"So as you can see, Shinji, my job's not easy by any means." I explained to my son, who was awed by the sheer size and complexity of the Geofront. "This is what my bosses said to me after the fight."

-eva-

"This is not going like the supposed scenario, Ikari."

"The angels coming here too fast, without any warning. Just like fourteen years ago."

"And frankly we're disappointed with how you handled the Instrumentality Project, Ikari."

"The repairs budget for both units could bankrupt Macedonia."

"And you gave the Test Unit to your son like it's his toy? What the hell is on your mind, Ikari?"

"Human, Time, and Money. How much of those three that you spent to enrich yourself, Ikari?"

-eva-

"S-sorry to hear that they accused you of corruption, father."

"Don't mind it, son. They're just bullies. They will always be ungrateful, no matter what I've done. And besides, I know how to handle them."

-eva-

"So?"

"So? SO?! What the hell is with you, Ikari?" Shouted the man with bluish lighting, angry at my insubordination.

"I'm sorry, I just don't see what the fuss is all about."

"You fool! You know as well as we do that with the reappearance of the angels, we can't excuse any more delays to the most important project, the Human Instrumentality Project."

"The money, the human, and the time! You barely make it out, we explained why the three of these points are vital, and why you need to stop enriching yourself!" None of their threats flinched me. Damn, Gendo's a gangster.

"I already know those three points are vital to this. If you really want to make my job more efficient, then stop doing nonsense like Jet Alone project or making thousands of Nagisa clones every month."

"Why you-"

"Gentlemen," Keel Lorentz, the only identifiable man in this whole meeting aside from me, interrupted the yellowish man who looked like a slimy crook instead of bully like the rest of the SEELE. "Ikari here has a point. The Jet Alone project hemorrhaging money for us if we consider its questionable reliability due to lacks of AT Field, and with this arrival of the Third Angel, we might don't have any more time. And as much as we needed to prepare for the possible angel war after the death of Tabris, thousands of him is... probably overkill."

"You might be right, chairman." The bluish man who accused me of corruption and nepotism slumped back. "We can't possibly create hundreds of Mass Production EVA in just one year, and we haven't even made one yet. Fine, Ikari. You will have enough resource to employ a third EVA in six weeks."

"Thank you for listening."

"Ikari-san, thank you for this insight."

"Anything to help humanity, gentlemen."

"We count on you, Ikari." Said the yellow one before everybody disappeared. I said to myself:

"That ended better than I thought. Especially since the three of my most trusted and competent people drank themselves to oblivion..." I muttered, and sighed as I knew that Misato, Ritsuko and Fuyutsuki won't wake up until the next tomorrow.

-eva-

So in our super long elevator ride, I explained to Shinji about why the EVA's injuries also felt to the pilots. Of course anyone who read or watched Evangelion already know the reason for it: The robot was actually a bio-mecha giant created from the progenitor of both intelligent primary races, for purpose of countering the angels' AT-Field, as well as being one of the most responsive robot in the world.

Of course, the clone part was omitted to Shinji, lol.

"Don't worry. We'll see if we could do something to ease up the phantom pain. Evangelion units, after all, not designed to be exactly like a human. For example, they have really high blood pressure to the point that they bleed like a geyser when something managed to stab it. There might be difference in the nerve system as well that could explain why everything hurt so much." I answered his question about why piloting it hurt so much.

"O-okay..." Shinji meekly said, not reassured enough.

"And this, is the place where you get the plug suit measured." I explained while the door slowly opened to show...no one.

"Hmm...they must be in the post-battle site to get the samples from the angel. Well, that will be enough for now. There are other important places like dummy plug development site, the place where we extract the LCL, the Evangelion graveyard, the place where Rei grow up...but I think it's better for you to rest for now, especially since there's no one here to take your measurements."

"Graveyard for Evangelion?"

"Oh, it's the place where we buried the failed experimental E-Units and body parts. It has no use for anything else, and quiet frankly... rather frightening. Anything else, son?"

"...What happened to Ayanami?"

"Like I said, activation accident." I said as I showed the burnt scar in my hands. "I have to save her myself."

"...Oh." My son did not have anything else to said, quiet frankly. However, a little tinge of jealousy began to appear on his face as well, but quietly disappeared and replaced with...guilt? Well, better saved his low-esteem.

"You know? I think you need to get close to her. Misato as well." I offered as i wore back my gloves. "Rei's a lonely girl without a good social skills, hampered due to her duty as the base for dummy plug, as well as its calibrator. She has no friends in school since she freaked people a little. The only real relationship she have is with me, and that's only after I saved her.

"Wh-what should I do first?

"You can start by swimming together with her sometimes. That's the only hobby of her that I know of. Also, I think she likes warm things, so make her tea, chocolate, stuff like that. And finally, avoid giving her something red since she hates it."

"O-okay. I'll try."

"You'll also have conversation in video call with the Second Child soon, to get know each other better. Sohryu's currently stationed in Germany. She'll only be here when we're sure that the angels will only attack here. And by we, I meant the guy who projected our budgets." "She's just as pretty as Rei."

"W-why you have to mention that?"

"Because I'm your parent, silly. We family often like to make fun of each others, you just came out of puberty, and I see you can't keep your eyes off Ayanami. Don't worry, boy! You are just a teenager with your hormone going off recently. Although I would make sure for you to stay out of sex. Unless I feel that you're smart and restrained enough to use contraceptive!"

Shinji flustered at me mentioned sex and how I'm expected him to deal with him. Hahaha! I love being a parent! "Will I live with you?"

"Honestly, it's not viable now. But don't think I don't want to live with my son. It's the first thing I truly desired." I reassured before Shinji got the wrong idea. "Unfortunately, my bosses are...embodiment of Scrooge. And often come at odds with anything I do and planned, no matter how petty they are. If I live with you, it'll serve nothing but adding another fuel for the think-tanks against me. Nepotism, unprofessional, you know, things like that. Frankly, I think living together is only possible when I can prove something, like it will decrease living cost for everyone."

"O-okay." Shinji looked at the clock. "W-well, I think I need to deliver these transfer papers to my new school."

"Sure, son. Go talk to my driver. We can only talk about important stuffs and secrets when the time fit, anyway."

"Father, I don't think I have the privilege to know company's secrets."

"No, son. It's worst than that. So many things here, is much more disturbing than just things like tax evasions and bribery."

"L-like what?" Shinji gasped.

"All I can say now is that we're dealing with biotechnology, so...the Evangelion's pretty much something that should be classified as something alive without our modification."

"So, uh...what I'm doing there, is to act like its mind controller or something?"

"Pretty much."

"Oh dear. I-I can see why you're not willing to classify anything else now." Said Shinji, now looked a little green.

"I hope it doesn't make you...wish to get out of the program."

"No, father. You have faith in me, and you have been trying to get closer with me. It would make me...ungrateful. And uh, if all of you can work with something that you implied being even more disgusting, then I think I can stomach it." Shinji answered, and closed the possible uncertainty.

"Thank you, son."

"Oh yeah, Shinji?"

"Yes?"

"Whether you will consider Rei as something really important, your lover or a sister, I won't mind!"

"W-why you're so interested in my love life? And what does that even means? How could she be a possible sister and lover at the same time?"

"Because I'm your embarrassing parent, silly boy!" That, and despite the genetics being not that similar, their relationship could be seen as oedipal.

Shinji could only blushed before he ran to get the elevator on time.

-evangelion-

That being said, I haven't checked on the crew in the post-Evangelion battle.

"Commander."

"Hi, Maya!" I greeted her in the most cheerful way possible to caught everyone on the screen off guard. The result was Maya fell off her chair, Makoto face-faulted, and Shigeru struck the wrong cord. "Any trouble up there?"

"...Everything is fine. I...it's not usual for you to check on the workers, Commander."

"Ah, I might not look like it, but I will bust my ass off if everyone have to. It's just that I decided to...lower the requirement for me to give a fuck." Yeah, despite him being a cruel, heartless mofo, Gendo actually bothered to help everyone to haul the E-units when the power sabotage happened. So what I just said could be considered as a half-lie at worst.

"Good to know that our commander's not the coldest man on earth anymore."

"Yes, Shigeru. I'm so glad that the cold prick scenario didn't work as well as it should! It give me excuses to be the man I am now!"

"Wait a minute. Are you telling me that you being a jackass is actually a part of some scenario?" The superego part of the bridge trio asked, obviously dumbstruck.

"That's true! It was part of my abandoned scenario to let me handle things that will get people scared! Maya knows about it, of course. She tended the dummy plug development, after all!"

"You called that the least scary part, sir? It took me like a month before I stopped puking after the deed's done!"

"Yup! It is!" Everybody there became awestruck, wondered what kind of job they just got. "Anyway, I have a big news: My bosses just accepted my new budget! If we managed to manage it right, everyone will have free lunch and dinner from now on!"

Took less than five seconds before everyone cheered at me loudly. God, I love Japanese crowd. They always got energized so much! Respected the performers too.

-evangelion-

"Uuuh...that was the worst hangover I ever had."

Misato tried to stand, and managed to do so despite her huge headache. Looked around, she found none of her drinking buddy. Thinking about it, herself was not in the bar anymore.

"Section 2 must've dragged us into our own place...And why is it so noisy this morning?"

Mumbled a little about noisy neighbors, Misato decided to complain about it. It did not matter that she actually woke in 11 AM, her headache had to be soothed, damn it!

And there she met someone that she never expected.

The Commander.

"...Commander Ikari?"

"That's me!"

She shuddered. Seemed like it would take a long time before she gets used to the brand new Commander and his personality. "What is it?"

"Ah, it's just that Shinji don't have a place he could stay, so...can you look for him?"

"Sure, sure. Kid's a good one, so he won't be trouble."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Commander hugged her tightly, and before she could voiced her discomfort, he pulled away and screamed, "Hey! Is the gym ready?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Good! This whole floor is yours, Captain!"

Whole floor? Just what the hell was he talking about?

Misato shrugged before she went to borrow some sugar from her neighbor. She might be suffered from huge headache, but she still remembered about the lacks of sugar in her kitchen. And she had to get some, or else that greedy penguin of hers would went insane. Pen-Pen loves adding sugar for his ebisu.

However, what greeted her inside was an old lady who was baking cakes.

"Oh, sorry. But Tatsuro-san just moved into the lower floor. Say, would you like some cookies?"

"Uh, no thanks. I just...needed the sugar."

"There you go, sweety!" The lady said as she gave Misato the sugar and a bag full of cakes, which she explained as 'on the house' for the new neighbor.

Misato only muttered a thanks before she walked away. The sight of her distraught her. Not that there was no one in Tokyo-3 that was friendly and generous, but her apartment was protected from any potential blast from the angels so much that the rent went through the roof. That was the reason for why she held so few money despite her job, and she could only wonder why an old bakery like that lady could afford the rent.

Never mind. She had to return something else first.

"Hiro, sorry for hogging the calculator, but it had been a hectic week and-"

"Misato?"

"RITSUKO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HIRO'S APARTMENT?"

"Hell if I know! I just woke up when I realized my apartment's got bigger and-"

"Bigger? My studio's small compared to yours!" Misato shouted before she walked back into her own, and exclaimed, "WHAT? MY APARTMENT IS NOW LINKED WITH HAYATE'S? AND HIS BELONGINGS ALSO GONE!"

"Hmm...what's the ruckus..."

"VICE COMMANDER?!" Misato shouted before she realized the door that Gendo talked to. She walked to it, took a peak, and screamed, "HOLY SHIT THERE'S A GYM HERE!"

-evangelion-

"I wonder if I should tell them that the apartment's going to be a place for NERV to hangout, and my most trusted advisors will be placed in the same apartment that also repurposed so they have two apartment that get linked, practically turned it into condominium? Nah, they will know it tomorrow when everything's ready and-"

"COMMANDER! WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS!"

"...I should've at least write a letter to explain things to them...Perhaps the Jacuzzi could be done today to shut the ladies off..."

-evangelion-

Sorry for the late update, but I have been very busy lately. It also didn't help that I working at like 7 chapters at the same time.

And no need to worry! Rei will interact with Gendo next! Will Gendo destroys her apartment out of disgust, transfer her to Misato's apartment, or ordered Shinji to use the Evangelion and tow it to a space next to Misato's apartment building before he fixed it? Stay tuned!