make knocking him down all the sweeter.
Then the alarm for an Angel sighting started blaring. Dammit, Asuka thought. It had been about a week since the last Angel, now Shin Dragon being the biggest thing on everyone's radar. Ritsuko had said it wouldn't appear for another week but the last few had been pretty sporadic.
Kouji groaned as it was too far for Mazinkaiser to sortie on foot. Ryoma ran off to prepare Shin Getter for flight with Gai and Benkei.
"Just watch us from the base,Kabuto."Asuka taunted."We'll crush that thing while you look pretty!" She boasted. Then realized she'd included Shinji and Rei in 'us'. Whatever. Even if she didn't get on with them much they still were better company than Kabuto. She had to admit it was irritating dealing with another hot-head. Perhaps it even showed her aspects of herself she didn't like. And that Mazinkaiser of his didn't help things as it boosted his ego.
She swept the thoughts away as Shinji and Rei were leaving, Asuka fast on their heels. They could make it back to NERV and be ready to launch in thirty minutes if Misato floored the jeep.
/
The next Angel had appeared and Unit 00 was the first to be dispatched to fight it. It was reffered to as Armisael, the Sixteenth Angel. The body of the Angel was a simple disc of white crisscrosses. It hovered in the air as Rei's Unit 00 walked forwards to engage it.
"Come on! Move for me! Just like last time!" Asuka yelled out to her Evangelion. But Unit 02 wouldn't move to the launchpad. There was something wrong with her sync rate. It was at an all time low. She could only watch from inside the entry plug as the battle outside began.
It was strange, Asuka noted from the cockpit of Unit 02. The Angel didn't seem to fight Rei conventionally, instead it's form seemed to vanish and flow into the blue Evangelion. In less than a minute it went from facing the EVA to combining with Unit 00. In a haste, NERV cancelled the lockdown they'd had in place and deployed Unit 01 to assist.
The lanky purple and horned EVA exited the launch platform and stepped carefully as the situation was far more confusing than usual.
"Shinji, don't let that thing touch you." Misato advised as the purple Evangelion avoided the Angel's tentacles it formed from it's new body. Unit 00's form still stood upright, but a massive and bulbous mass of white flesh, tendrils, and writhing forms of deceased Angels protruded from the Evangelion's back.
Shinji grit his teeth and tried to attack, but the Angel's defenses were engaged as it's arms formed buds and each one took the shape of Rei's head. Shinji was too shocked to attack. "Rei, are you alright?!" Shinji yelled but got no immediate response from the First Child.
"Hey! Unit 02, move already! I won't mind giving that Angel a piece of my mind! But you have to move first!" Asuka complained. It would be so easy to run out of there and grapple with the bulbous mass that consumed Ayanami's EVA. At least it would accomplish something. But the thing wouldn't move.
"Shinji, eliminate your enemy." Commander Ikari said, looking ahead from the command deck.
As for Shinji, he found that to be particularly difficult. Because it was Rei. And because he really didn't want to kill her.
"Rei!" Go Ichimonji yelled as he and his sister Kei ran into the lower observation deck. Gendo gave them a glance before looking back to the fight. They'd been allowed on the premise with the promise to follow all of the Commander's orders while they were there. In that time Go and Kei had been friendly to Rei, though Asuka didn't know the full details. She didn't have anything else to do before Unit 01 engaged the Angel so she looked down to the guests. The man was doing something.
/
Go narrowed his eyes and grabbed the shard of translucent green Getter alloy he'd used earlier.
"Shinji! You need to believe in your EVA. You need to believe it it's potential." Go thought.
There was no visible change as Unit 01's AT Field defected an attack and Shinji leapt back to avoid another strike.
"Yui Ikari, are you going to keep letting your son suffer?" Go continued.
Then he stopped and his eyes widened. "Shin Getter is coming." he said out loud.
/
A line of lime green cut through the air, zigging and zagging at random angles and intervals as it made its way to the battle at hand. Shin Getter 1 landed with a thud, the composite Angel turning at the presence of the crimson super robot.
Ryoma's voice could be heard, the normally loud and cocky pilot now deadly serious. "All right, let's end this now before things get too messy! Getter Tomahawk!"
The great battle axe formed from the smart metal shooting out of the Getter's back and appeared in its hands.
Shinji protested. "No! Ryoma, that's Rei in there! Be careful!"
"Then we'll just cut the Angel part off and get her safe! Then we'll deal with the rest afterwards! Can you neutralize the AT field?!" Ryoma yelled.
Shinji moved Unit 01 to flank Shin Getter, the prog knife flipping out of his EVA's shoulder. The past times he and the EVA team had been able to work with Shin Getter had not caused him any problems. Even if his father had a problem with it, Shinji wanted to save Rei by any means necessary. The Commander would just have to deal with it.
"Let's try it." Shinji reasoned.
The knife struck and Shinji yelled as he expanded his own AT Field to counter the other's. The knife tore through the Angel/Unit 00 hybrid's barrier.
"AT field neutralized!" Shinji yelled as Shin Getter slammed into the ground right in front of him, battle-axe chopping through the white mass that was the Angel. Then the axe was dropped as Shin Getter grabbed the pale-white flesh with both hands and ripped the angel bodyparts and organs from the back of Unit 00, frying the connecting Angel flesh with a smaller Getter Beam from it's head.
"Rei! Are you alright?!" Benkei yelled.
". . . I . . . am . . . ." Rei mumbled faintly.
"Alright! Now let's end this!" Gai yelled.
"Change, Getter 3!" Benkei screamed as the red robot split into three crafts and merged again into the tanky and rounded Shin Getter 3, slamming into the ground.
"The Angel's infection is still tainting Unit 00! I detect pattern Blue!" Ritsuko warned.
"Shinji, terminate it. Now." Commander Ikari ordered.
The boy looked to Unit 00 and heard Rei's voice. "Shinji, do as the Commander says. Please. If I die, I can be replaced."
While Shinji wrestled with the conflicting emotions he had against his father's orders, Benkei engaged the Angel remains.
"Missile Storm!" Benkei shouted, his voice booming over the others as his Getter went on the attack, the barrage of missiles firing from Shin Getter's back pod.
As Shinji continued to grapple with Rei now ordering him to kill her, the swarm of missiles from Shin Getter 3 engulfed the mass of white and obliterated it.
"The main Angel is still fused with Unit 00 and Rei's body as well. Killing her is the only way to truly kill the Angel." Commander Ikari said again.
"I – I" Shinji began.
Then there was a great blast of green from beyond the horizon, the wide ray striking the Earth and sending Unit 01 and Shin Getter 3 sprawling.
"Shin Dragon!?-" Go yelled as the colossal thing's shadow fell on the Geofront, covering all the combatants as the serpentine Getter hissed, yellow eyes glowing like those of a devil's as it glared down at them. Even as far away as it was, the sheer size of the Getter was enough to be intimidating.
"Gentlemen! Ladies! Welcome! Welcome to the beginning of Armageddon!" The voice of Professor Saotome could be heard.
Then a black inky substance came from the skies, raining on the battlefield as it melded into a blob with several yellow eyes inside of it. It was joined by several more of it's kind.
"The old man brought a swarm of Invaders!" Ryoma's voice could be heard as Shin Getter 3 recovered and began firing shoulder missiles at the new opponents.
"Getter Team, engage the Invaders. Leave the corrupted Unit 00 to Unit 01." Commander Ikari said even as the Getter Rays from Shin Getter 3's missiles caused several of the descending Invaders to explode.
Unit 00 grabbed Unit 01's hand as Shinji heard Rei's voice.
"Shinji, don't worry about me. I'll be alright. You'll see." Rei said. Then Unit 00 shoved his hand holding the prog knife into her own EVA's head.
"REI!" Shinji screamed as the vibrating weapon struck true, tearing right through the red mono – eye in the center of the head.
"I'm glad to exterminate the Angel among such friends. Thank you for fighting with me, Shinji. Asuka. And the Getter Team." Rei's voice was heard as her Evangelion fell to the ground, pressurized blood spurting from the wound in a red mist.
"Dammit! Rei!" Benkei yelled as Shin Getter 3's arms extended, slamming into a mass of Invaders and crushed it, before spinning his mech's extendable, segmented, and bending arms up like they were a tornado. "Diasetsuzan Ooroshi!" Benkei shouted as he used his mentor Musashi's finishing move to finish off the monsters..
"Come on! Start up! I know you and I can deal with this crap!" Asuka yelled out from Unit 02's cockpit, to no response. Desperate enough now to take even Rei's advice as her EVA was silent to her shouts.
There were too many Invaders to keep track of, as one of the masses found their way to the wounded Unit 00.
Shinji's mouth hung open as the black mass swirled into the wound that Rei had inflicted to her EVA, the form of the creature changing and warping as the compound eye in the center of the head was healed, the prog knife falling out. The repaired eye was joined by four smaller eyes on either side, the shoulder pylons growing a series of irregular spikes akin to tree roots. The natural back hunch of the Evangelion became even more pronounced as a mouth opened up beneath the singular eye and the new creature screamed.
"Hmph! Let's see how NERV handles that!" Saotome's voice boomed as he gestured with an arm.
"And as for Shin Getter, rise, Metal Beast!" The mad doctor commanded.
Shin Dragon's mouth opened and from the maw, a chimera of sorts appeared. Dragonfly wings, long snakelike body, a pale hairless human head, and strong and bestial arms and legs all made up the Metal Beast as it flew towards Shin Getter at a high velocity.
"We need to assist Shinji! Let's end this now, Gai, Benkei!" Ryoma yelled as the other two pilots seconded that.
"Change! Getter 1!" Ryoma cried as the machine re-formed into the crimson appearance.
"Getter Beam!" Ryoma commanded as the ray from Shin Getter 1's head stuck the larger Metal Beast, to no apparent effect.
"Fool! Shin Dragon's Getter Ray saturation and output is superior to even Shin Getter's! As this Metal Beast originated within Shin Dragon, any Getter Ray related attacks won't work on this Metal Beast!" Saotome pointed out.
Than it was the monster's turn to strike.
/
Shinji grunted as black tendrils wrapped around Unit 01's arms as the Angel/Invader/EVA hybrid advanced, pinning him down. He screamed and felt something trigger as the cockpit of Unit 01 felt lighter for some reason, green dots floating around the vicinity.
Green angular lines appeared on his arms where the tentacles grabbed Unit 01, suddenly losing their grip as his Evangelion yelled with him, ripping the tentacles apart with ease now, fingers and mouth tearing the protrusions away as a kick sent the distorted Unit 00 sprawling backwards.
"Ritsuko! Is there any chance to save Rei!?" Shinji yelled, frantic to avoid killing a co-pilot as he threw what remained of the tendrils off of his fingers.
"Don't answer that, Doctor. Shinji, you have to kill it. That thing's no longer Rei." His father said.
The Metal Beast was slower than Shin Getter but that didn't seem to matter as it shrugged off the Getter Beam and Getter Tomahawk.
"Hmph! I'll leave you two to deal with that! Shin Dragon will visit you all later! NERV! Getter Team! I await you all on the final day of the Earth!" Saotome said with a laugh as the silhouette of the beast he rode in faded away into the sky.
"Pah! Looks like the old man doesn't want to hang around! Now let's do what we can and then kill this thing! Getter Robo can use Getter Rays to absorb technology, so maybe-" Ryoma began.
"-We can use the Getter Rays to separate Unit 00 from the Invader and the Angel?" Gai followed up.
"Let's try it! Both of you, focus with me! Try and will your thoughts to the Getter!" Benkei yelled as Shin Getter gave the Metal Beast an uppercut and kicked it back.
"Hey Shinji, care to change opponents?" Ryoma yelled.
"Negative. Do not interfere in this operation, Nagare." Gendo said as his face appeared on one of Shin Getter's screens.
"Hey, screw you! Why don't you stop me yourself, Ikari?! Let's see you do half of what your son is doing, you bastard! I won't let you order Shinji to kill his friend again! Not if this Shin Getter Robo can save her!" Ryoma countered as Shin Getter landed between Unit 01 and Unit 00.
"Now, Shin Getter!" Ryoma cried out. Meanwhile Shinji turned, screaming as he stabbed the Metal Beast's shoulder with Unit 01's recovered prog knife.
The red machine grabbed Unit 00 and Shin Getter's eyes widened as it's facial markings and mouth glowed green with Getter Rays. Than the remainder of the Angel exploded out of the wound, quickly pursued by the mass of Invaders as they both merged with the stunned Metal Beast, adding extra bulk to it as previous Angel's forms began to form beneath it's flesh, Ramial's blue cube body beginning to grow from it's back while Sachiel's arms sprouted above the Metal Beast's own arms.
Unit 00 fell to the ground, free of any contamination, though the hole was still present in the head of the EVA.
"Rei!?" Shinji cried out.
"Pattern Blue is negative. Sensors detect that's Rei in there." Ritsuko said quickly.
"Shinji. The Angel has moved targets. Recover Unit 00 after the Angel's core is neutralized." Commander Ikari said.
"Understood!" Shinji said through gritted teeth as his Evangelion was slammed into the ground, pinned by the larger hybrid Metal Beast. At least now he could agree with the order his father was giving.
"There we go! Rei's free! Now let's crush this merged bastard together!" Ryoma yelled.
Shinji yelled as the green dots floating around him seemed to burn brighter and he felt light-headed and stronger. To the point where he could feel Unit 01's body as though it were his own – not just a connection to make her mimic his own movements.
"Mother, let's deal with this together." Shinji thought as Unit 01 stood as he did and began to push the Metal Beast backwards, shoving it away as the green lights made Shinji notice something that Shin Getter had dropped. Almost like they were calling to him.
"The Getter Tomahawk, Shinji! Grab the Tomahawk!" Asuka yelled out.
"Correct . . . first, the proper weapon for the job." Yui's voice whispered to him. Fainter than earlier but there enough for Shinji to trust it and the impulse to grab the weapon she requested as he let the prog knife drop. He didn't even have to look for it as he now saw in a way through the EVA's eyes clearer than before.
"Rrrraaaaaaauuugh!" Shinji yelled as his mother joined him again. A humming in the cockpit grew louder as a haze of green lines appeared before vanishing. Unit 01 grabbed the fallen Getter Tomahawk with both hands, and with one swing shattered the AT field and cleaved through a ribbed exoskeleton. Once the wound was cleanly made, the EVA changed tactics and followed Shin Getter's earlier example, dropping the axe to pull back it's arm and punch into the creature's body with as much force as Shinji could give it.
"You yank one way and Getter will go the other way!" Ryoma yelled as Shin Getter Robo landed beside Shinji's EVA.
Shin Getter pulled at the side of the hole Unit 01 had created as the purple and red giants clawed a large hole in the thing's chest. Each pulled in a different direction, exposing a core within the depths of the merged creature's chest. Then Shinji and Ryoma pushed as one, toppling the creature. Unit 01 leapt on the thing's chest like a cat bearing down on their prey, clawing at the muscles trying to fold around the core and protect it. Meanwhile Shin Getter's Battle Wing deployed as it vanished and instantly appeared high above the two.
"AT field, full power!" Shinji yelled as the orange barrier blocked the Metal Beast's teeth, arms, and various blades from striking him, shoving some out of the way and cutting the rest from the creature's body as the field expanded to it's maximum size.
"Shinji, move! Time to fry this bastard!" Shinji heard Ryoma declare as the beam began to charge with an intense whirr, light gathering and rapidly building up in the Getter's stomach. Shinji leapt from where Unit 01 was standing, landing safely away.
"GETTEEEER BEEEEEAAAAAAM!" Ryoma screamed.
The Getter Beam burst and struck the Angel's core, even as the force of the blast pushed Shin Getter Robo backwards. The Getter Rays spread through the Invaders' cellular structure, causing the black masses to expand and explode due to over saturation, both parts of the merged Angel and Metal beast destroyed by the blast.
"Nicely done!" Benkei said as the monster was annihilated by the combination attack.
"Rei!" Shinji yelled, still concerned for the EVA's pilot as Unit 00 was in very bad condition.
"Sh-Shinji." Rei's voice was heard. "We won."
/
"They're coddling him." Gendo observed from his elevated booth.
"It's their intent to assist, whether that aids us or not." Fuyutsuki said.
"Regardless, the Angel was destroyed. The vitals in Unit 00 show Rei's injured. Prepare the lab to create a replacement." Gendo said as he send the order through a private line.
"And what of the Third Child? This was still his victory. He still was able to retrieve Unit 00 and disable the merged Angel with his AT Field." Fuyutsuki said.
"Irrelevant. He had assistance in destroying it. Like in the previous engagement, the presence of these outsiders will continue to agitate SEELE even more than those fools already are. I expect the timetable will move due to these recent battles." Gendo responded. "For now, put Unit 01 back on frozen status and notify Major Katsuragi of this change. That is all."
/
Asuka exited Unit 02 and wanted to punch someone. There was so much she could've done to assist, but due to some stupid synch rate issues she could only watch. She reminded herself that she was only alive because Shinji disobeyed orders to save her from the inside of the volcano. Next time she might have to do something as drastic if things kept going the way they were. And yet she had been completely useless despite all she'd accomplished in her life. The EVA wouldn't even move now.
Unit 01 carried the damaged Unit 00 like one would a bride as its purple head was downcast. Even thought they'd won, it was still a resounding loss. Asuka wondered what she'd say about it. She was never fond of Rei and it wasn't a secret but still the girl didn't deserve to die because of Commander Ikari's obsession with Shinji killing things. And now things were different. She'd at least been around Rei enough not to see her as just a rival or even a doll. She closed her eyes as she felt a sense of loss she didn't expect to feel. Shinji wasn't able to be there physically when she'd been attacked by Arael, but his voice had been enough to wake her up once the Spear of Longinus struck the Angel down. If he could do that without piloting the EVA, maybe there was a point to her sticking around.
Shin Getter contacted NERV HQ as Ryoma's voice was heard.
"That battle took a lot of Shin Getter's energy. Commander Ikari, can we recharge at NERV HQ? We'll even follow . .. all of your regulations." He narrowed his eyes as he said those words.
Still, Commander Ikari was unflappable as he spoke back to the Getter leader. " . .. That is acceptable. However you are to wait in a meeting room while repairs and recharging to your machine are done. And the Photon Labs will pay for any costs NERV uses to fix your machine."
"Works for me." Ryoma said with a hint of irritation in his voice as Shin Getter followed suit.
"Hey kid, how's Rei?" Ryoma asked Shinji over the comm privately as their machines started moving back to base, Unit 01 walking while Shin Getter hovered with it's long and navy blue wings.
"I don't know. I just hope NERV 's staff is fast enough to save her." The boy said.
"Let Shin Getter take her. I know we'll be faster in delivering her. And we'll be gentle." Benkei offered and Shinji nodded, handing the unit off to the crimson Getter.
"Take good care of her." Shinji said as the Getter gently took
/
"So that's quite the plan." Kouji said as Dr. Yumi sat across from him. Now the battle had ended and the Doctor had come up to him with a proposal.
"The problem is the lab isn't really a good place for you to study. Even if Ryoma's wanting to train you and the EVA pilots. You should really consider the offer." Yumi said seriously.
Kouji crossed his arms. "You know this is just so NERV can keep an eye on me, yeah?" The boy asked and raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, but think of it this way. You'll be able to socialize with the Evangelion pilots in a more regular setting. How often do you think those kids get a chance to really do that? And besides I have a feeling NERV will want us to stop assisting them after a point. Considering how secretive they are, I think this is a better approach than having them come to the labs for training." Dr. Yumi asked and Sayaka nodded.
"I think it's worth a try, Dad. Kouji, you can always put Kaiser Pilder nearby if there's a problem." She pointed out.
Kouji sighed. "And what about you, Sayaka? Do you think you'll go too? And Boss?"
Boss frowned. "Nah. They need me here with repairs. Boss Borot might be second to Kaiser in terms of being a powerhouse, but it's sure helpful moving stuff around. Just say hi to those cute Eva pilot girls for me!" His friend said with a big grin. Kouji scoffed at Boss' opinion of his Borot but let it slide.
Sayaka sighed. "Well as long as you're OK with it, Dad, I'd like to go." She said.
Professor Yumi nodded. "Of course. I think the change of pace would be good for both of you. I'll fill out the paperwork tonight then. And you'll start as soon as tomorrow."
Kouji sighed. "Well that's just great. I wanted to test out Mazinkaiser's weapons."
"You can do that later. That's a protector of humankind, not a toy." The professor said.
"Hey, at least we can make some lunches for the pilots. Especially something for Rei. She did get hurt in that fight today, right?" Sayaka said and Kouji nodded. "Alright! That's a good idea. And something for Shinji and Asuka too! Shinji was a beast today with the Getter Tomahawk!" Kouji yelled.
"And Asuka fought Z AND Great!" Sayaka added and the two laughed.
The pair dashed off to the kitchen, suddenly excited about the prospect of meeting the EVA pilots in a less controlled setting.
/
Shinji exited Unit 01 and was quick to stand on the platform, looking around for Misato. Asuka stood in front of him and looked angry about something. He could guess it involved not being able to pilot. Like that was anything new, but it was still something he'd have to talk to her about. Especially after hearing his Mother actually speak to him while he was piloting the Evangelion. Upon exiting the entry plug, Shinji felt light-headed and grabbed the guardrail of the catwalk, finding Misato as he looked up. The green lines in his vision faded and he blinked a few times to clear up his vision.
"Is Rei alright?" Shinji asked.
"Due to Shin Getter's speed, Unit 00 has been recovered faster than expected. Rei is currently healing from her injuries. She'll be at the hospital wing within the hour." Ritsuko said and Shinji nodded.
"Thank you, Dr. Akagi." he said, bowing and turning to leave when he saw Asuka was still staring at him.
"Oh, Asuka. Are you alright?" Shinji asked as he kept moving to the exit and the other pilot sighed but followed. She was tense, like a coiled spring. Shinji didn't know what he could say to make her feel better so he just waited to hear her words.
She spoke as soon as they were free of the main area as Shinji looked around for the sign leading to the shuttle train.
"Rei might have died today! I really don't see how you're still so compliant about all of this." Asuka said, marching beside him so they were going the same pace, but now Shinji had to walk faster to keep up with her as he looked around for the next sign.
"Well we won, didn't we? Now we just need to see if she's doing OK." he asked, finding the next sign and starting to walk away. Asuka grabbed his wrist and pulled on it, stopping him. Her touch felt numb to him, like he wasn't feeling the action even as she'd stopped him. Something was strange as his head swam. He shook his head for a moment and looked back to Asuka. Her face was in focus. No green lines. But he had one hell of a headache.
"Don't just blow me off like that. Shinji, that was terrible. If I had been in her place, would you have done it then? Would you have killed me?!" Asuka asked and Shinji stopped, the image of his prog knife stabbing into Rei's – no, Unit 00's face.
He turned to stare Asuka in the eye. "No! I wouldn't do that! That was - Rei's choice." Shinji said. "She – she was the one who pulled the knife to Unit 00."
Asuka closed her eyes and opened them again, looking tired. "I didn't know. From the cameras it looked like you stabbed her."
Shinji stopped and curbed his knee-jerk reaction, wondering how the Getter or Mazinger pilots would deal with this.
"I know that looked bad. But Rei really did that." Shinji said and there was a bit of silence for a moment.
"Dammit! They all have us get in these EVAs and I'm just put on standby! The damn EVA wouldn't listen to me! Even when The First gets infected by an Angel! What's the point of it if I can't fight?!" Asuka yelled.
Shinji could only imagine how Asuka felt in this situation, stuck in something as strong as an Evangelion but ordered to stay put. Especially after her victories against the brainwashed Double Mazingers. Someone as strong willed as her should be piloting right now, not him.
"Asuka, I know it's tough. I felt the same way seeing you and Rei fight Arael and the Double Mazingers. Even if Father had you on standby I still - I really appreciate you being here. You're the one who had the idea to grab the Getter Tomahawk. That really helped." Shinji said, rubbing his temple and giving her a half smile.
"Well if I coudn't be in the fight, I could at least direct it!" Asuka said, a spark of her old fire returning as she put her free hand on her hip and grinned. "I mean it's what I would have done. And I had to pay back your debt from the last battle."
"Debt?" Shinji asked.
Asuka slapped her forehead. "When you called out to me after that Angel violated me, it woke me up, remember? Consider that debt paid in full." Asuka said.
Shinji blinked and nodded. Asuka let go of his wrist with a humph. "I guess it's fine if the Invincible Shinji is relieved by my superior presence. Yeah. we'll see Wonder-girl. Not for long though. I don't want to sit around in a room waiting for my name to be called. Not after today."
"I really wished you were out there today. We're a good team. If we all had been there, maybe we could've stopped the Angel ourselves." Shinji mused.
"I KNOW we could have if I was there!" Asuka said and the conversation ceased.
The two entered a small subway train that would give them a beeline to the hospital and they sat next to each other. It wasn't NERV's, so Asuka took the opportunity to speak freely.
"We're a good team only when all of us can deploy! I'm starting to hate your father." Asuka said as her stride overtook his. She led them to the seats and sat down with a huff and he sat next to her.
"Huh?" Shinji asked, wondering why she'd bear resentment to Commander Ikari – as far as he was aware, Shinji was the only one who hated him.
"He doesn't treat you like a son, he doesn't let us deploy when we can help, he uses dummy plugs when you don't want to hurt The Fourth, and he doesn't share key information unless we need it to win." Asuka said, counting each slight on her hand. "That spear Rei threw ended the last battle. Why didn't we know about something that strong ahead of time?" She finished with using her thumb as the last finger.
Shinji blinked. "The Lance of Longinus, right? What made you start to think this?" he asked her.
Asuka pointed at him. "I'll show you. But I need your phone." She said.
Shinji didn't argue as he reached into the satchel he wore to carry his phone, keys and ID card while he was in his plug suit and handed the phone over. Asuka went to the recording menu. "I can't believe I forgot about this. This is going to blow your mind. I grabbed your phone on accident a few days ago and this was something I stumbled on."
Shinji put the phone to his ear and pressed play.
/
". . . Not much. Just a fair warning that your little sideshow isn't going to matter if we don't take these Invaders seriously." Hayato's voice said.
"Sideshow? You talk of being taken seriously and yet – you struggle keeping your own team together. And you attack our agents." Shinji's father spoke next. Why was the Getter Team arguing with his Father like that?
"Peh. You know that was some bullshit." Ryoma's voice said, sounding distant.
"G-Get off of me! Yesterday we wanted to retrieve the Children." His father yelled, sounding upset for the slightest moment. his father, yelling? The sound seemed foreign to Shinji's ears.
"One of those kids is your own son. Now if you want us to leave here without causing another scene, I'd suggest you listen for once in your sorry life!" Ryoma advised.
"Please, let's settle this like adults." Fuyutsuki's voice interjected.
"That's rich, old man. Not until Commander Ikari treats his son like an actual responsibility rather than an asset."
"How sad, Nagare." his father's voice was heard again. "Your own negative experience with your father has caused you to take that out on me. We know your origins, Mr. Nagare. And we also know that this little stunt will get you sent back to jail."
Then Shinji's father screamed. The boy listening felt strange. A mix of vengeful satisfaction and shock as the brief scream stopped.
"That's one finger. I can do a lot worse if you actually manage to piss me off."
Shinji froze. Ryoma had done that to someone as untouchable as his father and lived? The training he'd put them through confirmed that it was certainly possible, but on the other hand, this was the Commander of NERV he'd assaulted.
"Threatening me won't change NERV's operation structure. I can promise you that." his father said.
"How about letting everyone here know just what that Instrumentality Project of yours is really about?" Hayato asked.
"So you know. But again , it doesn't matter – you can't stop what's in motion." his father countered.
"We can if we shut your ass down. And fair warning, the last asshole who thought he could beat us wound up taking a Shine Spark right in the face." Ryoma said. Shinji blinked. That was from the day he, Benkei and Hayato had rammed into Hell King Gordon with Getter Dragon's finishing move. 'Us', huh? Shinji thought.
"If you even had the resources and the forces to shut down NERV you'd have done so already. I don't have time to play games with you about diplomacy or ethics." his father said, sounding, well - just like Commander Ikari.
"Well then hear this, Mr. Ikari." Hayato said. "The Getter Team will do all we can to assist Tokyo – 3. On the condition that we continue to communicate with the Evangelion pilots and as a result learn from one another." Hayato asked. it was a simple statement but coming from Hayato it came off as a threat.
"This is a waste of time." Shinji heard his father say and Ryoma laughed. It was not a laugh of amusement, Shinji noticed. Ryoma only did that when Kouji or Asuka spoke out of turn and would quickly say something disarming or strike at them to keep them on their feet.
"From where I'm sitting it's a goldmine. Fine. If you won't take care of your damn pilots, at least let us train with them? Benkei and Rei have been going over training exercises in theory, but think of the applications a field test could have."
"Know that if you come in here like this again, you'll be shot on sight." His father said and then Hayato laughed. It was even more terrifying than Ryoma's.
"I even let that man keep his face. We won't play so nice next time either then. Good luck in the next Angel attack." Hayato said.
"Later." Ryoma added, sounding much closer as the recording ended.
/
"I've never heard Father sound . . . afraid of anything before." Shinji said.
Asuka smiled."Well did that answer your question?" She asked and Shinji nodded, putting the phone away. He thought about his father and then he paused. 'Mother!' he thought. 'Asuka doesn't know about Unit 01!
"Asuka, today I felt it again. Like with earlier when our sync rates were matching. My connection to the EVA felt way more solid than earlier." Shinji said.
"You looked impressive out there, I have to admit. You picked up that battle axe with no hesitation. What do you think did it?" She asked.
"Green lights. I saw green lights. And my anger from the Angel absorbing Rei. That was something I shared with Unit 01. It triggered something new." Shinji said and blinked. "Asuka, I think Unit 01 is my mother."
"What?! That's crazy. Why would you say that?" She asked, looking at him like he had two heads.
"Because – when I was inside of Unit 01 after it ate Zeruel, when I was in the LCL, I saw her in my mind. And she told me herself."
Asuka thought for a moment. "Well if your Father's making you pilot Unit 01, which could be your Mother, that's even more messed up. Yeah, I made the right choice deciding to hate him. You might be an idiot but at least you come by it honestly."
Shinji sighed at the backhanded complement but didn't let it sway his thoughts. "It was also Mother's choice to do it." Shinji said. "To go inside Unit 01 all those years ago."
". . . I also don't understand how Rei could recover so fast." Asuka said. She most likely got stabbed by a prog knife and then infected by an Invader. Something's not adding up." She said and Shinji suddenly felt nervous.
And the ride came to a halt.
/
"It's done." Ritsuko said with a sigh, hanging up her phone and looking Commander Ikari in the eyes. "We have prepared the third body with the back up memories. And we disposed of the remains we found in the cockpit." She held up an official report of the events and the Commander grabbed her wrist.
"Show me in private later at 2200. My quarters." The Commander said bluntly. After all, they were in an isolated place.
"Sir." Ritsuko said, feeling a bit sick to her stomach as the man walked away with indifference.
The Commander used people. She'd known that long before she'd met Shinji Ikari. After all, he'd been using her for physical pleasure for some time now. And she'd just – let him. If it gave her any kind of consolation it was the one thing she'd have that he hadn't given to Rei. The Commander's pet, she'd thought of Ayanami. The girl he'd burned his own hands for, prying her entry plug open himself.
She thought she hated the girl. But now Ritsuko wasn't sure it was still jealousy she felt for the now twice copied clone of Yui Ikari. Rei would follow any of his orders without question but was it with happiness? She didn't know. The girl was only about fourteen and didn't act human. She'd been obedient because Commander Ikari and Ritsuko Akagi taught her to be.
Ritsuko still felt herself shuddering as she finished with procuring the next latest back-up memories in case they were needed. In the first case of a new body, Rei had had amnesia for a while. It might be the same as back then.
Dr. Agaki decided she wasn't too happy with Commander Ikari's orders to see him personally if she was reduced to his personal call girl. With the plans NERV had in store it would be a ridiculous story had it not been her own life he was messing with.
/
I am
I am Rei Ayanami
But
Not the First or Second Rei Ayanami
I am the Third
I am awake
I feel
Sad?
But why do I feel sad?
/
Rei opened her eyes and Shinji smiled with relief as he walked up to the hospital bed to meet her.
"Ayanami! I'm relieved you're ok from the battle!" Shinji exclaimed. Rei just blinked.
"Battle?" She responded, sounding distant. Like she'd been the first week Shinji had been at NERV.
"What?! But you were there? We were just there-." Shinji said, sounding like he was pleading.
Rei's eyes widened at the block of white noise she ran into trying to recall the memory. "Perhaps that was the previous Rei. I think I am the third."
Shinji stopped and his hands tensed up as he turned.
"Not the same Rei. Not Rei." He thought before he noticed someone ahead of him. - a tall man in a green military uniform and a short haircut of black with serious eyes.
"Shinji Ikari." Go said. "Is this where Rei Ayanami is?"
Shinji shook his head. "She's here. But it's not the same - ."
Go put a hand on Shinji's shoulder and nodded. "I know. And that's why I'm here. I want to see if I can help." The man said as Kei walked next to Go.
Asuka sighed as Shinji regretfully stood next to her, a healthy five feet away from Rei as Go and Kei went right to her side.
Shinji looked down, tears running down his face. Asuka didn't know whether he looked more sad or terrified. But either way he looked very Shinji.
"But that's not really the Rei we know, is it?" Shinji managed to say through his tears.
"It's a clone." Go said and Asuka paused.
"What?! How can that be?! It's 2015! We've only just begun cloning animals! But people?! That's not-!" Asuka began but Go ignored her as he looked to the blue-haired girl on the hospital bed.
"I am a clone as well, Rei Ayanami." Go said, reaching into his jacket to pull out the emerald shard from earlier he'd contacted Shinji with.
"And touching this might help you with your past memory." Go said and Rei nodded.
Rei grabbed the green crystal. Her eyes widened before she fell, head hitting the pillow of the bed, asleep.
"Go, what was that?" Kei asked.
Go turned to her. "I used Getter Rays. The will of humanity. I want to see if they'll let this Rei access the other Rei's memories. Since the previous Rei has touched this, perhaps she'll remember something through them."
"Other Reis? So she's really some kind of clone?" Asuka wondered and Go nodded to the redhead.
"This flesh is synthesized. I know because the same was done to me when I was 'born'. Look at how the skin has no flaws or blemishes. Like it's newborn. This hospital recovery set up is a ruse." Go said bluntly as he pointed to Rei's unnaturally smooth skin. It was true, the skin shone like that of a newborn child's would.
"Human evolution. Does that apply to clones?" Kei asked as her brother shook his head.
"I'm a clone who was designed to synchronize with Getter Rays. They have let me see some of Michiru Saotome's memories of the past. And I believe in my own and Rei's humanity." Go said and looked to Shinji and Asuka.
"Clones. Getter Rays. A – Third Rei? This is all too much to keep track of." Asuka commented.
"We apologize for intruding, but this is a special case." Go said and Asuka sighed, sitting down in a visitor's chair and crossing her shapely legs over the side as obnoxiously as possible. It worked as Shinji turned to look at her and she grinned. He blushed and focused his gaze back to the newcomers in the room.
"No problems. Just make sure she doesn't start multiplying. Even though I'm glad Rei's still here in a way, one of her is already enough to deal with." Asuka said and then her face became serious again.
"The Commander doesn't care about us. He views you as expendable and you're his own son. Doesn't that strike you as messed up?" Asuka said and took a breath. He looked back to her this time.
"Of course it does." Shinji said. "I just never felt like I could talk about it before. Even Misato has to listen to Father's orders. Talking about it is pointless because he'll hear about it in some way and then I'll be punished for it. I tried to threaten him while I was in Unit 01 and he just raised the pressure of the LCL until I passed out. No matter what I do, I'm nothing against him." The boy finished and felt just as powerless, even after he'd said the words.
"Well I'm not scared of him. And I don't have to listen to him. Especially if they're really going to replace me with some dumb rookie." Asuka said, crossing her arms to accompany her legs.
"What are you going to do?" Shinji asked.
Asuka shrugged. "I don't know. But doing nothing isn't my style. I can't believe they took me off piloting duty, just like that. Oh, get suited up and wait in Unit 02. We'll let you watch as your allies get practically torn apart before Ryoma Nagare the karate hobo shows up with that Shin Getter of his! Then you get to watch and do nothing all over again!" Asuka made a fist and pressed it against one of her legs in irritation.
Go suddenly stopped and stood up. "Kei, I have to leave and check on Shin Getter and Ryoma. It's almost time for Hayato's plan. Can you make sure that Rei's alright when she wakes up?" He asked and Kei nodded. "Of course, brother."
Go nodded and waved to Shinji and Asuka as he walked away. "Asuka, you reclaimed Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger. That's a debt that the Photon Labs will remember. No matter what NERV tells you about your alleged skills, you are a fantastic pilot. Kouji, Ayanami and I are glad you fought with us that day." Go then gave a quick smile and departed.
Kei turned around and looked ashamed. "And as for me, I have to go to the bathroom. But when I get back, can I get you two dinner? My treat for you kids working so hard with the Getter Team. It's what Dad would want as well."
Asuka blinked, the fist slacking off as recognition that felt earned was something she hadn't felt in a long time. Se smirked and nodded as Kei walked away in search of the ladies' room. "Well well, looks like other people finally recognize my skills around here. Too bad Go or Kei couldn't vouch for me officially."
Then the mood shifted as the friendly Getter team was gone, leaving them with the Rei Ayanami that was not the same one they'd worked with. And with each other.
Shinji looked to Rei, the alleged clone looking spotless despite the prog knife that her predecessor had shoved into her own EVA's face.
He stayed next to her and Asuka wondered what he was going to do next.
"Still . . . in the last few Angel attacks . . . we could have really died. Or ended up like Rei here." Shinji said, he wrists shaking. If she'd been in his shoes, Asuka might've felt the same way even if she didn't show it to the world.
"Asuka, if you can't pilot Unit 02, are you going to - leave?" Shinji asked her in a small voice as he down to her, looking terrified.
She didn't know what to say as Shinji quivered. For goodness sake, would she leave? She found it was something she'd been considering given the tests coupled with the resurgence of trauma. It all hit her at once like a tidal wave and she suddenly felt very alone. Shinji's question was the single stone that broke and let the dam of water flow in her mind. She had to do something now or she'd snap. The doll was in her head again. And the voices screaming that she was inadequate. Her. The Second Child. The strongest pilot of the bunch.
The desire to reach out was the only other thing she had. But she was too prideful to make the step herself. Only doing so when she had some kind of advantage, like when she kissed Shinji. It was pathetic really, she liked the boy well enough but couldn't admit it to his face. She knew in that instance that it was useless to try. She'd just push him away again like with the kiss and hurt herself even more by that action. She was ready to think of some excuse to deflect his question when she felt something.
Shinji's hand was on her shoulder, shaking as he took a breath and looked to her with empathy.
And by reflex from the earlier training in the morning, she grabbed the hand on her shoulder and gave it a yank, as to disable an attacker - pulling Shinji downwards. Asuka immediately realized this meant he'd fall on her as she wasn't in a position to just move out of the way. She acted quickly to put a hand each on his shoulders, a mixture of embarrassed and determined. Then she stopped and realized this was a second chance to connect since her botched attempt at a kiss. Only this time Shinji had initiated the contact. And that was more than enough for her to complete it.
"Well if you're going to try and console me like that, don't just half-ass it! Come here, you idiot!" She glared at him for a moment as he looked at her dumbly. He really was an idiot if he couldn't take yet another hint. Still, thank god, an inner voice said as he'd been the one to reach out this time. What a day for surprises. Cloning was a more common thing than she'd thought, Go and Rei turned out to be a clone, and now Shinji Ikari was giving her some manner of emotional support.
Asuka couldn't believe what she was doing, but she needed someone to hold her. Denying the child in her heart had led to bad things in the past. And now it's cry was so loud that pacifying the voice in her would not hurt things.
Asuka leaned back in the chair pulling Shinji forward by the shoulders as he sat beside her, then wrapping her arms around his waist. Shinji was close enough so that she held his head next to hers. Once they were both entangled in the sudden hug, Asuka stopped slouching and sat up so they were at least upright. Asuka's legs were still crossed to the side so that he wouldn't grind on her on accident or on purpose.
"You won't help me! You won't even hold me!-" The scream in Asuka's mind withered and died as she leaned into him, deepening the squeeze so that their cheeks were pushing against each other.
He shook in her arms and Asuka repressed any mean-spirited comments as she felt just how tight his grip was once he was as comfortable as Shinji Ikari could be in such a situation.
It wasn't as awkward as the kiss she'd initiated but this had it's own set of problems. Their plug suits didn't exactly make the experience easy as the sleek material deflected any foreign objects and Shinji's in particular had a protruding plate on the chest so he had to lean slightly to the side as he gripped her tightly to stay in place. It certainly made holding someone annoying though that hadn't been something Asuka had thought about at all until now when it was inconvenient. She heard him sobbing lightly and almost felt envious that he could cry so shamelessly like that.
"Of course I'm not going to leave, you dope. You and Misato need someone around to keep you grounded in real life. And if the Getter team can't vouch for me, maybe I'll see if the Photon Labs are looking for volunteer pilots. Besides, I still need to knock Kouji Kabuto on his ass, remember?" She half joked and then felt his squeeze – it was steady and more relaxed now that she was talking. She lowered her voice as she continued.
"I'm just glad you're safe, you idiot." Asuka said quietly as she held him, feeling her own tears starting to well up. She blinked a few times to dispel them as she felt herself shake now too. How long had it been since someone really held her like this? She decided not to let herself think too hard about it as she focused on being in the sudden hug for as long as she could.