Evangelion Fan Fiction
Evangelion Misfile
By Kraven Ergeist
Chapter Two
Shinji stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She was still in her pajamas, and the more she looked back at her new body, the more embarrassed she became. As unflattering as the cotton top was, it still did not hide the curve of her form, the slight protrusion of her newfangled bust line, the hint of the nipples poking from beneath the fabric…
"I'm not doing this!" she shouted suddenly, turning away from her reflection. "I'm not! I can't! There's just no way!"
"Shinji," Misato voice sounded from outside the bathroom door. "Don't be ridiculous. You're going to have to bathe at some point. And you're going to have to get used to that body. If people at NERV see you behaving strangely about it, it's going to cause suspicion."
"But Misato…" Shinji's blush deepened as she turned around to face her reflection. "It's like…it's like I'm in someone else's body. Someone else's girl body!"
"Shinji…" Misato's voice elevated, like a mother's does when she threatens to punish their child. "If I don't hear the sound of running water in thirty seconds, I'm going to come in there and bathe you myself! You know I'll do it! I have no issues with seeing another girl's body!"
"Ok, ok!" Shinji shouted, turning on the faucet. "I'll do it, I'll do it!"
As the bathtub filled, Shinji gulped as she clutched the edge of her top. "I'll just…keep my eyes closed…" she tugged her shirt off and tossed it on the floor. When she tried to step out of her pajamas bottoms, her foot snagged on the hem of her pants and she wobbled awkwardly on one foot before crashing to the floor. "Ow!"
"Shinji?" Misato knocked on the door. "You alright?"
"I'm fine!" Shinji gasped, kicking her uncooperative pajama bottoms off her legs. The last thing she wanted was for Misato to come in and see her like this. Unfortunately, her eyes had opened in reaction to the fall, and she had automatically looked down when she'd kicked her pants off.
"Oh god…" She squeezed her eyes shut tightly. She could have sworn her nose was bleeding.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Misato's voice sounded unsure. "We have a sync test in two hours. I don't want Ritsuko to be any more suspicious of us if we're late."
"I'm going, I'm going…" Shinji got awkwardly to her feet and stepped into the steaming water. For a while she just sat there, letting the tub fill up with water, refusing to look down. When it got to her neckline, she shut off the faucet, but could only sit there in uncomfortable silence. She knew that sooner or later, she'd have to wash up, but she just couldn't work up the nerve.
"It's awfully quiet in there," Misato chimed in. "Need me to wash your back for you?"
"Misato!" Shinji yelped. "Would you stop spying on me!"
"What, I'm not looking or anything."
"Well, you're listening!"
"Well, how else can I be sure that you're getting yourself cleaned? You can't wash up by just sitting in water you know?"
"I just…look, this is hard enough without an audience, ok? Can you just…give me some time…?"
"It's been half an hour Shinji," Misato grumbled, sounding impatient. "Stop being such a baby! You've got the best opportunity any guy's ever had to explore a girl's body – and it's not like this girl will complain when you touch her."
Shinji was sure her nose was bleeding this time. "MISATO! Do you HAVE to say it like that! Now I'm NEVER going to be able to wash up!"
"Well, fine, come on out and dry off," Misato tapped her foot impatiently. "We've got to get to NERV, and I don't think you've ever tried putting on women's clothing before."
Shinji was starting to feel overheated anyway. It might have something to do with all the blood rushing to her face.
"…You haven't, right?"
"What?"
"Worn women's clothing before?"
"Wha - no! Well…there was that time Asuka made me use her spare plug suit, but that doesn't count!"
Misato chuckled. "What about those leotards we made you wear for that synchronization training?"
"You promised me you would never speak of that to anyone!"
"Oh? Did I? I don't remember…"
"Misato!" Shinji scrambled out of the tub (thankfully the mirror was too foggy to make out her body's reflection) and grabbed a towel. "Don't you dare!"
Misato giggled like a schoolgirl (appropriate, seeing as how she was one now). "Oh, what's the harm now? Everyone thinks you're a girl now anyway. Now come on out and get dressed."
God's in his heaven, all's right with the world, but in one little corner of the universe, there is nothing more irritating than a misfile…
Shinji stared at her reflection in the mirror. The girl's school uniform somehow solidified the reality of the situation. She was a girl now. Her face was still red, though that was more from Misato having to help her put on a bra.
"You poor, poor guy…" Misato mused, grinning like a cat. "You've never gotten to practice with another girl, huh?"
"Shut up," Shinji whined, shifting uncomfortably in her girl's school uniform. "There's nothing wrong with that!"
"Yeah, you're right," Misato admitted, shrugging. "I was already in college before my first boyfriend. Maybe I can fix that this time around…" She winked at Shinji through the mirror.
"Misato!" Shinji groaned, growing redder. "Too much information!"
Misato giggled and threw her arms around Shinji's shoulders. "Aww, don't be like that! I've just never had a girl friend growing up. I feel like this is a fresh start for me!"
Shinji gulped. "But…that guy Kaworu's going to fix everything, right?"
Misato sighed. "I sure hope so…but as long as we're like this, what's the harm in enjoying it while it lasts?"
"Maybe this is fun for you," Shinji groaned. "But this isn't exactly fun for me, you know!"
Misato's expression softened. "Alright, alright…I'm sorry, Shinji. I should be more sensitive to your feelings. I guess I really am a teenager again. Don't know when to shut my big mouth…"
Shinji relaxed a little. "I'm sorry…"
"Don't be…" Misato tightened her hold around Shinji and gave her an honest hug. "So…ready to teach me how to be a pilot?"
They made their way to NERV in relative silence. They passed through the front gates without issue, and navigated their way through without question. The compound looked no different than it used to, though what could they really expect?
"I wonder who our Operations Director is?" Misato chimed in on the escalator.
"Huh?" Shinji blinked, lost in thought.
"Well, I'm certainly not filling the position anymore," Misato chuckled. "So I wonder who it is."
"Oh…" Shinji murmured. She'd honestly not thought of that. "I don't know…maybe Hyuuga or Makoto?"
"Well, I guess we'll find out soon enough," Misato shrugged. "I just don't want to be taken by surprise."
Then they got to the locker room.
"Come on, Shinji," Misato complained. "You put these things on every day…how hard can it be?"
Shinji was looking at her very feminine shaped plug suit, a weak, defeated expression on her face. It's not that she wasn't willing to put it on…but in order to do so she'd have to take her clothes off again.
"Could you…look away for a minute?" Shinji asked, meekly.
Misato nodded, fully understanding. "Take your time…"
Shinji gulped as she undid her school uniform and folded it as neatly as she could. It took her a minute to figure out the bra, but she eventually got it unhooked.
"Everything alright?" Misato asked, less than ten feet away, one hand on her hip with her back turned.
"Yes!" Shinji blurted, dropped the undergarment onto the floor. She quickly stepped out of her underwear and tossed the two pieces of clothing into the locker with her uniform.
The plug suit was familiar in its uncomfortable tightness, though now it was squeezing some parts of her body more than others…and some parts, namely the part between her legs, less so.
"This feels weird, even for me…" Shinji complained, turning to face Misato. "Um…ready…"
"Alright…" Misato said, turning around before smiling, weakly. "Umm…could you turn around now, please?"
Shinji's face lit up before she turned her back quickly. "Oh! R-right!"
Misato giggled and quickly undressed, pulling out what looked like Rei's plug suit, only with some purple trim.
"Ok, so…" Misato held the electro-elastic suit in her hands. "How does this work?"
Shinji stood up straight. "Uh, well…first you make sure it's open all the way…it opens from the back. Then you step into the legs one foot at a time…you kind of have to wiggle your feet to get them all the way in…"
All Shinji could hear was the squeak of skin against PVC, and her face went red as all she could do was imagine what was happening behind her.
"Ok, and then the arms?" Misato offered.
"Um…right!" Shinji blurted. "One at a time…"
More rustling.
"Ok, now what?" Misato turned to look at herself. The suit still hung loose around her body, and looked kind of silly, all things considered.
"Now you zip up the back and press the vacuum seal on your wrist," Shinji offered.
"Umm…I can't reach the zipper," She heard Misato say helplessly. "Can you get it for me?"
"What!" Shinji blurted.
"Don't be such a baby!" Misato spat. "All the important parts are covered up already, so what's the big deal?"
Shinji gulped and turned around, and saw Misato with her back turned, the rear zipper all the way down to her waist, her arms crossed beneath her breasts and head turned to look at her over her shoulders.
"Just…get it over with…" Misato huffed, looking somewhat embarrassed herself.
Shinji tried not to stare at the pale skin of her back as she found the zipper at the small of her back, and brought it up to seal her suit off from the outside world.
"There, now was that so hard?" Misato smiled, turning around. "Now, all that's left is…"
Without waiting for Shinji's instruction, she found the button on her wrist that sucked all the air out of her suit and tightened it around her body like a latex glove.
"Whoa!" Misato yelped, wincing and drawing her arms up over her chest. "Damn, this thing is tight! You mean you guys actually pilot in these? God, I had no idea…"
Shinji tried not to pass out as Misato turned to stare at herself in the mirror.
"Still…kinda flattering, all things considered…" she put her hands on her hips. "What do you think, Shinji?"
Shinji just cringed. "Ummm…"
Misato turned to stare at her backside in the mirror. "Man, I have got to go on a diet…don't you think this makes my butt look big?"
"Yeah, Katsuragi, you look like a cow," came a sarcastic voice.
Both girls turned to see a familiar looking redhead, followed by a similarly familiar looking albino.
"Huh…you guys are actually early for once," Asuka noticed, putting her school bag on the bench in the center of the room. "I guess miracles do happen…"
Shinji almost choked. "A-Asuka? A-Ayanami?"
"Hmmm?" Asuka glanced her way. "What are you looking at, Ikari? You got something to say?"
"Umm…I…" her voice trailed off as Rei immediately stepped to her locker and began to disrobe.
"Well, if you don't have anything to say, then don't bother me," Asuka said, tugging off her shirt.
Shinji averted her eyes just in time. "Uhhh…"
"Shin…Shina?" Misato remembered her girl name at the last minute, grabbing her by the wrist. "Let's get going…"
Shinji, red faced, couldn't say anything as Misato dragged her out of the locker room, with Asuka staring in confusion.
"What was that all about?"
As the door closed, Misato and Shinji both breathed a sigh of relief.
"Phew," Misato exhaled. "That could have gotten real awkward…"
"Yeah…" Shinji leaned against the wall, looking exhausted. "That wasn't awkward enough already…but, umm…thanks…for the save, and all…"
Misato winked. "No sweat. I couldn't leave you in there to deal with those two. You'd pass out! Besides, we have to look out for each other now."
Shinji nodded, smiling weakly. As embarrassed as all this made her, she was glad she had an ally in Misato, albeit in a situation neither of them wanted.
"But anyway, you haven't answered my question," Misato pouted as they walked.
"What question?"
Misato twirled and posed with one hand behind her head, the other on her hip. "How do I look in this plug suit, Shinji?"
Shinji's nosebleed practically rocketed her backwards.
"MISATO!"
Misato cackled like an idiot as she dashed off towards Central Dogma. "Hahahahahaha!"
The two of them hurried off the test chamber, when Misato suddenly froze in her footsteps.
"D…Dad?"
Though Shinji did not recognize the dark haired man in the lab coat waiting for them in the computer lab looking in on the test plugs, Misato's blood ran cold when Dr. Katsuragi turned to face the two of them.
"Oh, good, you're here," he said coolly. "Go on into the test chamber."
Misato was frozen stiff. "Dad…? Is that…really you…?"
Shinji looked back and forth between Misato and her father. Hadn't she told her that her father had died during Second Impact? But then…she hadn't technically been born until eleven months after Second Impact…that meant that he had to have been around until at least two months after he had supposedly died.
But why was he working here at NERV?
"Hmmm?" Dr. Katsuragi mused, looking at his daughter with a peculiar expression. "What's the matter, Misato?"
Misato couldn't tear her gaze away, her mouth forming words, but her breath unable to rise to give voice to them.
"Umm…" Shinji, in a rare display of bravery, took Misato by the hand and waved at the doctor, smiling weakly. "Sorry…Misato's not feeling well today…I told her not to come, but she insisted…is there some way she could skip her sync test today? Ahaha…hahaha…"
Shinji was sweating profusely. She had never stood up to anyone like this before, especially not while fibbing. But it was clear to her that Misato needed help with this. And this was help that a friend could give.
"Oh, I see…" Dr. Katsuragi checked a computer screen and pushed a button. "Ritsuko, can we reschedule Misato's sync test for tomorrow? She's not feeling well today."
Ritsuko's voice sounded over the comm. link, something about Misato acting strangely that morning.
"Yes, definitely reschedule," Dr. Katsuragi nodded. "I'm going to send her home. Recalibrate the test chamber for the other three and stand by."
As he spoke, Shinji tugged Misato around the corner and looked helplessly at her. "I'm sorry, Misato…I shouldn't have done that…it just…looked like you needed help, so I just…"
"No, Shinji…you really saved me…" Misato shuddered, without meeting her gaze. "I think…I think I do need to go home…I've got to process this…"
Shinji nodded, looking away. "Ok…are you…going to be okay?"
Misato lifted her head and gave Shinji her most convincing smile. It wasn't as convincing as she would have liked. "I'll be ok…what about you? You're going to be on your own with Asuka and Rei…you sure you're up for that?"
Shinji shuddered. "I'll manage somehow…I guess…"
Misato nodded. "Just don't do anything I wouldn't do, and you'll be just fine…"
Shinji managed a hollow chuckle. "Great. That's helpful."
Misato laughed, and this one didn't sound quite as fake.
"I'm going to go now…" she said, turning to go. "And Shinji?"
Shinji looked up as Misato turned to give the girl an honest smile.
"Thank you. For helping me back there. I know it couldn't have been easy for you…"
Shinji blushed, shrugging as she looked away. "We have to look out for each other…remember?"
"Well…still…thank you…" she bit her lip, feeling like there was something else she should be saying, but it wouldn't come to her. So she just turned to run down the hall, without turning to look at the ghost behind her.
Rei and Asuka arrived moments later.
"Hey Ikari," Asuka spoke up when she arrived. "Where's Katsuragi going? She was running back to the locker room in a hurry."
Shinji tensed seeing the two of them. "Ummm…she isn't feeling well…"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh…sure she isn't…the director goes so easy on her. It must be nice to have your father as the head of Project E. Then again, it's probably not as nice as having your father as the commander of NERV, am I right?"
Shinji winced. "Ummm…"
"Or the Operations Director," Rei chimed in, looking at Asuka.
Asuka turned on her. "What? What's that supposed to mean?"
"Simply that we all have parents in positions of authority here at NERV," Rei stated. "None of us are liable for any more special treatment than the other."
"Oh yeah? Well, what about your parents? Where are they?"
Rei merely entered the test chamber. "We are wasting time."
Asuka grinned as she followed her. "Ohhhhh, did that strike a nerve?"
Shinji wanted to speak up and protest Asuka's teasing, but she was nervous enough after lying to Misato's father, and didn't want to have a needless confrontation with Asuka the way she was now.
Synchronization testing, as it turned out, wasn't any more difficult than it was before. She was worried her new body would cause some kind of interference, but she managed to maintain synchronization with her Eva.
When testing was over, she spent an extra amount of time in the shower, not that she was spending much time washing himself, though she did managed to shampoo her hair. She just wanted to give Rei and Asuka ample time to finish showering, get dressed, and leave the locker room before she had to go out there and change herself.
She peeked her head out and saw no one, so she turned off the tap and wrapped a towel around herself as she stepped out into the locker room.
Only then did she see Rei standing by her locker, staring at her.
"Gah!" she recoiled suddenly. "A-Ayanami! What are you doing here!"
Rei simply stood there. "Ikari…you have been behaving oddly today…"
Shinji blanched, still clutching the towel around her body. Rei, for her part, was fully clothed, her hair still damp.
"H-have I? I haven't…noticed anything…different…"
Rei frowned. "You are not behaving like yourself."
Shinji gulped. "I'm not…? How…how do I normally…act?"
"You are normally much more comfortable around your fellow pilots," Rei stated. "Today, you have been intentionally avoiding us."
Shinji blushed, looking away. "Oh…I…I'm sorry, Ayanami…I guess…I just…I've just been going through some…changes, lately…and…"
Rei's eyes widened. "Oh. I see…"
She pointed at Shinji – more specifically, at her bust line.
"You are a…'late bloomer' then. I understand."
Shinji's face reddened very suddenly. "Uh…wha-?"
Rei turned to go. "You should direct any questions you have towards Dr. Akagi. She is your guardian, and familiar with female medical concerns. I hope you trust your fellow pilots enough to confide in us about such matters. If not, then in me at least."
She opened the locker room door.
"Farewell."
Shinji's face was beat red. "Wh-wha-?" she looked down at her bust line hidden beneath her towel and shook her head. "I'm not that small, am I!"
When she realized what she just said, she suddenly became very quiet.
"God damn it, Kaworu…" she grumbled. "You'd better be working fast out there!"