Sekhmet: Just me again. We wrap up the Israphel chapter with makeshift therapy this time (Sorry it was late) and everyone's kind of on good terms. Asuka is still herself though, which I still don't like. It's part of her existence I suppose.
Chapter 10: The Seventh Angel, Israphel (Part 2)
"So today bloody sucked," Isabelle murmured sitting down at the kitchen table.
"Yeah, that's one way of putting it." Mary sighed.
"We were soundly defeated," Rei agreed.
"Yeah…." Shinji sighed as he and Mari set out tea for everyone, after arguing for fifteen minutes what kind of tea they should bring.
"Oh black tea!" Adelise said excitedly adding six teaspoons of sugar and milk to her tea, much to everyone's horror.
"...You are a monster," Mari deadpanned adding one of each to her tea.
"At least she's trying to make her tea taste good," Shinji whispered taking a sip of his green tea. Rei, Mary, and Isabelle looked at him in shock.
"Our teamwork is highly underdeveloped," Rei finally said after recovering from Shinji's backtalk. "It is a given when you consider we have not been able to pilot together before this outing, but we should have been better than what we showed out there."
"Yeah. I don't know if I can work with someone that just...runs in like that. I wish we could just talk whatever issues she has out, but I have a feeling she's not gonna be open like that." Mary said.
"Well she wasn't that open when we were traveling with her either," Mari commented.
"Yes quite standoffish," Adelise added.
"Well, if we can't get along with her, the situation is only going to get worse." Shinji said. "I mean, we're all on good terms, right?"
"Yeah We are," Isabelle said.
"-Queenie not so much," Mari finished.
Unbeknownst to them, Asuka was standing just outside the door, hearing everything.
"Stupid Pilots. I don't need you or anybody. I can do this all on my own. You'll see." Asuka whispered to herself scrubbing at her eyes.
….
"So why are we doing this again?" Mari asked as she watched Misato fumble around with the six DDR pads in the living room."
"In order for the plan to work, you have to synchronize your attacks to this song." Misato said, holding up a disc.
"Ok, but why only six?" Mari asked again.
"The seventh won't need to run the routine, they're just going to take a shot with our new position rifle from cover." Misato explained.
"Alright," Mari said shrugging as she sat down to wait for the others to change. Laughing slightly when she saw that Shinji had the same outfit as the rest of them.
"Where did you get seven identical outfits?" Mary asked.
"Department store." Misato said, smiling something mischievous.
Rei didn't say anything, but a faint blush covered her face.
"I find them very comfy!" Adelise said spinning around and giggling.
"I hate them," Isabelle snorted. "Fetish. Outfits."
"Everything is a fetish outfit with you." Mary said, picking the bottom left pad.
"Anything skin tight is a fetish suit."
"And anything is a fetish outfit if you try hard enough," Mari giggled.
"Alright, settle down with that." Misato warned, putting the disc into the stereo.
The music started and the pads quickly started flashing in sequence. "Ok, follow the dots and treat it like Twister." Misato said.
"Ok?" Isabelle said taking a panel.
"No not you, you're taking the shot," Misato order.
"Then why did you have me put one of these suits on!?"
"Teamwork!" Misato responded smiling, Isabelle just glared.
Asuka grimaced as she bent down to touch one of the forward panels. "Don't you look at me like that!" She barked at Shinji.
"But I wasn't looking at you…" Shinji replied.
"You were thinking of it!" Asuka barked.
"Lay off him Asuka," Misato said. "Ok Shinji take the panel to Asuka's left, Mary on the right. Mari you're back left, Adelise center, Rei to the right."
"We're gonna need a montage." Mary said.
(We're Gonna Need A Montage-Matt Stone and Trey Parker)
Hours went by, but even after so much work, progress wasn't being made.
"Why are you all so bad at this?!" Asuka yelled angrily kicking Shinji over from his kneeling position.
"You are the one off, its kick step, kick step, body roll is not rocket science," Rei deadpanned.
"I…!" Asuka stuttered.
"It's kick step, kick step, body roll," Rei repeated.
"Ugh, I can't work like this!" Asuka screamed stomping away.
"That's great, now we're one short." Mary sighed.
"Let's take five guys," Misato said chugging her tenth beer of the night, Isabelle snorted in her sleep and rolled over and off the couch. "Oww….."
Mary went to sit in a chair and daydream in a corner.
"Guys! We need to do something!" Shinji whined.
"Like what? Madame Asuka is completely shut off from us." Adelise said.
"I don't know! Just something!" Shinji yelled.
"We need to hold an intervention!" Adelise said, smacking her fist into her open palm. "That way she's forced to acknowledge us!"
"Perfect," Shinji said smiling.
"Sure," Mari said shrugging.
"Zzzzzzzz….."
"Why is my name spelled with a Q?!" Mary shouted, still in a daydream.
"Sure fine…." Misato said drunkenly falling asleep on the couch.
…
"Alright," Shinji said as he sat down at the table. "Remember no matter what we don't let her leave!"
"Right. I'm strong, I got that covered." Mary said.
"I will hold her legs," Rei said without sarcasm.
"Ok good," Shinji said, then suddenly became super nervous. "Umm should we be doing this?" He asked.
"It's the only way we could think of." Mary said. "Plus it's a stamina thing. We can outlast her."
"Ok..."
"Good. And now we wait…" Adelise said.
"...Does anyone even know when she'll be back?" Isabelle asked.
"Nope." Mary said.
"Oh piss..."
…..
"Rei how do you keep winning!?" Mari yelled throwing down her card.
"I have a very good poker face," Rei responded grabbing the cards to shuffle them again.
"That's just your normal face." Mary commented from behind the opened door.
"I will not disagree with that," Rei said not changing her expression. "Now who's in?"
"In what?" Asuka asked, walking in the door. As soon as she crossed the threshold, Mary darted behind her and slammed the door shut, bracing against it. "What?! Hey what's the big idea?!"
"We are here to discuss your ability to work with us a team," Rei answered seeing that Shinji didn't want to be in the firing line of Asuka's death beam glare.
"This is an intervention. An intervention in attitude." Mary added.
"Attitude? There's nothing wrong with my attitude!" Asuka glared, and tried to get by Mary. However, Mary wouldn't be swayed so easily, literally.
"That is precisely why we are doing this," Rei said gesturing to the empty seat across from her.
"Let me out!" Asuka demanded.
"That's not happening. Take a seat." Mary insisted, calm but firm.
"No! You can't make me do anything!" Asuka refuted.
"Madame Asuka, the only way out is through the intervention." Adelise insisted.
"We need to work together to beat this Angel," Isabelle added. "If we're out of synch again we're gonna lose again."
"You mean YOU'LL lose again. I don't lose because I'm the best!" Asuka said.
"I believe it was your Eva that was thrown into the mountainside as friend Isabelle would put it 'Arse over tea kettle'," Rei responded making Isabelle choke on her drink.
"That's what we're talking about. You need a serious attitude adjustment." Mary said.
Shinji finally stood up and started Asuka down with the same look her gave Misato and Isabelle their first night. "Please just try to listen to us," He insisted.
"I don't need to listen to anyone, least of all you!" Asuka spat.
"Seriously, What is your goddamn issue? You've known us for all of a week, we've barely interacted with you, and somehow we're in the wrong here?"
Mari grabbed Asuka by the shoulders and forced the smaller girl into the seat. "Just talk to us queenie," Mari asked.
"I don't need to talk to anyone. I'm perfectly fine." Asuka growled.
"Madame Asuka, you act anything but fine." Adelise said.
"Yeah, I mean it's not like we're a pack of wolves here." Mary said.
"Yes you are! And the second I slip up, you'll devour me!" Asuka insisted.
Isabelle raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh don't act like you don't know, momma's girl!" Asuka spat. "The instant I mess up, you'll be all over me!"
"Momma's girl?" Isabelle asked confused. "What's wrong with being a momma's girl?"
"It means you're a baby! 'Oh, save me mommy! The big bad Angel is trying to eat me! Waaah!' Grow up, would you?" Asuka mocked.
Isabelle glared. "I got scared because of a condition I have that I should have told people about I admit it, you're just being a bloody cunt! Also, who was it that killed the 4th angel, because if memory serves your arse was safe and sound in a bunker in Germany," Isabelle grinned as she leaned over towards Asuka. "You're not better that the rest of us, you grow up!" She shouted. "You're just a toddler who stamps her feet and runs away when mommy takes away their doll!"
"Shut up, just shut your mouth! I'm not a doll! I'm better than a doll! I'm the best! I always will be! You don't know anything! You're all useless! I hate you! I hate you! I hate everything and everyone! I hate myself! Mom was right, I should have died with her! I wouldn't be stuck here with you like this!" Asuka screamed, getting more tear driven as her rant went on, eventually just completely breaking down crying.
Isabelle said nothing as she stood up and walked over to Asuka, hugging her around the shoulders. "You don't need to hold all this in," She said calmly.
"I can't be the best if I let this get to me. I have to." Asuka sobbed.
"Queenie you won't be the best if you keep trying to do everything on your own," Mari said holding her other side.
"Cheesy as it is to say this, there's no I in team, you know." Mary added.
Asuka couldn't say anything, and just kept crying. The other three quickly walked over and grabbed Asuka in a hug as well.
"Now then, shall we commence the intervention?" Adelise asked, cheery as if nothing had happened. Everyone nodded.
….
"Ok let us start," Rei said after Asuka had calmed down. "We will use this time to discuss our issues and see what we can do about them."
"Agreed. So who wants to go first?" Mary asked.
"I will!" Mari said waving her hand. "I am Mari Makinami Illustrious and I am a diagnosed psychopath!" She explained smiling.
"Hello Mari." The others droned.
"It is a mild version, I am on regular medication and therapy sessions for it, so no worries about me doing again," Mari shrugged. "I'm just a little wild and lack some empathy, nothing majorly dangerous if I stick to my regiment."
Everyone gave some sign of acknowledgement. "Are we going clockwise or counterclockwise from here?" Mary asked.
"Clockwise I suppose," Rei said.
"Then I'm next." Adelise said. "Bonjour, my name is Adelise Mercier, and I'm dead."
"Hi Adelise-wait what?" Everyone asked.
"Oui, I'm dead." Adelise said, like nothing at all was wrong with that statement. "I'm a true zombie, living dead."
Everyone looked at her waiting for her to elaborate. She didn't.
"Friend Mercier please explain to us what you mean," Rei finally said.
"When I was a little girl, I died, and came back as a zombie. I'm unsure how to make it any simpler." Adelise explained. "The doctors call it Cotard's Delusion, I think. But I'm not delusional, silly billies. I know where I am."
"Is that why you refuse to shower unless I tell you too?!" Asuka accused standing up.
"Please sit back down Auska," Shinji pleaded. "We're all friends here."
"I don't need to, I don't make body oils anymore." Adelise said, again as if it were obvious.
"Yes you do, you smelled awful after two days on that ship," Asuka insisted.
"Yeah I gotta go with queenie here frenchie, you did smell pretty bad."
"Adelise, where you given medication?" Rei asked trying to bring them back to the right conversation.
"Non, almost all the doctors we went to said it was a phase, and didn't take it seriously." Adelise explained. "I had to go through a few neuropsychs as a child before they came up with something conclusive."
"I see, please go to the NERV psychologist tomorrow and get set up with them," Rei finished.
"Ok~" Adelise sing songed.
"I guess I'm next," Isabelle said. "Hello I'm Isabelle Zoe Elke O'Kelly-Watanabe." A more staggered greeting as the group processed all her middle names. "Cleithrophobia, Borderline Personality Disorder, and Acrophillia, the BPD comes in the form of throwing myself into danger for my dad's attention despite risks to myself," She explained. "I'm getting treatment for it as we speak but please feel free to stop me from climbing something dangerous."
"Duly noted." Mary said.
"Thank you friend Isabelle," Rei said.
"I guess I'm next then." Shinji said. "Hello, I'm Shinji Ikari, And I don't know what's wrong with me."
"Hello Shinji." Everyone said.
"I don't really know where to start. I guess I always used to think I was a burden on others." He continued. "I always wanted friends, but I felt like I would be nothing but a bother. I felt like I was a bad person despite never doing anything wrong. Although, ever since I met Mary and Isabelle, I haven't felt like that so much."
"Sounds like depression." Mary said.
"Huh?"
"Yeah it's definitely depression," Mari said bluntly. "Probably clinical, you're not a bad person, you just have bad brain chemistry."
"Bad brain chemistry…" Shinji muttered.
"You should still go to a therapist, but you now have a starting point," Rei added lightly brushing Shinji's hand.
"Right…" He said, a small blush dusting his face.
"I believe it is now my turn," Rei said sitting up. "I'm Rei Ayanami, Schizoid Personality Disorder."
"Hi Rei," Everyone said back.
"I am very antisocial and have bad people skills, I have been trying to get better but it is a slow process, please be patient with me as I learn," She said bowing slightly.
"Of course, take your time." Adelise said, patient like a saint.
"Thank you," Rei said giving everyone one of her rare smiles.
"Precious cinnamon roll too good for this world….." Everyone thought.
"Oh boy, where to start." Mary said, cracking her knuckles. "Hello, my name is Mary Jones, and I'm a Maladaptive Daydreamer."
"Hi Mary."
"Pretty much everything related to sleep and dreams is messed up. I live half my life in a fantasy world, sometimes involuntarily, sometimes by choice. Because I spend so much time daydreaming, I also suffer from insomnia and lose whatever crucial information is being relayed at the time. Unlike Schizophrenia, I'm aware it's all fake. Sometimes it's more appealing to live in the dream world though, so I guess that's why I haven't really done anything about it."
"You need to do something," Shinji practically yelled. "What if you go during a fight, you could die," He said nervously grabbing her hand. "I don't want to lose you guys!"
"I know, I know. I have a reason to correct it now." Mary said, a huge blush illuminating her face. "Unfortunately, there's no known treatment for it, so it's all coping mechanisms and being aware of the signs a daydream is about to start."
"We'll help you then," Isabelle said taking her other hand.
"Right. I'll try to make a list of what causes them." Mary said, her blush not fading. With everyone having taken their turn, the group turned to their last remaining member, notably silent. After a long pause, she finally spoke.
"...My name is Asuka Langley Soryu, and I also don't know what's wrong with me." She murmured, almost too quiet to hear.
"Tell us what you know," Rei suggested quietly as Mari wrapped Asuka in a hug.
"...Well, apparently I have a compulsive need to be the best at everything, which hides self loathing. That's all, really." She whispered. Everyone reached out a sympathetic hand.
"You said something about your mother and a doll?" Isabelle asked softly.
"I don't wanna talk about it." Asuka cringed. "Not now."
"You need too," Rei said firmly. "We need to know everything about each other if we are to work together, this is life or death where our failure means death for everyone on Earth."
Asuka put her hands on her head and curled up into a ball. "...When I was young, my mother became psychotic. She mistook a doll for me, and only paid it attention. One day, she...she killed herself and the doll, thinking it was me."
Everyone looked at her with sympathy, not pity Asuka was quick to realize, but Rei's look was twisted in confusion.
"Where did your mother work?" She asked.
"Gehirn…" Asuka sniffed. "Why?"
"Gehirn was in charge of making the Evangelions," Rei explained. "Your mother's psychosis was most likely caused by an accident while developing the Eva's to fight the angels."
"So momma died, because of Eva?" Asuka asked.
"No she died because of the Angels," Isabelle corrected. "If they weren't around then your mother would still be here."
"If the Angels killed her, then I have to kill them for revenge!" Asuka said, suddenly remotivated. "Then it's settled! The next Angel I see is mincemeat!"
"Good!" Isabelle yelled standing on the table. "Let them burn! Rage like you never raged before! If your breast would be a cannon use it to shoot your burning heart at them! Make them know the pain you have felt!"
"Yes! I'll cause them immeasurable pain, and it still won't be enough to make up for what I've lost!" Asuka yelled. "Starting today, all Angels must die!"
…
"It's like a burning sunrise!"
The six moved in perfect synchronicity as they hit the panels and spun around.
"It's like a burning sunset!"
The six slammed their feet onto the left side as they thriller danced perfectly.
"Ok how did you all get so good?" Misato asked as she looked at their near perfect score.
"Nonstop practice for two weeks, probably." Mary said, wiping the sheen of sweat from her forehead.
"We're gonna crush them!" Asuka said smacking her palm with a grin.
"Oui, we will." Adelise agreed.
"Well you're almost there," Misato said smiling as she reset the machine. "Let's go!"
…
"Night guys," Misato said over the phone. "I'll be in the office tonight so it's all you."
"Alright." Shinji said I to the speaker.
"And no hankey pankey," Misato giggled. Before he could stop stuttering enough to give a proper reply, she hung up.
"Well guess we're alone tonight," Isabelle said as her and Rei played a perfect game of DDR together.
"It's a sleepover," Mari said smiling.
"Oh, that's a wonderful idea!" Adelise said excitedly. "We should have a sleepover in the living room!"
"Sounds good," Isabelle agreed as her and Rei finished their set, Rei nodded as well.
"Sounds good to me." Mary said, her sleeping mask propped up on her head.
"Oh, ok." Shinji said, still a bit flusters from Misato's insinuations.
"Well you all can," Asuka snorted. "I'm gonna sleep on my own," She said grabbing a bunch of blankets and a pillow.
"Oh come on Queenie," Mari whined. "Stay with us."
"No," Asuka said firmly.
"It'll be fun!" Adelise insisted.
"No," Asuka said throwing her blankets inside the closet.
"It's a good bonding experience," Rei added.
"I'll be fine," Asuka said getting into the closet. "This is the impenatrable wall of Jericho!" She said closing the door.
Mary had a look on her face as if she had been accused of something ridiculous. "Wasn't the wall of Jericho famous for its fall?" She asked.
"So does that mean she's gonna come out and sleep with us at some point?" Isabelle questioned.
"I don't know. I thought she was ok now…" Shinji asked.
"Unfortunately, people don't change in a day." Mary said.
"She will come around," Rei said setting up a pillow fort.
"I hope so." Shinji said.
….
The six eventually went to sleep in a giant pile on the floor like a bunch of squirming puppies. Asuka left her fort in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, once she returned she stood in front of the pile with a contemplative look before with a soft sigh, she curled up with them on the floor.
"Could someone pick up that phone?" Rei whispered making Asuka jump and wake the rest of them up.
"What Rei?" Shinji whispered.
"Because I called it," Rei deadpanned making the rest of them giggle sleepily. Asuka blushed and tried to leave, but was quickly pulled back into the pile with the rest of them. "Just sleep, you're already here," Asuka blushed but once Mari threw her arms around her shoulders she sighed and snuggled back into Mari's body, settling in for the night.
Mary, however, would not be put back to sleep so easily, and stood up from her spot to look over Shinji for fifteen minutes before he noticed. Though he knew the cause this time, it was still a bit creepy to see.
"Mary, please go back to sleep." He whispered. As if she could hear him this time, she settled back down on the floor, grabbing his arm instead of her pillow and hugging it tightly to her body.
"Why me?" He asked himself.
….
"Told you it would be better," Rei said to Asuka as the six girls got dressed in the locker room.
"Shut up Wondergirl," Asuka blushed.
"Just because Blue is right doesn't mean you can be mean to her," Isabelle smirked cheekily shoving Asuka.
"Yeah man, just chill and go with it." Mary said in an exaggerated hippie tone.
"Come on Queenie," Mari said with a cheshire cat grin.
"Oui, it'll all be smooth sailing from here on out." Adelise said.
Asuka blushed and covered her face. "You're all terrible," She whined with no real heat.
….
"Everyone ready?" Misato asked.
"Yes!" The seven replied.
"Alright, ready, set, launch!"
EVAs 01,02, and 06 launched first, rolling forward with rifles in hand and firing some initial volleys to draw the Angel's attention. Sufficiently enticed by the prospect of another battle, the Angel turned to face the EVAs, firing a few lasers which were expertly dodged.
EVA's 00, 05, and 08 launched next from a nearby hilltop, raining sniper fire down on the Angel from behind forcing it to split to deal with the pincer attack, with the blue one charging the snipers and the orange one gunning for the front line.
The orange one super jumped behind the front line, and the EVAs did some sick backflips to evade its laser eyes, taking brief cover behind a pop up wall before resuming their attack.
The blue one kept charging before Adelise threw her gun to the side and grabbing a detonator, hitting the button to send the blue one flying into the air as it hit the line of landmines they set up. Mari and Rei threw their guns away as well in exchange for the giant cannons that came up next. The depleted uranium rounds tore the angel asunder, disorienting it so it couldn't correct it's uncontrolled descent.
The front line forced the orange Angel backwards until it was directly in the path of the blue one. They smacked together, forming the silver one again. Isabelle pulled the trigger from her sniping position nearby, the positron rifle's projectile flew lightning fast as it punched a hole through the Angel's core like a hole punch through paper, detonating the angel in a pink shower of light.
"Pop pop watchin' heathens drop," Isabelle joked as she stood up.
"That was a terrible joke," Rei deadpanned.
"I liked it. Put the punch in the weird distorted angelic theme that's been going on with these guys." Mary said.
"If they're angels wouldn't that make us heathens for killing them?" Mari asked as her EVA scratched its face.
"Eh, I guess it depends on how you interpret it all." Mary said. "But speaking of them, does anyone know if there's an end to these things, and if so, how many are left?"
"Oui, a number remaining would be wonderful to know." Adelise agreed.
"There's ten left," Ritsuko answered. "And they'll be getting stronger, so be prepared."
"Either way, we'll take them all down," Askua said grinning with her EVA's hands on its hips.
"Right. Ten left…" Shinji said, mostly to himself.
The seven EVA's looked at each other and nodded, just as their internal batteries finally ran dry and they collapsed in a pile on top of one another.
"Get your fat butts off me!" Asuka screamed into their emergency phones, Unit 02 was the bottom of the pile.
"EVA's all weigh within an average of 5kg from each other so none of them are fat," Rei responded.
"That's not the point Wondergirl!"
"Oh Queenie! I thought you would be the one topping me," Mari groaned making fake sex noises.
"Ok Glasses you need to chill!" Isabelle yelled blushing.
"This is uncomfortable…" Mary said.
"Yes Madame Jone, very," Adelise agreed.
"This pile is a fucking nightmare," Shinji whinned, making everyone stop and stare at him.
"Holy fuck did Shin-Kun just swear?" Isabelle asked.
"Watch your fucking language!" Asuka shouted.
"Fuck man, it's not like it hurts anybody." Mary said.
"Can you all stop fucking swearing," Mari asked.
"Fuck no!" Adelise added giggling.
"You are all fucking degenerates," Rei deadpanned.
The bridge watched this with looks of confusion and embarrassment.
"These fucking kids," Misasto muttered pinching her nose with a smile.