10:15am, State of Japan oceanic territory, combined GAAFT task force, SMS Seydlitz, flagship of the Kaiserliche marine's High Seas Fleet, flight deck.
"So-" In perfect Japanese, Asuka paced up to them in a manner that could be deemed "unstoppable."
"Which one of you is the legendary Third Child?" Her eyes appraised every single one of them, ruling out the sandy haired geek, who was now gawking at her instead of Meer Wulfs, ignoring the wimpy and weak looking one, instead focusing on the jock.
"Nicely built..."
Misato chuckled, expecting this mistake, then put a hand on Shinji's shoulder and pushed him to the front, much to his displeasure.
"This is the Third Child. Asuka, meet Shinji Ikari."
The German's nose instantly rose in disappointment, before she zeroed in to a few inches away from his own face, as if closely analysing a cockroach under a microscope.
"Him? He's hardly much to look at...I mean...Gott, Misato I've seen puppies look more intimidating than this." Asuka's voice and manner caused him to recoil in fear.
The red head was three inches shorter than him, but her aura of power and confidence, coupled with his nervous nature, caused Shinji, a boy who'd fought demi-gods face to face, to feel smaller than usual.
"Well at least he's fought Seraphim, girly, I didn't see you save the world three times in a row." Toji narrowed his eyebrows and folded his arms, directly challenging her. Before she could respond, Rei had manoeuvred herself to Shinji's side.
"I believe you are invading Ikari's personal space. I request that you stop." She firmly whispered.
"The First? Is she your girlfriend?" The redhead shot a disdainful look at the now blushing Shinji who made many a noise of horror and disgust on the matter. The albino looked ponderous for a moment.
"I do not know why many believe that. I would rather they did not."
Asuka eventually took a few steps back, looking over every inch of her new "work colleague" and shook her head.
"Absolute wimp, and needs a girl to fight his battles for him. So much for the invincible Third Child..." Her tone stung him to his core.
Of course I'm pathetic. It's just that she's brave enough to say it...
"Third Child? Oh bloody hell..." A new voice, shrill and aristocratic, invaded the conversation, catching Shinji's attention.
Samuel Alexander Meadow was how the meek Japanese boy wished he looked. Tall, wavy blonde hair, blue eyed, and a body that could only have been honed by Imperial military training. In that Imperial officer's uniform, even Misato had to admit he was a handsome young man. The epitome of the Empire's noble class.
"Samuel Meadow I presume?" The purplehead folded her arms, having switched back to English.
"It's Major Meadow to you." His gaze hardened for a few moments, making Shinji even more afraid.
Barbarian the thought rumbled in Samuel's head, but he didn't say it. After all, one had to make a good impression on behalf of His Imperial Britannic Majesty Charles Sebastian Vance, and the Empire he so "nobly" governed.
"So this is actually him?" He directed at Asuka, gaining a lacklustre nod.
"Good god, since when did they let kittens into the army?" He strode forward, not getting as close as she had, but he still scarcely a metre away from Shinji. Well out of his personal space fortunately.
"Well then, what's your rank?" He addressed the younger man directly in adequate but far from perfect Japanese, as if speaking in the language repulsed him, causing the boy who had saved the world three times in a row to squirm.
"My rank..?" He stammered.
"Yes imbecile, your rank?" Irritation seeped into Samuel's tone.
At a loss for words, Shinji once again had to be saved by Rei.
"Ikari is not a soldier in the Japanese State Army. He is simply an Evangelion Pilot."
The Imperial's eyes widened for a moment.
"I...see. What is your training then?" His hands folded behind his back.
"Um...I-I do regular synch tests. Apparently my Pilot Link is alright..." Shinji attempted to put on a positive tone, which only enhanced the British Aristocrat's disdain.
"Synch tests...any combat simulations?"
"N-no...I um..."
"Were you...given any training whatsoever before the Seraphim's arrival?" The Imperial said in disbelief.
"No. It was my first time." Shinji's eyes darted to the floor, desperately fighting back the memories of what nearly claimed his life.
It had me...I was alone, defenceless...I shouldn't have survived that.
Samuel's gaze drifted to Misato, an eyebrow raised in disgust.
"You threw him into combat without any preparation? I thought NERV was filled to the brim with secretive and unpleasant swine, but I never thought you were in the habit of dropping puppies into blenders." He shook his head slightly with a chuckle, causing her to crush a grimace.
"I'll be on the bridge." He turned away, giving a polite nod to his German colleague. Then, he gave some parting words of "advice."
"Ikari, myself and Asuka here have trained for this situation for the majority of our lives. We know what we are doing. It'll probably be for the best if you stay out of our way henceforth and leave it to the professionals." And like that he was gone, the redhead raising an eyebrow at his disappearing back as if to say really?
"So that was, Sam." Asuka sighed, trying to lighten the mood.
"He's not usually like this...he's just being a schwanz today...I'll chew him out for it later." She said with absolute certainty, indicating the aristocrat would have a good deal more to fear than Seraphim soon enough. Then her gaze was upon Shinji again.
"You might look like a meek dummkopf, and sound like one, and act like one, but I'm sure you'll be helpful at least. Just keep up with us and you'll be fine...that goes for the both of you." Asuka gave a quick glance at Rei, before smirking.
"Well, I'm sure the Captain will want you on the bridge as well Misato. Lots of paperwork to sign and stuff like that." She turned around, lazily beckoning for the group to follow her.
The purplehead quietly exhaled through her nose, expecting a good deal of what came out of the girl's mouth.
"Yeah, we're on our way." She nodded as she began to walk, the children under her charge swiftly following, with Asuka just ahead of them.
"Gut. Oh, and nerd with the camera-" The redheaded girl whirled around, glaring daggers at Kensuke.
"-if you don't take your perverted eyes off me, I will sew them shut."
Bridge
"Even after Second Impact and all its horrors...paperwork continues to be a torture used by all societies." Captain Heinrich Langner, pen in hand, looked down upon the mountain of paperwork which had been slammed onto his bridge.
"It's been with us for thousands of years, and it will be for many more...unfortunately." Misato chuckled in concurrence as she herself had to put in a few signatures.
The bridge of the Seydlitz was a busy yet ordered place. Men of the Kaiserliche Marine ran back and forth, stiff in their uniform and manner.
As is expected of sailors of the Kaiser Asuka thought to herself, looking out at the grand view of the sea.
Roughly a hundred ships were crammed together, battleships, battlecruisers, carriers, heavy cruisers, light cruisers, corvettes, frigates and destroyers, an honour guard the likes of which the world had never seen. On average the Imperial ships were larger, due to the Empire's focus on fire power and size above all else, but they were fewer in number, the High Seas Fleet making up some 60% of the flotilla.
But they'd still be a match for us
Germany was the master of the Baltic, keeping the Russian "red fleet" cooped up in Leningrad, with only the occasional submarine slipping through into the open sea. Their black sea fleet however, was a force so strong it took the combined navies of France, Spain, Italy, and Greece to contain it. But without a doubt, the Imperial Britannic Navy were the Lords of the Atlantic. Perhaps the Federal Guard Fleet could be a match for them at sea some day, but that was a long way off.
And as unpleasant as the Empire could be, Asuka was thankful those "Nazi wannabes" were separated from Europe by a vast expanse of ocean and a wall of Imperial steel.
The red head had to quickly bring her mind back to the matter at hand, when Samuel's jaw had tightened after the quiet scolding he'd received.
"How is it fair though? We've trained for years, we have every right to tell this...this...militia man to get in line." He grumbled.
"He's got just as much reason to fight as we have. Probably more, considering it's his homeland the Seraphim are attacking." She added, watching her British counterpart mumble in an irritated manner.
"Besides, we're still the best. We're Eva Pilot elites, and the world is going to see that now. If the Third Child can't keep up, that's his problem, but we can't just sideline him out of existence." Her hand gripped Samuel's shoulder, and forced him to face her.
"Can we?"
"Oh alright. I'll try and be a bit more...civil with him. Apparently these barbarians in particular have a concept of manners so it shouldn't be too hard." He looked thoughtful for a moment, then his expression darkened.
"What was that about the geeky one staring at you again?"
"Nein, you don't get to shoot him on the spot." A mischievous grin come into being upon that pretty freckled face.
"Besides, I said I'd sew his eyes shut if he ogled at me again."
Samuel couldn't help but laugh.
"You'd be a bloody terrifying provincial governor..."
"Nein mein freund. I think the title you're looking for is Empress."
On the other side of that room, Shinji stood in a corner next to Rei, still nervously observing the two fellow Pilots whose posture was confident and infallible. They were real Pilots, real soldiers, not like him.
"You are troubled, Ikari." A quiet whisper caught his attention.
"Hmm? Oh no, I'm fine, Ayanami-san really-" All it took was one look at those ruby red eyes, and he slumped in defeat.
"Alright, I am. I'm just feeling a bit...small...around them." He nodded in Asuka and Samuel's direction.
"But you have not decreased in height." Rei said in a confused manner, coaxing forth a chuckle from the son of her progenitor.
"Sorry, Ayanami-san, I keep forgetting to be specific with you." He shuffled around so he wouldn't have to twist his neck to speak with her.
"Look. Sometimes...you meet people who you feel are better than you. And occasionally, they are." He said sadly, not enjoying revealing one of the many unfortunate facts of life to her. To be frank, by a bizarre compulsion, all Shinji wanted to do was wrap his arms around this strange girl and try to shield her from how horrible this world was.
Is this what it's like to be a parent...no...an elder brother?
"An individual cannot be inferior to another. They may be more capable at certain tasks, but that does not make them superior or inferior. It is flawed logic such as that which the Federation has committed its crimes in the name of. Besides-" Rei took a long look at the two.
"It remains to be seen who is the superior Pilot."
The way she said that, gave him the impression she'd not liked the way Meadow and Soryu had spoken to him, at all.
There was an abrupt commotion in the corner, Toji having to haul Kensuke away from some important equipment, grunting out "sorry" a few times whilst the German crewmen, not understanding Japanese, kept barking at the both of them.
"Considering his aptitude for military related subjects, perhaps bringing student Aida along was not such a good idea..." Rei's expression lightened microscopically, indicating that she found the situation "funny."
This alone, lifted Shinji's spirits.
"He's a bit of a moron, but he is my friend." He found himself saying out aloud, totally surprising him.
Did I...just...say that?
"That is your friend? I'd question your taste, Ikari..." Samuel, who had crossed the room and was now standing before him, without really being noticed, was saying, before an elbow in the ribs from Asuka stopped him.
Wincing in pain, the Imperial muttered a "sorry."
"Kind of a dummkopf, but who am I to judge. I have to lug one around with me myself." Having finished gazing at the scene Kensuke was making, she gave a quick glare at Samuel, then focused on Shinji.
"So, what was it like?"
"What was-" The meek boy said, confused.
"Your first sortie of course. What are you stupid?" Asuka huffed indignantly, as if her time had been wasted.
"Um...I don't remember much. The Seraph beat me to a pulp, I passed out for a while..." Shinji's fist nervously clenched.
"When I woke up it was dead. I didn't really do anything. Apparently my Eva went haywire, crushed a shelter in the process of killing that thing..."
The conversation was non existent for a bit, before Samuel restarted it.
"What about the rest of them? How did you find those?"
"With the second one I panicked, used up all my ammo, got beaten to a pulp again and nearly killed some civilians. Those two over there actually." Shinji nodded at Kensuke and Toji, the latter of whom currently scolding the former.
"I managed to beat it in the end, but we lost an FCV and it's entire crew in the process. And the one after that..."
"And?" Asuka leaned in.
"The 6th Seraph nearly stopped Ikari's heart due to the pain it inflicted on him. I would be under the assumption he does not wish to be reminded of it." Rei put bluntly in her own way.
"Very well. What about you though...Ayanami is it not?" Samuel tilted his head, gaining a nod from the albino in question.
"You were part of the previous engagement. I heard your Unit was rather badly cut up." The Imperial pressed on, his curiosity of what a true battle was like driving him.
"It was the single most painful experience of my existence..." Rei fell quiet, as if pondering some new discovery.
"It would seem that I do not wish to be reminded of it either."
Shinji, whose expression had become concerned, placed a hand on his pale friend's shoulder.
"I am fine, Ikari." Her words caused his hand to detract, but not before giving her shoulder a squeeze.
"Jesus, you two are pretty close." Asuka remarked, deep down finding the interactions between the two to be adorable. In an infuriatingly weak way.
Can't rely on anyone or anything. They'll just leave you in the end.
"We've been through a lot." He nodded.
Although Samuel's expression remained refined and controlled, he couldn't help but ponder the words of his admittedly more experienced colleagues, their descriptions of actual combat with the enemy sounding intimidating.
No, that is only because of their inexperience. I have trained my entire life, for the sake of the Empire's honour I will not be bested by witless animals.
Meanwhile, over by that mountain of paperwork, the NERV Lieutenant Colonel and the German Captain looked upon their task with a feeling of hopelessness.
"How on earth do you need this much garbage? We're just handing your nice new shiny toy over." The elderly man grumbled.
Why oh why couldn't we have just taken the Imperial's stance on the matter? Unit 02 could have simply been property of the Reich and fought on its behalf, but nein! Instead we must hand over our greatest weapon to a private organization, UN overseen mein arse.
"You're preaching to the choir on that..." Misato couldn't help but agree, as she signed another form. As much as she was loyal to NERV, the purplehead did often wonder if even the Emperor of Japan himself had to sign as much paperwork as they did.
"Well look at you, all responsible now." A voice both new and old caused the thirty year old woman to snap her pen in both shock and rage. Slowly, but surely, she looked upwards.
It's...not...possible.
Standing in the hatch, was a brown haired, pony tailed man, arms folded and a smirk on his covered in stubble face.
"Hello, Misato-chan." Ryoji said cheerfully, the quivering of her lip only causing his smile to broaden.
"It's been quite a while hasn't it?"
Mess hall
The mess hall was a place that would buzz with activity at certain times of the day, but not right then. Most of the Kaiser's sailors were busy with their duties, which allowed the group to use a table. "A more comfortable place to talk" as this stranger put it. Apparently his name was "Kaji", at least as far as he could tell from Misato's growling.
Now that had been something new. Socially inept as Shinji was, even the boy from Kure could tell the two had history. History he wouldn't pry into.
"So." The newcomer began abruptly, his gaze fixing upon the boy.
"You must be the legendary Third Child."
The meek and humble young man made a few uncomfortable noises before putting words together. Completely failing to notice Asuka's irritation...
"I don't know why everyone keeps calling me that...but yes I'm the Third Child as you people say."
"Oh don't be so modest, the man who defeated the enemy three times over, an enemy whose ranks are made up of eldritch demigods, deserves a little praise." Kaji waved his finger, dismissing Shinji's lack of self esteem.
"Th-Th-Thank you, sir...but I just got lucky..." He tried to swallow his embarrassment.
"True, luck can play a part, but no one gets by on it alone." The pony tailed man leaned back in his chair, as if he were some wise sage who had imparted wisdom upon the young.
"What are you doing here, Kaji-san?" Misato ground her teeth, the individual in question's mere existence offending her own.
"Why, I came all this way to see you of course!" The sun might have reflected off his white teeth, whilst the purplehead's cheeks may well have become hotter than a volcano's magma. Having fought down the urge to go "supernova", Misato composed herself and raised a single eyebrow, causing her old boyfriend to mockingly pout. Over dramatically throwing himself back in his seat, Ryoji exhaled loudly.
"Oh fine, it's hardly a secret anyway. The United Nations Intelligence Service has sent me to keep an eye on Commander brick wall in case he's up to anything more shady than usual."
She relaxed at that, as if she hadn't put it past him to come all these thousands of miles just to infuriate her.
Baka hasn't changed a bit.
"You're staying in Tokyo-3 are you? " Misato said in a mockingly mournful tone.
"Yes indeed. On the other side of town unfortunately, but never fear. We'll be seeing each other plenty at work." Ryoji's wink provoked a growl from the woman two years his junior. However, the pony tailed man was not content with something so small as a growl. His gaze shifted back to the brown haired boy who sat quietly by himself at the end of the table. As someone who dealt with espionage, he was more than aware of this boy's history, and so quiet and shy a nature was hardly surprising considering the trauma he'd been through.
Mother dead at four, quickly abandoned by father, grew up home educated and isolated from his peer group, left to the mercy of the Chinese by a so called "friend of the family" and watched Fukuyama burn. Spirits, Commander, did you want your son to be an emotional wreck?
"Hey, you live with her don't you...Ikari-san isn't it?" The agent didn't look unsure about whether or not he was wrong, it just seemed he wished to be polite. Something the young man couldn't help but be appreciative of.
"Um...yes. I-I've lived with Misato-san for the past month." Shinji answered politely.
"Ah, I see. So tell me..." Ryoji's smirked.
"Does she still go crazy in bed?"
Shinji's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red than blood, Misato looked like steam would issue forth from her ears, and Asuka nearly fell off her seat, her reaction drowning out everyone else's. Although he could have sworn he'd heard a quiet murmur of "That is a very strange inquiry" from Rei.
Meanwhile the Imperial firmly placed the palm of his hand on his forehead, closing his eyes in mock despair.
"Oh for god's sake, Ryoji..."
"What kind of question is that you sick bastard!?" Misato's voice shook the earth. But clearly the Japanese agent was not bothered, his smirk persisting in the face of such rage.
"You haven't changed a bit, Misato-chan. Not one bit." He looked up in a mockingly dreamy fashion at her brown eyes, gaining nothing but daggers. However, the smile vanished, followed by a whimper of pain when two fingers clamped around his ear like an iron vice. Even a man such as Ryoji Kaji, cannot stand up to a force of nature.
Hell fire seemed to flow through Asuka's hair as she began yelling into his ear, the harshness of her now enhanced by fury guttural accent, slicing through his eardrums.
"I cannot take you anywhere! Why on erde do I let you out in public, dummkopf, do I need to spank you right here and right now!?"
The sight of an adolescent subduing a fully grown adult with relative ease, would have been amusing were it not for how terrifying the redhead was when provoked.
But whilst Toji, Kensuke, and Shinji stared, Misato frantically stifled a giggle, and Rei looked on unfazed, Samuel quietly laughed, eventually giving his brown haired Japanese counterpart a nudge.
"Imagine if she sat on Leopard's throne? Henry Abrams would be on his knees begging for mercy." He chuckled, provoking a similar response in Shinji, who couldn't hep but agree.
"Yes...I suppose..." He watched Asuka haul Ryoji off to somewhere else, so as to "discipline him", causing the Imperial to stand up and brush himself down.
"As pleasant as it has been to meet you all, I cannot leave that poor man to his fate. He does amuse me somewhat. I may see you later...perhaps." He waved a gloved hand lazily at them, his uniformed back disappearing around the hatch corner.
The table was silent for a while, before the black haired jock commented on the situation.
"Have fun working with them."
"I do not see how such a scenario could be considered...fun..." Rei murmured, for the first time to herself.
Flight deck, a few minutes later
Ryoji puffed out some harmless fumes from his e-cigarette, whilst gently nursing a bruise on his cheek that appeared in the form of a fifteen year old girl's hand. Said girl watched the waves roll past her, the Imperial major standing by her side, feeling a slight urge to swim, to embrace the cold feeling of water.
She corrected herself.
As prideful as Asuka was, even she would admit swimming in the tides of the ocean was not a wise idea.
"So what do you think of him?" Ryoji asked.
"Ugh, he's a gott verdammt doormat. Can't even stand up for himself without the First having to cover his arse." She groaned.
"So basically he's Europe with added protection?" Samuel chimed in, causing one of Asuka's eyes to start twitching.
"No Sam...we're not going there today."
"Ah yes. Don't mention ze vor!" The Imperial put on the worst German accent the redhead had ever heard, which caused her brain to become stuck between taking the course of laughter or rage.
"Oh that's just racist." She said, exasperated.
The aristocrat laughed, before opening his mouth to speak again. The words did not come however, as a pair of sapphire eyes fixed him in place.
"Samuel, one more peep out of you and you go head first into the pacific ocean. Understood?" A red eyebrow rose when the Imperial mumbled yes ma'am.
It was Asuka's turn to smirk.
"Gut boy." She said in a mockingly motherly fashion, even ruffling his hair for added effect. He fumed in indignation, but did nothing.
"You feel Ikari-san isn't much then? I presume you feel the same about Ayanami-san?" Ryoji inquired, some information in the back of his mind coming forth. Information that would provoke a most interesting reaction indeed...
"They are Eva Pilots so I guess they're one of us at the end of the day. But...they just aren't in our league. The Third is a total wimp-" Asuka was saying when Samuel dropped in with "not that he doesn't seem like an unpleasant chap" to which she gave a murmur of "maybe" before continuing.
"And the First...I'm not sure if it has a personality. I mean sure she's trained for about as long as we have but...the vacuum of space has got more life in it than she does." The redhead seemed thoughtful for a moment, then went straight back into "overblown beyond all reason."
"Anyway, me and Sam here can push our synch rates into 80% and above as you well know. And considering just how superior Unit 03, let alone Unit 02 is to the old trash cans they Pilot, it's not really a fair comparison." She waved Ryoji's question away, Samuel seconding it by saying "basically if we're the Imperial family, they're minor nobility."
The Japanese agent let those words hang in the air, then dropped his bombshell.
"So minor nobility can hold a 67% synch rate after only a month of training?"
The gazes of the two teenagers locked onto him, both pairs of blue eyes widened in shock. Speaking at the same time, Asuka yelled "What!?" and Samuel said "Pardon?", aghast.
Within the bowels of the Seydlitz
I can't believe the nerve of that guy! I haven't talked to him in ten years and now he shows up being all suave with me!?
Misato fumed, her arms folded.
The group was travelling along one of the many escalators within the Friedrich class super carrier, which were vast. Shinji wasn't sure how long he'd been on this one in particular, even having flashbacks to that first day where his guardian had gotten them lost in NERV Central. But the multitude of signs, in a language he granted could not understand, gave him hope they were indeed going in the right direction.
"Not quite as big as a Yamato, but she sure is beautiful!" Kensuke's voice echoed, Toji shaking his head.
"Never took you as one for big women, Kensuke-san." He chuckled, provoking a huge geeky grin from the passionate military Otaku.
"Big beautiful women, Toji-san, there's a difference."
The two continued to babble away while Rei did her usual thing of "standing around."
Most would find the ethereal girl's deathly quiet unsettling, as if she was not of this plane of existence, let alone the Earth. Many would question her humanity upon first sight, then disregard after discovering she was a clone. An animated bag of flesh grown in a tube. Nothing more.
Only Ikari truly does not think of me like that. Whilst the Sub-Commander is kind...she is conflicted. He is not. It is bizarre...if I die I can be replaced. They know this, so why do they care?
Her red gaze shifted onto the back of Shinji's head for a moment, then reverted to a blank expression.
The presence of the Second and the Fourth had caused these thoughts to surface, with the latter finding her "bloody weird" and the former asking "is it some kind of doll?" Sometimes, for reasons she did not understand, she really wished she wouldn't listen to other people's thoughts. But it was in her nature to be curious, having been starved of such things all her life.
An impressive structure. Not on the scale of NERV Central, but considering resources and budget, most impressive indeed.
Contrary to what many would perceive, Rei had actually been taking in all that she was seeing. How vast this one hundred thousand ton monster was, its fire power and aircraft capacity, were all things she now knew. Like the FCVs, it was another example of man's technological genius...
Being wasted.
How strange that humanity should put such effort into building killing machines on this scale instead of bettering their world. That is why the scenario is needed, to free mankind from such things as nations, war, fear and pain.
Shinji gave a quick look in her direction to check she were okay. Rei noted he did this a fair deal these days, and it was not unpleasant having someone keeping a watchful vigil on her. But the way he looked at her...it was as if to make sure she was right there and hadn't vanished...
Returning his gaze forward, the meek Japanese boy found himself inquisitively tilting his head.
"Are you okay Misato-san?" He'd finally noticed his guardian being very quiet, occasionally muttering "stupid Kaji" every now and then.
"I think we better stay out of that..." Toji cut in nervously, knowing full well questioning girls about anything sensitive tended to result in disaster or pain.
Sakura you could be such a pain sometimes...no he inwardly snarled.
No past tense, she would be okay. She would keep driving him crazy, she would keep complaining about his terrible cooking, and he would gladly put up with it. Anything for the little sister he'd practically raised.
Which reminds me...
"Hey, Shinji-san. I'm going to be visiting Sakura tomorrow. Want to come with?" He offered.
His friend froze at the mention of the name, a tidal wave of guilt coursing through his mind.
"Th-Thanks but I...I..." He stammered before Toji cut him off.
"Don't be like that, Shinji-san. It's all settled now, and besides...she does want to meet you." He found himself smiling at the thought of the crippled twelve year old ordering him to bring Shinji to her. She held no grudge with him, much to the boy in question's surprise upon discovery. Even then, with Toji actually knowing the boy, he was certain his friend hadn't forgiven himself over the matter.
Which the black haired jock felt was sad.
After a bit of unsure mumbling, Shinji sighed and nodded in resignation.
"Alright. If you want..." He was said, then got patted on the back by the younger yet much larger Toji.
"Awesome! Thanks man, Sakura's wanted to meet you for ages."
Then, he looked back down the escalator and sighed, seeing Kensuke was still gawking at everything with his camera. Considering the escalator was reaching the end now, he walked back down, giving a cry of "Hey, Kensuke-san. Don't want you falling over or anything when we reach the top."
He proceeded to shake the sandy haired nerd back into reality.
Being mildly humoured by the situation, Shinji produced a ghost of a smile before turning his gaze forwards once again, the actual end of his trip on the escalator being in sight. Unfortunately, upon meeting a pair of sapphire eyes, the smile vanished, as fear and intimidation gripped the boy's soul.
"Third child." Atop the escalator, Asuka Zeppelin Soryu stood, her impervious gaze fixed upon him.
"You, with me, right now."
Flight deck
It had been a strange image, Rei mused. The son of her progenitor, the victor of three engagements against an enemy beyond the simple comprehension of mortals, was dragged off by Pilot Soryu, being powerless against her will. Taking a quick poke at the German girl's thoughts, she'd picked up a feeling of "I'll show him whose best!"
Hence why Rei was now standing on the deck of the Air craft carrier, doing nothing but taking in her surroundings.
Beyond the aircraft and the Kaiser's sailors running around, lay the coastline of her "homeland", which had only recently come into view. This meant the fleet's ultimate destination of Togo harbour was soon to be reached.
Togo Harbour, primary base of the Japanese State Navy's Pacific Fleet, and main residence of their two most powerful vessels. The Edo class Battleships, Owari and Tosa. The prides of the fleet. It did "fascinate" her in a way, how the human race would hold such attachment to inanimate objects. Granted, she herself did feel such things towards say, the book she recently acquired and the pair of glasses "gifted" to her by the Commander.
But as always, the First Child was not understanding of her own feelings. She felt another's presence brush against her own, causing the albino to turn her gaze upon the Imperial Eva Pilot. He stopped mid step.
"Am I...bothering you?" He put forward in a strangely polite manner, to which Rei responded with "no."
Nodding, Samuel brought himself over to her, hands clasped behind his back. He himself had not much else to do, as his friend had just hauled off the Third to goodness knows where.
"Quite magnificent for a Barbarian flotilla." He acknowledged the various ships of the Kaiserliche Marine steaming along, their formation and discipline being something he approved of and respected as a fellow soldier. But compared to the Imperial Navy's 5th fleet, filled to the brim with Battleships and Battlecruisers armed to the teeth, the High Seas Fleet did seem...pitiful.
They are only Barbarians after all Samuel smirked to himself, then cleared his throat.
"Your colleague appears to be quite weak willed. How often did you have to haul his simpering behind from the fire?" He said, attempting to complement and humour the girl. Even if he did view her as a bit "other worldly," he couldn't help but admire reservation such as that. It seemed Rei was in total control of her emotions, which in some ways she was. Granted it wasn't quite like that, but the British Major had seen such control before.
When in the presence of the Marshal's council. In the presence of the Grand High Marshal, of the Emperor...and his father.
"Ikari faced the first two Seraphim alone. The only time I was of assistance was when we engaged the 6th Seraph, and considering the circumstances, my role was entirely necessary." She replied swiftly and to the point.
"O..kay..." The blonde boy shifted uncomfortably, his attempt at complementing and humour having appeared to be lost.
"What's your story then? You've been prepared for a good deal of your life for this war, the files that weren't classified told me as much. But I know very little else." He tried something new.
"My story is approximately the same as you have described. I have been prepared for my purpose for the entirety of my existence. Further details will be released to you on the matter once you arrive at NERV Central. Until then, what is classified remains classified."
The Imperial massaged his eyebrows in slight annoyance, then inhaled and exhaled deeply.
"Very well. But surely you can talk about your Eva? It's meant to be an old creaking tub but Unit 00 isn't exactly hopeless from what I've heard."
"Age is of little relevance on the matter. Unit 00 operates at maximum efficiency and nothing less. Aside from the accident when it was first activated, it has worked at 100% effectiveness." The reply came quicker this time, causing him to grin slightly.
Attachment to your baby? I can understand that.
"Have I touched a nerve?"
"You are the Pilot of Unit 03, therefore you have touched NERV's property." The albino said, oblivious to the fun being poked at her, gaining yet another frustrated sigh from her new colleague.
"No, that's not what I...bloody hell, do you even know how to hold a conversation?"
Rei's eyebrows furrowed microscopically for a moment.
"I am not familiar with such things."
"Well...you should learn. What were you doing for the first sixteen years of your life? Living in your mother's basement?" Samuel snarked.
"I am not at liberty to say."
"Well what are you at liberty to say?"
"What I have been ordered to."
"Ah I see. Thank you for telling me oh so very much about yourself." The British boy said sarcastically, rolling his eyes while he did it.
However, of course, Rei missed that.
"You are welcome. Although I do not understand what you are thanking me for-" a loud harrumph could be heard as Samuel stormed off, being somewhat "fed up" with the conversation he was having with this bloody computer.
She watched him disappear back onto the command bridge, a few feelings rolling through her head.
Have I upset him? That was not my intent...
Cargo hold
He'd always found Unit 01 to be an impressive sight. The purple, the white, the great horn and those terrifying eyes blazing hellish white. It was alien and familiar, majestic and terrible. But what resided before him, crammed into the vessel in a fetal position, was every bit as eye catching.
Evangelion Unit 02, built with German efficiency and technology, a superior model to his Unit 01, lay before him. And standing on its head without losing her balance somehow, total pride on her face, was this monster's Pilot.
"This is my baby. Whereas Units 00 and 01 are the prototype and test type Evas respectively, this-" Asuka swung out her arm beneath her.
"-is the first production model Evangelion. A superior unit piloted by a superior pilot."
Silence hung across the vast chamber, only the occasional distant calls of men interrupting it.
"Well?" She tapped her foot impatiently, forcing Shinji to stammer something out.
"Uh...it's...black?"
"Oh really? I didn't notice." She glowered at this display of utter stupidity before her Japanese counterpart managed to speak again.
"It-it-it's really nice! Really! The black goes really well with the reds and the whites." He shifted uncomfortably, gaining a "ha" from the red head.
"That's because I chose them, dummkopf. Not that I ever thought they'd distract anyone from the evident superiority of my Eva." Asuka shook her head with a slight tsk.
"Oh well. I'll just have to demonstrate that in combat simulations."
"C-Combat simulations? Aren't those what Meadow-san talked about?" Shinji scratched the back of his head in confusion. Whilst a part of his brain still functioning muttered "Shit" at the thought of engaging her in any form of contest.
"Ugh, you've got to be kidding me!" Her pale palm found its way to her brow with speed.
"A Combat Simulation is exactly what it says on the tin. You sit in your plug, they run a simulation, and you end up getting some battle practice. What are you stupid?"
The brown haired boy's mouth opened and closed for a bit until the German girl cut him off again.
"I'll take that as a yes. But don't think I'll go easy on you for it!" She really took the position of a high and mighty queen, looking down on the pauper whose mere existence had offended her.
"Uh...easy..." A little part of his soul trembled as he began to realise that perhaps this was the redhead at her most cordial.
Spirits...what would her being truly angry be like?
"Jah, easy! Just because you're the Commander's son doesn't mean you'll be getting any special treatment from me." Those sapphire orbs scowled down at him.
The mere mention of that man and his relation to him, provoked a wince and a balling fist Shinji could not keep down, causing a red eyebrow to raise in interest.
She didn't have time to plough into him on the matter, as it seemed the world started shaking. Both of them barely stayed on their feet, Asuka having to flap her arms around to balance herself.
"Shit." Shinji muttered to himself.
Noticing his colleague was in something of a predicament, a dangerous one at that, the meek young man ran over to the gargantuan metal clad monster.
"Jump!" He called up to her, as the reverberations continued. .
"What!?" She yelled back down at him.
That's...quite a fall, Third.
"I'll catch you!"
A fierce glare caused the boy to nearly soil himself, quickly exclaiming "I'm sorry I'm sorry!"
"Pfft, I don't need a Knight in shining armour to take care of me, Thir-" And then she was thrown off "her baby" by the ship being simply brushed by something...massive. Fortunately, Shinji quickly raised his arms again, and by sheer dumb luck was in just the right position.
Unfortunately his new redheaded colleague impacted at what could be described as "terminal velocity." Being crushed beneath her, the boy banged his head savagely on the floor, leaving him a little dazed. Despite groaning in pain, somewhere in his brain he was impressed with the catch he'd made.
Even more so he hadn't messed up, and someone hadn't had to die because of it...
"Dummkopf! What sort of catch was that!?" Asuka tore his arms off her and stood up, this time maintaining her balance through sheer willpower.
"Verdammt, what the hell is Langner doing? Can't he keep his ship together in shallow waters?" She growled, then cast a quick look at the boy still sprawled on his back.
For a moment, just a minuscule microscopic moment, something flashed in her eyes.
Something that could almost be mistaken as "concern." It vanished as quickly as it had come.
"You couldn't have hit your head that hard, Third. Get up." The freckled girl commanded, to which Shinji couldn't help but obey. Rising to his feet by his own will, he finally managed to shake away the stars in his eyes and start thinking straight again.
"It...it can't be that choppy, not this close to the coast..." His words hung in the air for a while, before dark blue met sapphire, something akin to sheer terror in the former.
"Oh Spirits let me be wrong!" He screamed, barrelling back up to the top deck, Asuka pounding after him yelling "What Third!?" again and again.
All whilst ship's alarms began to scream, and a voice in a language he didn't understand started barking "all hands battle stations! This is not a drill, I repeat, this is not a drill!"
Flight deck
By the time the two Eva pilots reached the flight deck, everything was already in total chaos. Meer Wulfs were taking off as fast as they could, and multiple ships burned in the distance, ripped in half by some terrible power. Crews were trying to swim away from their sinking vessels, some being tugged down into the black abyss of the ocean by their former homes. The other ships were desperately lobbing depth charges and torpedoes into the water.
Panting, Shinji scanned across the scene, trying to ignore the Imperial Harrier's darting around.
Then, after the rent and ruined remains of a nuclear submarine was tossed from beneath the waves, he saw it. His fears confirmed.
The geyser of water, the tingling sensation he'd felt went confronted by the power of those who sought Mankind's end, caused Shinji to clench both the safety rail and his teeth.
"Seraphim." He snarled.
Undaunted by any of these things, the recently arrived Asuka pressed her rosy lips into a smile.
"Wunderbar..."