Rejoice my subjects, your Emperor has returned! And he brings you yet more of his shitty (ahem) glorious works! Now, let us begin...
Thursday the 3rd of August, Tokyo-3, Red Seal shopping district, 12:00pm
"No, that's far too tight...that one's too small...ugh, must I do everything myself!?"
From a thankful distance, Shinji watched Asuka admonish her two "shopping buddies" as she bustled them through the sports shop. It wasn't like there was lack of things to choose from, but the redhead was picky. Despite Samuel's constant saying of "this will do", Asuka would dismiss him with "the colour's wrong" or "you don't look right in that."
"If you're wondering, yes that is a woman thing." Misato chuckled to herself, fondly remembering the shopping trips she'd been on with her former charge. Berlin was a shoppers paradise without a doubt, and she wasn't opposed to occasionally giving into her womanly wiles, but Misato was a tomboy at heart. It wasn't something she did all that often, even during her college days.
But, she could hardly fault the teenage girl for doing something that gave her happiness. Something other than Eva...
The purplehead admonished herself.
Oh honestly, I shouldn't worry about it. My Pilots are tough, they can handle those sorts of things themselves. I need to focus on the Seraphim.
"I believe there was a swimsuit adequate for the job..." Rei found herself longingly looking back, not understanding why she'd had to be dragged through multiple stalls just to find "something that fit."
"No! It was so bland. I know you're dull and all, First, but if you're going to be wearing something its got to look nice." Asuka huffed, pulling a pair of swimming shorts off the rack and pushing it into Samuel's hands.
"Well...at least they aren't speedos." He murmured to himself.
"And just you remember that. I've already checked, they're your size and they're blue. That colour just works with you." The redhead pictured her Imperial friend in his uniform. Even if it wasn't in that way, Asuka could not deny that Samuel was a handsome young man.
"Blue is a royal and dignified colour. As a noble of the Empire, it is no surprise that it suits me." The blonde boy puffed his chest out. Asuka raised an eyebrow at that.
"You...dignified...hmm, not words I usually put together...aha, this should work just fine for you, First." Asuka distracted herself, having bustled off to another side of the shop and taken a white swimsuit off the rack.
Rei was puzzled by all this. She actually had a swimsuit which met the school criteria for swimming lessons. But apparently the redhead had deemed that "hideous" and hauled her out here.
"What size are you, First?" Asuka asked.
In the meantime, Shinji and Misato had decided to step outside and get some air. Hot and humid air, but air nonetheless. Around them, people went about enjoying a time of leisure or stressing themselves out with desperately searching for what they needed. You wouldn't believe Japan was under the iron fist of a military junta, but the economy was roaring and businesses were booming, all because people now had security in which they could have jobs and make money.
This, coupled with the technological advancements of the post Second Impact years, had heightened the standard of Japanese living as yet unseen. And with the population having halved, well...there was a lot of land to build cheap and affordable homes on going spare.
But the prosperity had come at a cost, as evidenced by the sight the two saw.
Liberty.
Some fool was spreading "Free Japan" graffiti on the side of a disused wall, covering up a JSA recruitment poster, seemingly oblivious to the world around him. But the fully armed troopers on patrol noticed, and they firmly ripped him away from the wall.
People hurried on, trying to ignore the soldiers who'd become judge and jury in their country, pummel this "dissident" with the butts of their rifles. When this man, who could only have been in his early twenties, lay bloodied and unconscious on the floor, he was hauled away to the cells. This was what became of those who defied General Motichka, and Shinji had no intention of joining their ranks. Nevertheless, his insides squirmed at the sight, whilst Misato had to fight off twitches of rage.
This is so fucked up. He wasn't doing any harm, damn it.
Granted, she was no fan of the Free Japan Movement, their sarin gas attack on the Osaka metro which killed hundreds firmly putting her off them for life.
"We're done..." Asuka's cheery voice trailed off, seeing the result of the "dissident act" in action. This was an idea utterly alien to the German girl, of free speech being silenced by the boot and the bayonet. The Reich bore all the trappings of Empire, but it was a democracy at heart. One of the last, along with Scandinavia, France and Israel. Even for Samuel, a child of an Empire which banned certain media for petty reasons, this was extreme. The worst anyone would get for "defacing public property" would be a metaphorical rap on the knuckles.
Not...this...
"Great, guess I can whisk you off to the pool now." Misato lightened the conversation with a positive grin. She could see a big bag in Asuka's hand.
"Did you pay for all that?" The purple haired woman tilted her head.
"Nein. Sam paid for his stuff, but First here forgot to bring money." The redhead glowered at her albino counterpart.
"I have promised reparations." The albino stated.
"It's not that! You knew we were going shopping, why didn't you bring any money? Did you expect other people to pay for you!?"
"I...have not done this before. I lack the necessary knowledge of how to approach such a situation. Nevertheless, you have my sincerest gratitude for assisting me in my predicament-"
"Ugh whatever! We're wasting time here, people." Asuka dismissed the albino's surprisingly earnest apology and stormed off to the car, Samuel following. Misato gave a slightly sympathetic look at Rei, then moved off as well, beckoning for the remaining two children to follow.
"You've never been shopping before?" Shinji asked Rei. Slight anger clawed at his heart as he guessed why that was so.
For fuck's sake, father. Why haven't you even let her do something as simple as this? Even I can do shopping!
"No. NERV provided me with what I required. Shopping was not...necessary." The artificial human said, relaying precisely what the Commander had told her.
"Such things are pointless, Rei. The scenario is all."
"Well...I...guess I'll have to teach you about that too." The brown haired boy sighed, then lead his sister back to the car and their appointment with a swimming pool.
Far beneath Kyushu
Had he wished it, he could have simply blasted through those rocks as if they were nothing. Perhaps even that wasn't necessary, as Rogziel's mere presence could probably unmake the islands of Japan.
But that was not his mission.
The Heir was thankful he'd received permission to not have Haniel's voice in his head. The Fist would sense from afar whether he lived or died, which suited Rogziel just fine. Besides, he wasn't quite sure how any normal mind would cope from being exposed to his wrath. For he was wrath incarnate. The wrath of loved ones long gone, his siblings, his mother...his wife...his child...his people, unleashed upon the Voor filth who'd taken them from him, or slighted their memory. It was frustrating beyond belief that he simply could not throw himself at this pathetic race who dared claim lordship over the Divine people's land.
But that was not his mission.
The plan, a fair bit of which he'd formulated by himself, was to give off a weak flair of his wall of light, enough to attract attention, from a position where he'd have the advantage. And by quietly digging this tunnel, Rogziel had perfected a fine escape route for himself and his quarry.
Through intelligence provided by the Fist, the former successor of Netzach had selected his ground with great care. To his slight joy, it did seem that Ejrod still roared with fire and life, Sural's kingdom having endured all these years. Volcanoes and ash, were agonizing yet treasured reminders of home. Of old Aesylia.
Where does that man get his intelligence from?I know Haniel travelled here in the past, has contacts, but what fool would sell out their own species? There must be something more...
Rogziel pondered such things as he continued to burrow further and further into Japan. Fond memories of campaigns long past came to mind, such as the fall of Jeijenael. When he and two thousand warriors had quietly dug beneath the defences of their mighty walls...only to run into an equal amount of the enemy doing the same thing. What a bloodbath it had been, but how glorious.
He did not despise the Fleilan warriors as he hated the Vooren. They died with courage and honour, unflinching in their duty to their lords and lands. They deserved to sit at the table of the Gods.
Still...our current enemy must have some honour. The Knights of NERV prime among them, but...no, the Fist must lie. None would betray their own people, their own kin and countrymen for petty things like financial gain. And if they do...then our enemies are even less than I thought they'd be.
Disappointment wormed its way into his heart. For despite his anger overcoming most of his senses at the best of times, Rogziel did seek an honourable opponent to fight. Traitors and cowards, or those who fought for themselves and not their comrades or lands, sickened him. To die in battle was often considered the greatest honour of their people. But Rogziel felt differently, to die with your honour and ideals intact and perhaps even on their behalf, was the very definition of a true "beautiful death" to his mind.
Perhaps he may be granted one today, if things went wrong? No, the only people gaining "beautiful deaths" this day, were the Vooren who stood in his way. If they didn't, then whichever one he ensnared would be hauled back to Vhaayn for questioning. It was with some hope they'd break and talk before Arael could be set upon them...but these creatures were stubborn.
Be they stubborn or cowards, it matters not. I am Rogziel the Wrathful, none shall stand before me. No one, save for my family itself, can do such a thing. Pray to whatever false idols you worship, Vooren. They will not save you.
12:15pm, Uesegi leisure centre
Sometimes, he really was annoyed by his own insistence on getting jobs done. For example, he had a science assignment which he wanted to get done as soon as possible, hence why Shinji was typing away on a portable work touchscreen, on a requisitioned table and chair. Unfortunately, he'd found himself compelled to do it this day when he could be enjoying a bit of swimming. Something which everyone else was doing aside from him and Misato. The purplehead in question currently enjoying some coffee from the pool's cafeteria.
Although, truth be told, Rei was the only one in the water at the moment, and swimming beautifully. Asuka was still in the changing rooms, and Samuel was standing by the deep end, dipping his toe gingerly into the water and wittering about the pool being too cold.
At that, Shinji smiled slightly.
"Aren't you going in?" Said a voice he knew all too well.
"Hmm, wouldn't mind it. But I've got to do my assignmen-" Any more words stopped dead in his mouth.
Asuka stood before him in a red and white striped bikini. A shockingly well fitting one, with a zip on the front of the bra. Her pale skin, her rather exotic skin, was almost completely exposed to his eyes, aside from a few vital bits that she had every right to cover up. And yet her A-10 hairpins were still in, despite having no reason to be there.
Owing to how swimming lessons worked, boys and girls went in at different times during the school day, so Shinji had never seen the opposite sex in swimwear before. This coupled with Asuka being quite an attractive girl in many ways, made his cheeks turn redder than her hair.
"What is it, Third? Is it difficult?" The freckled girl smiled slyly, hands held on her hips.
"No...yes...um...it's a physics thing. Thermal expansion and all that..." He trailed off, not even inwardly mocking his inability at the subject, so enraptured by her as he was.
"Thermal expansion? That's kindergarten schlock!" Doing the exact thing he didn't want, Asuka brought herself to his table and leaned over to look at his work. Exposing a certain part of her chest which made Shinji's battle to prevent the warmth in a certain part of his body spreading. Hence why he said very little.
Utterly ignoring him, she quietly muttered to herself whilst pressing some of the highlighted glyphs on the board before nodding in satisfaction.
"There, done."
"How...how did you do that?" Shinji peered at the equation she'd put in, seeing no fault in it.
"Well when someone's graduated from college, these sorts of things become simple."
"You...you've been to college?" He said incredulously. He thought you had to get through secondary school before that.
"Jah, graduated this year. Konig Friedrich College." She flicked back a strand of her red mane in pride. Said pride being well deserved in Shinji's view, as he found himself genuinely impressed by her.
"Well...congratulations." He said nervously but truthfully.
I don't think I'll ever go to college. Not clever enough for it.
"Why thank you, Shinji." She smiled smugly.
"No problem...I still don't think I get this though." Shinji gestured helplessly at his board.
"Ugh, it's really easy. The gist of it is, the warmer things get, the further they expand. Here's an example." She stepped away from him and with her hands, cupped her breasts.
"Now, if I put my hands on my breasts, will they get smaller, or bigger?" Her smile broadened.
An explosion of horrified stammering echoed across the pool, Shinji's cheeks somehow turning even redder.
"I...I...don't know..."
"Oh leave him alone, Asuka! He hasn't done anything to you!" Samuel called out humorously, still dipping his toe pathetically into the pool.
"Just giving him a physics demo, Sam. Relax." She shot back at him, eliciting a despairing shake of the head from the Imperial. Eventually after a good amount of indecipherable grumbles and whispers, Shinji's cerulean gaze fell onto the desk, his fringe covering his eyes.
Asuka sighed.
"Such a boring boy."
Finally, mercifully, she walked away. Shinji had to quickly look down from the table and groan in embarrassment at the slight bulge in his trousers. Looking upwards, he could see the redhead make her way to the bottom of the pool, most likely to dive in.
"Didn't know you had a thing for wimps-" Samuel snarked as she passed, only to shriek in surprise as she gave him a good shove. Said shriek was shortly stifled by the cold water he landed in. A moment later he exploded forth from beneath the cool blue liquid, Asuka looking down on him with smugness, her arms folded.
"Ah, cold, nah, fuck off, it's in my nose!" He flailed around for a few moments before fixing his friend with a stare.
"Don't do that again."
"Why not? You've always said a good nudge in the right direction never hurt anyone." Asuka innocently tilted her head,
"But it's cold!"
"Man up."
Distracted from his earlier embarrassment, Shinji quietly laughed before returning to work.
From a vantage point in the pool's cafe, Misato looked down on the children under her command. It put a bit of warmth in her heart, to see them enjoy something so simple and relaxing as swimming. She wished they could live ordinary lives, one the purplehead had never been able to have. But the war wouldn't let that happen, the Seraphim would never let that happen.
Not until they're all dead and pay for what they did to us.
She sipped some of the strong black liquid, rather envying the teenagers. What she wouldn't give to slip into a swimsuit and dive into those cool waters. She was on duty however, so that was out of the question. Whilst not in uniform, but her preferred attire of skimpy black dress, red jacket, and cross around neck, Misato was ready to be called upon at any moment to do her unpleasant job.
Her phone started buzzing.
Speak of the devil she sighed unhappily, flicked her thumb across the screen and held it to her ear.
"Katsuragi." She said in a disciplined tone.
"Lieutenant Colonel, we've got a situation. A group of volcanologists monitoring Mount Asama have reported an irregularity." Came the voice of Ritsuko.
"Wouldn't be your standard irregularity if they want our attention." Misato stood up and paced, touching her cross.
"Indeed. They said they've found something they don't quite understand and would like us to take a look at it. You're one of the professionals, so the Commander has ordered myself and you to rendezvous at the airport and then be flown to the site via JSAF VTOL."
"Well, can't say I blame them, can't risk these things. But I've got the kids here-"
"The Commander has already stationed four Section 2 agents outside the sports facility. Nothing can touch them."
By the Spirits, that man watches everything we do.
"Alright, on my way. Just need a few minutes to tell them what's happening."
"Good, see you soon, Lieutenant Colonel." The connection cut.
Misato looked back down on the pool, and the four children "mucking about" in it, feeling her heart pang.
No, it's probably nothing. Just some overcautious scientist jumping at shadows...but if it's not...damn it, I had hoped you could just have a day of peace and quiet...
Shinji tried to fight the cold chill running through his spine as he watched Misato disappear from sight.
Being called out like that...it's got be a Seraph...it's got to be.
He tried to put it out of his mind, tried to focus on his work, but to no avail. The sound of his colleagues enjoying the tantalizingly cool water made his shoulders slump.
"Fuck this." He saved his work, shut down the portable computer, shoved it back in his bag, slung said bag over his shoulder then walked off to the changing rooms.
Samuel happily relaxed in the shallow end, leaning against the side with the water coming up to his chin. Having adjusted to the sudden cold after being unceremoniously pushed in, the boy now felt quite peaceful. From his vantage point, he watched the other two girls cut through the water with ease.
Whilst he wasn't incompetent at swimming, Samuel was no professional. His capability at it could be summed up as "flailing in a reasonably coherent manner." Of course, Asuka insisted on treating everything like a competition which only she could win, and Rei...considering whatever NERV had put her through, it only made sense she was a strong swimmer.
Still going after fifteen minutes straight...oh bloody hell, Asuka He groaned slightly.
The redhead, clearly noticing the albino's capability, had been trying to keep up with her. Which, considering she was not genetically engineered to be stronger than the average human being, was a bit out of the question for Asuka. She'd paused at the halfway point, panting a little bit and glowering at the unceasing Rei.
The Imperial sighed and struck out to join her. Ten seconds later, he was at the side with her, his eyebrow raised.
"What?" She asked, annoyed.
"I personally think Rei is more interested in enjoying herself than besting you. Why don't you just...I don't know, enjoy swimming?" Samuel offered.
Asuka huffed and looked away. They stayed like this for a while, in silence. Understanding that his friend didn't want to talk about it, the Imperial decided to change the conversation.
"Hang on...where's Shinji got off to?" He said curiously, having noticed the empty seat and table.
"Probably somewhere to blush about seeing someone as beautiful as me so scantily clad-" Asuka said cockily, her spirits lifting, before a great cry of exhilaration cut her off and a sudden explosion of water not too far away caused waves to splash on her. Unfortunately, having taken Samuel by surprise, some of it did go into his face.
"Ah, ah, ah, eyes! My eyes! Oh god it stings!" He shrieked, as Asuka desperately tried to get him to calm down.
"Don't rub them with your hands, you've got chlorine on them as well." She chastised. Almost immediately afterwords, Shinji's head popped up from beneath the water, his eyes closed but expression more relaxed than the redhead had ever seen. Sighing in pleasure, the Japanese boy blinked away the droplets of water and now noticed the result of his "bombing run."
"Oh...sorry..." Shinji sheepishly smiled, whilst Asuka stared at him and Samuel flailed around a bit more.
"Stupid Shinji." The German girl shook her head despairingly, a very small smile forming on her lips.
1:00pm, en-route to Asama monitoring station.
The flight out had been mercifully short. Whilst it did not affect her nearly as bad as Shinji, Misato certainly didn't enjoy flying. There was just something nice about having one's feet on the ground and nowhere else. Although she was in good company however, what with Ritsuko and Maya being crammed onboard with her. The two scientists were busying themselves with their touchscreen pads.
"Not that I have a problem with you being here, Lieutenant, but..." Misato was saying, stopping as Ritsuko raised her hand.
"Lieutenant Ibuki's ability at reading energy levels is second only to my own. Figured it would be wise to get another professional opinion." Despite saying it so nonchalantly, Maya blushed at the praise.
"Um...thank you, Sub Commander..." She mumbled.
"Hmm...well, if our worst suspicions are realized and it is a Seraph, then what in Spirits' name is it doing there?"
"Who knows, who cares. Perhaps we could cause an eruption and fry that bastard to a crisp." Misato said dismissively.
"That would be nice. But if that was the case, then we wouldn't need Evangelions." The faux blonde said humourlessly.
They arrived a matter of minutes later, the head of the station coming out to greet them in a white lab coat.
"Doctor Takeo Shiza, at your service." He said eagerly, shaking their hands. He was a bespectacled man in his late forties, strands of grey already being present on his brown hair. Although his blue eyes shone with intelligence and childish enthusiasm. This couldn't help but make the usually stern Sub Commander of Section 4 smile.
It's nice to see someone enjoy their work. I wonder, could I have just been some nobody in the scientific community studying volcanoes?
That proposition didn't actually sound that bad to her ears.
"What's all this about, Shiza-san?" Misato said in a military like manner as they were escorted into the main facility, eventually arriving at a row of scientists working on their computers, fingers hammering away on touchscreens.
"We found something...and we haven't got any idea what it is..." He murmured uncomfortably, then gestured at his staff to bring up whatever they'd found on the main monitor.
"We'd sent down one of our drones, and we just found this." Takeo said, still not believing what he'd seen.
The NERV personnel stiffened. The image in front of them was freakish in nature, bearing a vague resemblance to a human fetus except slightly more reptilian. A single bulging eye appeared to be staring at them.
"May we access your consoles?" Ritsuko inquired.
"Of course, go ahead." The elder scientist quickly stepped aside.
"Thank you. Lieutenant, get your equations in..."
Misato didn't pay much attention to what else was said, choosing to instead glower at this creature.
Why are we even bothering? It's a Seraph. What else could it be?
"Not getting too much, but it's looking like..." Maya's brown eyes widened as the being's eye flared and the monitor went static.
"Blue signature. It's a blue signature." The young woman said grimly and fearfully.
The Sub Commander of Section 3 had already pulled out her phone and was dialling a specific number she didn't often like dialling. She held it to her ear for a few moments until the connection was made.
"Katsuragi. What is it?" Said the gravelly voice of Gendo Ikari.
"Sir, I'm on site at Mount Asama and can confirm it's a code blue. Requesting tactical deployment of all Evangelion Units." Misato relayed.
"I see, request granted. What is the current status of the enemy?"
"It seems to be in some sort of hibernation or incubation, sir. Should be simple enough to kill it."
"No. I want it alive."
Misato had to gulp down her outburst at that, knowing how little the Supreme Commander tolerated such things.
"Yes, sir."
"Remove the current scientific team. We shall notify the JSA. That is all."
The line went dead. She put the phone away.
"As of this moment, this site falls entirely under the jurisdiction of NERV. All civilian personnel are to be evacuated without question, do I make myself clear." She directed at the hapless staff.
"Yes, Lieutenant Colonel." Takeo nodded, then gestured for his staff to follow him out.
Misato walked over to Maya and Ritsuko with a controlled but not serious expression.
"The Commander is already deploying our boys and girls here, the Evas won't be far behind. I need you two to take charge of monitoring this thing. Any change of circumstances, and you report directly to me." She said.
"Understood." They both nodded.
Satisfied, the purplehead went back outside for a breath of fresh air and a proper look at the mountain. For a moment, she stood there, before a satisfied yet unnerving grin spread on her lips.
Catching one in its cradle...I hope it screams more than a normal baby. Pity we have to take it alive.
If only the forces of NERV could have known what they were about to get into. They had fallen into the trap of Rogziel, and would soon discover the might of the Geutol race in all its true glory.
Until next time, my dear readers. :)