Sorry for taking so long to update, but the next chapter is probably going to take a long time too unless I miraculously get a large window of time to be able to write. I don't usually write when I have only small pockets of time because I easily lose track of it once I'm swept away by my story. I hope you all enjoy the chapter and thank you for reading.

Time Skip

Saturday – Over the Rainbow

We just got off that fu… I'm just going to pretend I wasn't about to rant with a sailor's tongue about the VTOL we were just in of all things. The congregation I'm a part of consists of Misato, Shinji, Touji, Kensuke and myself. Kensuke's busy fanboying over all of the military equipment attempting to catch it all on camera whilst Touji, Shinji, and I are laboring over our cramps and Misato is effectively seeming to not give a shit.

As we walk down the deck an obnoxious voice calls out, "Hey Misato, long time no see."

'It's her.'

A red-headed girl in a yellow sundress makes her way towards us and Misato replies, "It has been a while. Now guys, I would like to introduce you to the Second Child, Asuka Langley Soryu."

"Charmed, now which one of you is the infamous Third Child?"

Suddenly the wind picked up, raising the hem of Soryu's dress and revealing her panties and lower midriff.

'This just went south real quick,' I think as she slaps Touji, Shinji, and Kensuke for 'sneaking a peek'.

"Now, I'll ask again. Which one of you is the Third Child? Although, the only who seems competent enough for the job is that girl over there."

'Did she just give me a back-handed compliment?'

"I-I'm the Third Child, Shinji Ikari."

"Huh. How did an idiot like you get to be a pilot? Oh… I remember now. You're the daddy's-boy who got in because your papa is in charge."

"Okay, that's enough," Misato breaks in, "We need to get the release forms for Unit-02 signed by the captain so let's go to the bridge."

The Bridge

Since we got here the captain has been insulting Misato, NERV, and us left and right.

"While we're on the sea you're in my jurisdiction. Once we reach land I'll release your toy to ya."

Misato's brow twitches as she struggles to contain her temper.

"Well that's fine. But remember, if an Angel or similar emergency occurs everything including Evangelion Unit-02 falls under NERV jurisdiction!"

At first the captains seems taken aback, then his face swiftly twists in a hideous display of rage and bellows, "Fine, just get off my bridge!"

"As you wish, sir!"

We follow Misato as she storms off the bridge.

"Stupid captain and his stupid ship, "she grumbles under her breath.

"My, my, lookie here. I didn't expect to see this sight for sore eyes."

Misato's face turns from incredibly irritated to outright pissed as Asuka squeals "Kaji!" at the top of her lungs and practically tackles the poor man.

"Ha, ha, hello there Asuka."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm being transferred to NERV HQ as an inspector, anyways lets catch up in the mess hall since these hallways are way too narrow to have a comfortable conversation in, "he says as he walks to the elevator. As soon as I see the elevator I decide to wait until the next time it comes up.

'Thank you foreknowledge.'

Asuka notices and hangs back with me as everyone else boards the tiny elevator, not even noticing we didn't join them.

"Smart idea to hang back, I didn't expect such intelligence since you were with a group of idiotic boys like them."

"They're not that bad once you get to know them, they're just simplistic in their desires and ambitions is all."

"So why are you here anyway, I don't believe you're here just for that dummkopf of a pilot."

'I suppose I'll answer with a half-truth.'

"I wanted to meet my other co-pilot I'll be working beside soon."

"Wait, you're a pilot!? I heard rumors that Fourth and Fifth had been chosen but I didn't think they were legitimate facts. Which one are you?"

"I am the Fifth Child, Tomoe Kitajima. I don't know who the Fourth is yet either, Dr. Akagi wouldn't divulge that information to me."

"He. Don't think you'll be better than me. I am an elite chosen from only the best candidates to be the Second Child. Don't think a back-waters pilot like you can compete."

'This is going to wear on my patience, although, I won't tolerate her calling me stupid.'

"I concede that I most likely won't be a very good pilot at first but I challenge your back-waters statement. I have a college education for your information. After this Angel shenanigans is resolved I'm going back to complete my Ph. D. in Physics and Masters in Piano and Composition."

"Oh really, what else have you got cuz' I already have a Ph. D. in Physics."

"Well, I also have a minor in Creative Writing as well as majors in Computer Science, Chemistry, and Biology."

She gives an appraising and slightly condescending look right as the elevator comes back up. As we walk on she states, "Maybe you're not an idiot like those stooges but you're still not as elite as me considering you're a rookie."

When the door closes and we begin to descend her eyes light up in a way that make me somewhat nervous.

"I know, how about I make you my apprentice, I can teach you all the ins and outs of being a pilot."

'Well that's not the worst thing she could of come up with, at least it's kind of a nice gesture and leaves the opportunity for building a friendship… possibly… my life is going to become a living hell soon. If I refuse now it'll only be worse later.'

"I'd appreciate the help. Hopefully I'll get my Eva sometime soon, but first they're going to run me through a compatibility test with the Evas they have right now."

"If they make you test with my Unit-02 you'd better not go and break it."

"Why would I do that?"

'How is the better question.'

"I don't know, just don't."

"Okay."

The door opens after the elevator carriage shudders to a slow stop. It's only a few steps to the mess hall where surely enough the rest of our odd group is loudly conversing. Or should I say, Misato is yelling at Kaji for being a pervert or something along those lines as will be customary until his unfortunate demise, and Shinji is looking uncomfortable while Touji is bored and Kensuke is nervous because of Misato's yelling whilst fiddling with his camera.

Asuka runs over to Kaji with a loud squeal of his name, hugging him from behind and I just calmly walk over and stand off to the side.

"You two took your time getting here, "Kaji comments.

"We didn't want to join you on the cramped ride down so we waited, although, I didn't know Tomoe over there was the Fifth Child until then."

Kaji doesn't react while an unidentifiable emotion flickers through Misato's eyes and the boys are shocked.

"Well, it seem like you two are getting to know each other, "Misato notes dryly.

Shinji mumbles sadly, "You never told me you were a pilot."

'Shit, he's making my feel like a horrible person now.'

"I didn't know until Dr. Akagi told me Thursday and I'm still coming to terms with it."

"It's not like its official yet, she doesn't have an Eva, and she hasn't even been tested yet."

Everything falls into an awkward silence until Misato says, "Well, we have a lot of time till we get to land so why don't we all just explore a bit and stretch our legs?"

It's like she flipped a switch when she spoke because everyone gets up and starts to wander off. After roaming the halls for a bit I spot Asuka. She apparently noticed me as well for she starts striding in my direction.

"Hey Fifth! Come with me, I'll show you what a real Evangelion looks like."

'I've already seen a real Eva, but it's no use arguing with her.'

I follow her as she leads us to the smaller motor boats that act as transport between the big freight and military vessels. Once we're both in Asuka pushes a button on the crane-esc device and it lowers us to the water.

"Los geht es, "Asuka shouts as she drives us towards one of the large freight ships in the middle of the group of large metal tankers. Once we arrive at the side of the freighter with the large tent covering what I know to be Eva Unit-02 Asuka flags down one of the men on deck to help us up onto the ship. As we're being pulled up I spot a shadow move in the corner of my eye. I turn around catching a glimpse of the moving shadow in the water again but it's farther away.

The boat jerks as it is locked in place at the side of the deck and Asuka near literally drags me out and toward the tent in the middle of the deck. We quickly make it to the opening in the side which I am led through by Asuka revealing Unit-02 in all its glory to my sight.

Asuka frolics over to Unit-02's side and then jumps to stand on the giant mech's back.

"Behold, Unit-02! The first real production type Evangelion! Better than those crumby test types!"

"I can see, Unit-02's design is much more streamline and sleek. I imagine it moves much more deftly than the others I've seen. I also like the color."

I'm not lying, design-wise Unit-02 is the superior Eva in all ways to Units 01 and 00. Although, it's mainly the pilots that determine their effectiveness in combat. I'm also saying this so that Asuka doesn't verbally football tackle me.

"You have a good pair of eyes, "Asuka says smugly.

Shortly after she says that the ship suddenly starts quaking then steadies out, I can hear the deck hands yelling outside. Asuka rushes out of the Eva containment area to the railing of the ship deck to see the Sixth Angel, Gaghiel, roam through the water surrounding the fleet. As I approach her side I hear her say "Wunderbar" under her breath and then she whips around grabbing my wrist and swiftly drags me, literally this time, through the Eva containment area grabbing a duffle bag then heading to the stairwell nearby. She shuffles through the bag a few moments then shoves a bright red bundle into my arms.

"Put it on."

She then moves to another section of the stairwell taking out her own red bundle. I quickly realize she just gave me her spare plug-suit but I put it on hastily anyway.

'I can't believe I'm the one taking what should have been Shinji's position in episode 8.'

Once I finish putting on the plug-suit and neural clips Asuka grabs hold of my wrist again and drags me to Unit-02 and into its entry-plug.

As the plug starts filling with LCL Asuka says, "Consider yourself lucky your first time in an Eva will be with me in Unit-02, do you know German?"

"No, "I reply before I'm completely submerged in LCL, I force myself to breathe the foul liquid in.

'Tastes like blood.'

"Change language to Japanese; Eva Unit-02 activate!"

Our surroundings turn into a seizure inducing kaleidoscopic light show for a bit before it turns into a view of the outside through Unit-02's eyes. As Unit-02 shifts to stand up the tent we were under wraps around us like a cloak. Now we can clearly see Gaghiel racing through the water around the fleet.

Now, just as I remember her doing, Asuka wills Unit-02 to jump from ship to ship like a game of hopscotch while ditching our makeshift cloak. The strange part is that I'm feeling phantom sensations in my limbs as though I'm the one jumping.

'Am I partially synched to Unit-02 like Shinji was? I thought that only happened when he took hold of the console with Asuka, unless there's something I'm missing here.'

Gaghiel startles me out of my thoughts by jumping out of the water and onto us where Asuka has already drawn her progressive knife and has plugged in Unit-02 to the ship. We wrestle with the giant mutated fish until it falls of the edge taking us with it. For a while we just hang there in the water while Gaghiel disappears from sight. Misato's voice suddenly echoes through the entry plug.

"Asuka, Tomoe, are you guys alright?"

"Just peachy," I respond cheekily.

"Be careful out there, B-Type equipment isn't designed for the water; you can't swim."

"Never know until you try," Asuka says.

She moves the console controls as she wills the Eva to move and nothing happens causing her to squawk in disbelief.

"Why won't you move, dammit!?"

Gaghiel once again appears in our sight charging toward us with jaws agape until they close around us. Asuka and I hiss at the stinging phantom pain of large teeth sinking into our torso. The impact of being rammed into the submerged buildings of an old city drive the breath from my lungs as well. I place my hands on the controls over Asuka's in a small hope of being able to get Unit-02 to get Gaghiel off of us.

"What are you doing!?"

"Trying to get this bastard of an overgrown fish off of us!"

Misato's voice reverberates through the entry plug once again.

"Guys hang in there, I have a plan."

After about a half minute of Misato explaining her plan to us we move into action. It's a struggle to keep Unit-02's hands in place as we try to force open Gaghiel's maw. While we're dealing with our end of things we can hear the countdown to when we need to have the jaws open for the submerging tankers to enter and blow the Angel to bits.

I can feel my stress and anxiety rise as the countdown nears the end as we've barely managed to start open Gaghiel's jaws, evidently Asuka feels the same since I can feel her body continue to tense up more and more. Just as we reach the last few moments we make head way.

'Open, open, open, open up you fucking freak of nature!'

We finally manage to pry the Angel's jaws open for the tankers to charge in. All we see is white as the cacophony of the explosions bombard our hearing. Soon our sight clears as the sensation of falling overtakes us. We manage to right ourselves before landing on a ship's deck. The visual feed suddenly cuts out as the battery runs out bathing us in darkness. No longer being synched to Unit-02 and Asuka is startling as well as extremely disorienting. I just manage to get my bearings after who knows how long before the entry plug is opened letting in the sun's cruelly bright rays revealing Misato with Shinji, Touji, and Kensuke not far behind her.

"I'm glad you're both okay," Misato says with palpable relief.

Time Skip

Early Evening – Some Harbor I Forgot the Name of

As we walk down the ramp after a long and uncomfortable day on the ship after we defeated the Angel, Asuka runs up to walk beside me still clad in her plug-suit like I am.

"You may not be bad for a rookie, but don't think you're better than me."

"I don't, you still have more experience than me. Besides, while I may have been helping you were still leading when we were in Unit-02."

"Humph, so long as you know your place."

'Does she have to be a bitch about everything?'

After having sufficiently annoyed me, she finally runs off to see if she can find Kaji. It takes a little while longer till I fully descend the length of the ramp where I rejoin Shinji and the others. Kensuke is looking dazed from the long day while Shinji has an unreadable expression and Touji seems to be critically assessing me for whatever reason.

Finally Touji speaks, "Red's really not ya color."

I give him a small smile and reply, "I know."

After a few moments a tired Misato comes up to and says, "Let's go home."

We follow her without a word.