Creation began on 03-01-17
Creation ended on 03-03-17
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Mitochondria Bonds
It was quite a sight as she drove into the Geo-Front. Though being used for scientific purposes, Fusei felt that such a place would've served a better purpose as another patch of land for a neighborhood community for a ravaged country.
Steady as you go, Fusei, she thought as she drove into the parking garage. It's your first day here…and you still need to ascertain whether or not to pursue this further.
Her energy-efficient Prius parked right next to a blue Renault Alpine A310 that clearly needed more time at a mechanic because it still had dents and a busted fender. She merely sighed and shook her head, not in disgust, but out of concern for the driver and possible passengers.
I used to admire things that go fast, she thought, remembering a time where she had a desire for a motorcycle among other selfish wants. Now, I just rather obey the speed limits.
-x-
Commander Ikari could have told her to run the tests until she was fifty years old, with heavy wrinkles and white hair, but it wouldn't have changed the end results of the tests. No, for Ritsuko Akagi, the results were as conclusive as they were off by factors that didn't make themselves known until after the rumor Maya spoke of became known to her. The Third Child's blood type didn't match his father's, which also meant that it didn't match the commander's wife, either. She had the blood types of every man, woman and child that came and left the Geo-Front on a regular basis and lived within the city of Tokyo-3 going back since its founding, and Shinji's was the only one that was of the rarest types, with only a dozen or so from before Second Impact still alive elsewhere in the country.
While she would have to question her boss about the severity of what was wrong with this picture, she had to update the boy's file for future reference, since someone had the misfortune to list his blood type as the same as his mother's…or someone who had been thought to be his mother. The sooner this matter was resolved, the better…or at the very least sufficient.
"Doctor Akagi," went Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki to her in the hall after she had updated the boy's file to have the correct blood type. "I assume you were able to make sure that the test results were rectified?"
"They were the same now as they were before they were rechecked and retested," she explained. "The Third Child's blood type is unrelated to the commander's. I'd like to run his DNA to be absolutely sure, but it wouldn't change a thing at this point. Other than the family name, these two men have no biological relation."
This had Fuyutsuki bothered. While somewhat lifting that Shinji wasn't Gendo's son, this also meant that he wasn't Yui's son, either.
"What is your theory on this?" He asked Ritsuko again.
"Someone knows more about this boy's background than I do, except they're either dead or unwilling to discuss it."
"Is there any chance that he's just an adopted child?"
"If he were an adopted child, there'd be a record explaining such. Even closed adoptions keep records for later use. The only other explanation I can't rule out yet is kidnapping."
-x-
It was a different type of synchronization test that was scheduled today for the Eva pilots. Unlike the standard tests, this was a compatibility variation, in which they would try to achieve synchronization with an Eva they don't normally work with, and Shinji was set up to try Unist-00 and 02. While he knew that Asuka was going to throw a fit at him just for sitting in the seat of the red Eva, but he wasn't really bothered much by this. It was the fact that the staff wanted him to try syncing with Unit-00, an Evangelion he heard was known to be prone with problems to an equal or greater extent than Unit-01 was known to have.
And yet, despite this all… The boy couldn't get the thought of the mysterious woman he met only yesterday out of his mind. It wasn't like he had developed a crazy or childish crush on Ms. Hitode like how Toji and Kensuke did with Misato (or any other attractive woman they laid eyes upon), but his confusion about her did cost him at least a couple of minutes of Asuka's annoyance that he didn't pay attention to.
"…She was probably about your age," he remembered telling Misato last night after he got in. "She was nice to talk with. Maybe a little too nice, but not like anyone else I've met."
"Sounds like you got a crush on an older woman," Misato teased him about it.
"I seriously doubt that she was trying to hit on me. She did want to know what I wanted to do with my life, though."
In truth, nobody had ever asked what he wanted to do with his future not relating to NERV or any other group.
The only thing he didn't tell Misato or even Asuka was Fusei's identity.
"…I hear that Dr. Akagi may have some competition from a new face that just got here today," he heard some men talking further down the hall as he headed to the locker room to put on his plugsuit. "A woman with a degree in both computers and medical care. From what I hear, she might be better than Dr. Akagi because she's not a logical individual."
"The last thing we need here is another polymath," said the other guy. "Who is she, anyway?"
Shinji entered the locker room before he could hear the name of the person that was supposed to be working here.
-x-
"…Welcome to NERV, Ms. Hitode," said Fuyutsuki to Fusei, extending his right hand in front of the young woman.
"Thank you, sir," she responded, shaking his hand. "Where shall I begin?"
"There's a compatibility test beginning in one of the testing chambers in the Eva pens in twenty minutes," he explained. "It would be the best place to start your day."
"Yes, sir."
And with that, Fusei, keeping a detailed map of the base, walked away from the command bridge of Central Dogma and towards the Eva pens. While having a sufficient degree in computer technology made her adequate to work with the MAGI, her primary specialty was that of a medical physician, mainly because she preferred the value of people's feelings over a sense of logic or being a know-it-all. Some people might have even suspected that she was after a Ritsuko Akagi's position here at NERV, but Fusei knew they couldn't be any more wrong. What would have been the point of taking some other woman's position?
Fusei didn't want this Akagi woman's job. It wouldn't have done anything to help her in her goals… And it wasn't what she wanted at all.
She stepped into an elevator, meeting with the fourteen-year-old Rei Ayanami in the process.
"Hello, there," she greeted her kindly.
Rei didn't respond, so Fusei just left it alone; it was likely because the girl was in her plugsuit, which didn't do much to hide anything, even if it did look like some tacky, exaggerated diving suit without a head covering.
-x-
Asuka hated this. It wasn't like she had standards or anything. Actually, it was like she had standards, and piloting any other Eva that was not her Unit-02 was among them. To be inside Unit-00 was like wearing a dress made of rags at a high-end art gallery, and she felt disrespected and humiliated by this.
"How much longer must I be in here?" She asked over the intercom.
"Five more minutes, Asuka," she heard Misato's voice respond.
"Ugh," she groaned; five minutes more was five minutes too long.
Outside the blue Evangelion, in the test monitoring room, Misato, Ritsuko and several other technicians were watching the pilots inside the Evas and measuring their sync ratios.
"Asuka's synchronization with Unit-00 is barely thirty-seven percent," went Maya to them.
"It's her first time inside an Evangelion she's not used to working in," Misato gave her the benefit of the doubt. "What about Rei and Shinji?"
Several feet away from the repaired and up-to-date Unit-00, Units-01 and 02 were also being monitored by the crew, with Rei inside Unit-01 and Shinji inside Unit-02.
"Rei, how's it feel to be back inside Unit-01 after so long?" Ritsuko asked the albino for the sake of keeping the commander informed about her status.
"It smells like Ikari-Kun," Rei responded, saying no more than that.
"Okay," went Misato, unsure of how to comment on that.
"Shinji's synchronization with Unit-02 is almost below the acceptable parameters," Maya informed them about the Third Child status with the red Eva.
"Even with it switched to its Japanese setting?" Ritsuko questioned.
"A five percent synchronization is equal to the Eva just lifting its arm up and just keeping it there. No more, no less."
"I guess this means the Third Child and Unit-02 simply don't go well together," said Fusei to them, typing in a series of codes for the MAGI to process for the Evas.
She mentally gagged at that designation; addressing anyone by some poor designation was just messed up.
"So it would seem, Ms. Hitode," Ritsuko agreed with her.
"Hitode?" Shinji's voice spoke up, and on the monitor showing his face, he opened his eyes, looking at the people within Unit-02's visual range. "Fusei Hitode?"
"Hello again, Shinji," she greeted him with a small smile. "How are you today?"
"I'm…doing fine. Didn't know you were working here, of all places one can work."
"It's a small world, Shinji. We just try to make it work for us."
"Hey, his sync ratio rose up to twenty-seven percent," went Maya to them, "and Rei's… What in the world?"
The alarms suddenly went off…and Unit-01 suddenly started moving, trying to break from the restraints installed.
"The synchronization is disconnecting!" One of the male technicians yelled out. "Unit-01's out of control!"
Crash! The Eva broke free of the restraints and opened its mouth, revealing its mechanical teeth.
"Rrrrrraaurgh!" The Eva roared, grabbing its head before lurching forward, towards the safety glass of the observation room, its eyes bright red. "Grrr!"
Smash! It started to punch at the glass, but it barely gave in. Smash!
Most of the people backed away as the Eva persisted in trying to break the safety glass, but Maya and Fusei remained seated and began typing in codes to deactivate the Eva.
"Complete shutdown in eight seconds," Fusei announced. "Seven…six…"
Unit-01 rammed its head against the glass when it realized that its fists weren't helping it get through, causing the top of its horn to break off.
"…Three…two…one," Maya announced, and the purple behemoth went into a complete shutdown. "Unit-01 has gone silent."
"Still reading vitals from Ms. Ayanami," Fusei added, being sure to make certain that the young girl inside the behemoth was unharmed.
"Cease compatibility testing," Ritsuko ordered; she had expected this sort of behavior from Unit-00, but to get it from Unit-01 outside of an Angel attack was new.
-x-
"…So far, we're unable to determine what caused this," Ritsuko informed Gendo in his office later that day after Rei was recovered from the Entry Plug. "The only damage sustained by Unit-01, however, is the broken horn."
"Was it caused by emotional instability on part of the pilot?" Gendo questioned.
"As far as we can tell, there was no emotional instability detected from the First Child. The synchronization between her and Unit-01 came undone before the Eva went berserk. After speaking with the First Child, who tried to re-establish the connection, could only describe one feeling that she felt was unusual."
Fuyutsuki, who was also present, asked, "What feeling?"
"Fear," she answered.
-x-
Because there was nothing wrong with Ayanami and she was allowed to go home, Shinji, who had been worried, closed his locker and vacated the locker room.
"Hey, Shinji," he saw Fusei, who was in the hall right outside the room.
"Miss Hitode," he responded, surprised by her presence. "Hello again."
"Are you alright?"
"Fine. I just… I'm glad that Ayanami is okay."
"Same here, Shinji. What are you up to right now?"
"Well, usually after Eva testing, we wash up and then go home."
"Doesn't it ever…hurt you to do this all?"
Shinji was taken aback by this question. Nobody had ever really asked if piloting the Eva caused him pain. The fact that whenever the Eva was damaged and he would experience pain because of the synchronization between them, it was something he hated about piloting the Eva.
"Yeah," he answered her.
"Then…why?" She asked him, wanting to know why he would continue to do something that caused him pain. "Why, knowing that it hurts you?"
"If I stop, then everyone suffers. If I stop, I have to go back to my aunt and uncle's, which I don't want to do. And then, there's my father."
"You sound like you can't get him to just sit down and talk to you."
"I tried to invite him to lunch once, but he turned me down. He claimed he was busy."
"Well, I… I mean, if you're available, that is, I'm free for lunch tomorrow. We could…talk some more, if you'd like."
"Sure. I mean, thank you, Ms. Hitode."
Fusei gave a small smile and then extended her left hand to him.
"I hope the rest of your day brings you relief, Shinji," she told him.
He shook her hand and then walked away. And again, he found himself wondering why he felt so at ease around this woman. Whatever the reason, he really had hopes to understand it, no matter how long it took him.
-x-
Fear was an unusual emotion to be exhibited by an Evangelion. Unit-01, especially. Even as Fuyutsuki watched as the purple behemoth was getting its horn reset to its armored head, he pondered on why the Eva would go berserk out of fear. There was no rational explanation to this random behavior.
"Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki," he turned on the bridge and faced Ritsuko. "We can't find a reason for the sudden berserker state."
"Your opinion? Personal, not professional."
"Personally? I wanted to think it was the First Child, but it would've been understandable with Unit-00. With Unit-01, I'm not sure what to think. But something clearly set the Eva off."
"On a lighter note, our new employee kept her cool in front of Unit-01. She had only seen the Evas today and didn't flinch from the sight of one out of control."
"True, but that's what bothers me a little. Most people would want to transfer to a different position or facility after seeing an Eva out of control, even those that started on their first day. Either this Hitode woman has nerves of steel, no pun intended, or she's crazy."
"She did seem friendly with Shinji, though. Did you see the way he looked when he spoke with her? Not many people here actually speak with the pilots like they're just regular people, like they're meant to be regular people."
"What do we know about her?"
"Fusei Hitode. Almost thirty years old, single, skilled in computers and medical aid, no arrest record, comes from a middle-class family that resided in Tokyo before Second Impact. Nothing that would seem odd or unusual about her, and anyone that knows her better than us is either dead or elsewhere."
"Still, people with nerves of steel are better equipped to handle the stress of working here. Whatever her reasons, they're not likely to interfere with her work."
-x-
"You were pretty friendly with the new employee, Shinji," went Misato to the young man as he, Asuka and she sat at the table for dinner. "Girlfriend?"
"I don't find that funny, Misato," Shinji responded, actually offended by her question.
"It's not like he could get her to like him that much to want to date him," went Asuka, disgusted with the mere idea that anyone could like the Third Child.
"It's nothing like that, Asuka. We met yesterday and talked. That's all that happened."
"Yeah, I bet."
"You're like this only because they had me inside Unit-02 for that test. Hey, I had nothing to do with their decision, only what I say and who I say what to for whatever reason."
"The only good thing that happened was that they canceled the rest of the test after First's violent episode in your Eva before she could set foot in mine."
"Miss Hitode helped to stop Unit-01 before Ayanami got hurt while we were restrained in the other Evas. It was her first day, and she didn't think to leave. I'd like to know why someone like her, who seems like she could do better than NERV, would want to come to Tokyo-3 and work around my father, though."
"Maybe some people just need employment, Shinji," Misato suggested.
"She didn't strike me as the type to want money that desperately. I don't know, she just seems… It's the way she talks to me, something about speaking with her that feels so… caring."
"Maybe she specializes in talk therapy. NERV doesn't have a lot of therapists."
Shinji finished his dinner first and responded, "Maybe. Only God knows I could use someone to talk to that actually wants to talk without including the Eva as the primary reason."
-x-
"…How soon will you have the results?" Fusei asked on her phone at her apartment on the outskirts of the city, looking out on her patio balcony at the taller buildings as they illuminated the night sky. "Well, please, let me know the moment they come in. Thank you again. I owe you one. Actually, I owe you seven now."
She hung up and sat down in a blue ball chair, sighing at the time it would take for her contact to get in touch with her about the request she made to him, but once she knew for sure, she could focus more on how to go about her goal. Her goal, and its outcome and future afterward, was all she had to keep her going…and she couldn't rest until she accomplished what motivated her for a long time.
"Nothing else will mean anything unless I find out the truth," she uttered, looking up at the stars. "Two days, at least. For them, I can wait two days."
To be continued…
A/N: Here's the second chapter. Is anyone able to see what's going on here? Does the first half of the title make any sense? There is a measure of actual science involved to explain a part of the story, you know.