Chapter Eighteen:
Baby Steps
"Normal humans can't just fire laser beams from their eyes, are you a moron?"
-Kyon
Sohryu stomped off after the sync test, scaring Mikuru with a glare as she went. She was beyond pissy about Mikuru of all people breaking her sync record, on her first try of all things. I still didn't a believe it myself. The doctor called for the girls to stay in their Evas, they were going to begin training soon.
After a shower and a change of clothes, I was invited to the test chamber to watch as Doctor Akagi instructed the girls on how to pilot the Evas. I found myself standing in a large room filled with computers and various technicians, including the three from the bridge I was familiar with, Miss Ibuki and Mister Makoto were back as well. There was a large and very thick window in the front of the room, where I could see Both the girl's Evas standing in an enormous bare room made completely out of white tiles. This is where they trained me a few times outside the battle simulator, so I had a pretty good idea what the girls would be doing.
Doctor Akagi picked up a microphone and spoke into it, causing her voice to boom into the test chamber,
"Okay girls, I just want you to do a few basic excercises, Suzumiya, try walking"
I heard Haruhi's voice reply back through the speakers in the ceiling, "Okay, this will be easy!"
The yellow Eva took a ponderous step forward, then another, and then... she fell over.
"Hey what gives? This was easier in Kyon's Eva!"
Miss Ibuki chuckled as Doctor Akagi replied, "That's because Kyon was helping you, you're on your own here, Suzumiya"
Haruhi made a groaning noise as doctor Akagi spoke again, "Asahina, your turn, just focus on walking"
"Okay, I'll try!" Mikuru's voice rang out, eager to please.
The pink Eva took a cautionary step forward, then a few more, barely stumbling at all, she walked to the other side of the room and asked, "Is this good?"
"Yes, excellent Asahina, you're a natural!" Doctor Akagi praised.
"How can you be better than me, Miku-chan?" Haruhi complained.
"I'm sorry, it just comes naturally for me!" Mikuru replied proudly.
"Alright Suzumiya, try again"
Haruhi tried again, and I could tell she was putting a lot of effort just to keep the Eva upright, She managed a few more steps than last time, but fell over again.
Doctor Akagi leaned back in her chair, thinking for a moment then leaned forward as Haruhi's Eva shakily picked itself up.
"Okay, new plan," Doctor Akagi said with an amused grin, "Asahina, I want you to get behind unit five and hold it's arms down"
"Like this?" Mikuru asked, looking as if she was about to perform some elaborate wrestling move on unit five.
"Yes, just like that, now hold her tight. Suzumiya, I want you to break out of her grip, that is all"
"What? This is retarded! I can barely walk and you expect me to learn how to wrestle?"
Doctor Akagi ignored her and watched the Evas, still wearing an amused grin, the only thing that was missing was a bowl of popcorn on her lap.
"What exactly are you trying to acomplish?" I asked, feeling a little angry that Akagi was enjoying Haruhi's frustration.
She let out a chuckle, "Imprinting, Kyon-kun"
"Imprinting?"
"Yes, like throwing a child into a lake to teach them how to swim, if Suzumiya can figure out how to get out of Asahina's grip, everything else should be easy for her"
"Oh" I said plainly, then after a moment of silence added, "You're enjoying this too much"
"Doctor Akagi always was a sadistic bitch" A male voice called out jokingly from behind.
I turned around to see the man in the pictures at Haruhi's apartment, he was a tall man with short brown hair and glasses, he wore a lab coat, a good natured smile had a bad case of five o clock shadow. He apeared to be in his late forties with the telltale signs of age creeping up on him, but his eyes seemed to sparkle with the energy of youth, much like Haruhi's.
"Ah, Suzumiya, come to see how your girls are doing?" Doctor Akagi said with a sly grin,
"Yes I have, and I'd have more time to do so if you weren't such a slave driver"
Doctor Akagi chuckled and said, "Well, if you weren't so slow, maybe work wouldn't pile up so much"
Mister Suzumiya snorted and looked out the window, "Hey you know me, I like to double check the math, slow and steady wins the race, after all"
"Very true, in a subjective manner" Akagi replied tauntingly
"So is your IQ" Mister Suzumiya said, causing both of them to laugh at some inside joke.
He turned around to look at me, "Ah, you must be Kyon Ikari, the girls have told me so much about you" He said with a smile.
"They talk about me, huh?" I said with an embarassed smile,
"Are you kidding? They never shutup!" he offered his hand,
"Keishiro Suzumiya, I'm a bio engineer of project E, pleased to meet you"
I shook his hand, "Likewise" I said, I like this guy already.
"I hope Haruhi hasn't been giving you too much trouble, I've heard about the plug incident last year"
I chuckled nervously, "Oh that, it's fine, Haruhi is Haruhi after all"
"So very true, exuse me" he turned to doctor Akagi and gestured to the microphone, "May I?"
"Knock yourself out" she replied, handing it to him.
Haruhi's Eva was on the ground now, being pinned down by Mikuru's eva.
"Poor girl, her condition only makes piloting harder, what was the commander thinking, putting Haru-chan in an Eva?" He said darkly, still holding the microphone but not pressing the button.
"Condition?" I asked curiously.
He turned back to me and smiled, "Oh it's nothing too bad, just attention deficit disorder"
"I knew it!" I blurted out,
"You're just as perceptive as they say," He complimented, "But yes, there's no doubt in my mind that she's got it, I've never had time to take her to a doctor, but I've read the medical journals, she has all the signs"
"Dammit Mikuru, let go!" Haruhi yelled, frustrated
"No!"
With a sigh, Mister Suzumiya pressed down on the button and said, "Don't swear, Haru-chan"
"Dad?" Both girls cried out in unison. Mikuru calls him dad too, apparently, to his face anyway.
"Yes girls, I'm here. Haru-chan, you need to focus more"
"But it's hard~!" Haruhi whined.
"I know sweet heart, but if you try hard enough, you can break out of Miku-chan's grip easily"
"I'm trying!"
"All you have to do is roll her over your shoulder, it's easy, I promise!"
"Okay!" she said eagerly trying to impress her dad
"Keep up the good work girls, you both make me very proud"
He handed the microphone back to Akagi and said, "So, have they given you much trouble, you old hag?"
Doctor Akagi ignored his remark and continued smiling, "Not too much, if we could just get Suzumiya to sit still for five minutes we wouldn't have so many problems, she's got the energy, after all. As for Asahina, I have less problems, She shows a lot of promise, but she's just so timid"
Mister Suzumiya let out a snort, "That's my girls, alright!"
He looked out the window and sighed, "I can't help but worry about them," He turned to me, "But I'm glad we've got you around, Kyon, Haruhi listens to you for some reason"
"I still haven't figured that out, myself" I said quietly
He smiled again and said, "Listen, I usually have a no boyfriends rule, but Haruhi seems to be very taken with you, just keep her safe, alright? Both my girls, I mean."
"Of course," I said smiling, "keeping everyone alive is my top priority"
"Even Sohryu?" He said, laughing to himself,
"Yeah, even her, I take it you heard about what she did to Mikuru?" I asked curiously
"Yeah, kudos on how you took revenge on her by the way, I laughed my ass off when I read the battle report about that skirmish on the coast"
"She had it coming" I replied, feeling a little guilty, I don't really care for Sohryu, but I guess it wasn't right to let her get thrashed either... even if she did have it coming.
He looked at his watch, "Well I'd better get going, I've got a mountain of paperwork, see you around"
He then left quickly, leaving me to wonder just what a bio engineer does to keep himself so busy.
There was a loud thud minutes later as Haruhi finally managed to get Mikuru off of her,
"I did it! Did you see me dad? ...dad?"
Akagi picked up the microphone, "I'm sorry Suzumiya, he had to go, but you did good, think you can handle some different excercises now?"
there was a sigh over the speaker, "...Yeah I guess so"
The girl's took a quick break as the technicians analyzed everything they had recorded, then around five minutes later, Doctor Akagi started explaining to the girls what an AT field was and how to use it.
"Alright, for this excercise I want you two to learn how to raise you're AT fields, a lot of it's instinctive, so it shouldn't be too hard, are you girl's ready?"
"Yes mam!"
"Alright..."
I could tell Haruhi was pretty disapointed that her dad couldn't stay and watch, I was feeling really bad for her.
"Okay Asahina, I want you to punch Suzumiya as hard as you can"
"Now just hold it right there! Why are you torturing Haruhi like that?" I yelled
"Relax Kyon-kun it's just a basic imprinting excercise"
That still doesn't make it okay...
"D-did you say punch her? I can't do that!"
Akagi smiled and said, "It's alright, if you can help teach Suzumiya how to use her AT field, you won't have to worry about her getting hurt in a real battle"
"Well... since you put it that way..."
Haruhi's Eva braced itself in a defensive position as Mikuru's launched a pathetic punch at her, barely making the yellow Eva move, "Did it work?" Mikuru asked
"You'll know when it works, try again, and don't be so reluctant"
"Okay..."
"Yeah, come on Miku-chan, you hit like a girl!"
"I am a girl!"
"Just pretend I'm Sohryu!" That seemed to do the trick,
With a frustrated grunt, Mikuru hit unit five harder, almost knocking it off balance,
"Ow!"
"It didn't work did it?"
"I'm afraid not. Suzumiya, remember what I said before, imagine a shield around you"
"I'm trying, it's not working!"
"It takes some getting used to, keep trying. Asahina, hit her again"
"Ow!"
"Again"
"Ow!"
"Again"
there was a boom as everyone was knocked back, I landed flat on my ass. While the techs were scrambling around checking their computers for damage, I looked up to see the glass had small fractures, whatever just happened, that glass must be really strong to stay intact like that.
"Mikuru! Are you okay, I'm sorry!" Haruhi cried out worriedly. I got up and stumbled to the window in time to see Haruhi helping Mikuru up
Doctor Akagi climbed off the floor and gripped the table, holding her head,
"What the hell, was that an EMP blast?" She yelled in surprise
"No sempai, it was unit five's AT field, have a look!" Miss Ibuki replied, pointing to her screen.
Doctor Akagi rushed over and looked at the readings on Miss Ibuki's computer, "That's never happened before! How could Suzumiya's will be so strong?" Akagi asked herself.
Haruhi's will huh? I don't envy any angel on the recieving end of that, I just hope Mikuru's alright...
Doctor Akagi rushed over and grabbed the microphone, "Asahina, are you okay? You were just hit with enough force to crush a semi truck! How are you feeling?"
My heart leapt into my throat as we waited in silence for a moment, then she coughed a little, "Ugh... I'm okay, I feel a little dizzy..."
I let out a relieved sigh and bowed my head, wondering if Shinji did something to keep her safe.
"Okay, let's stop the training for today-"
She was cut off as Mikuru screamed "Haruhi look out!"
A huge metal tile fell out of the ceiling and was hurtling towards Haruhi's Eva, before I had time to cry out, there was a flash of blue light and the metal tile disintegrated.
I stood there shaking with worry, did... did I just see... what I thought I saw?
"Did a laser beam just come out of unit six's eye?" Mister Aoba asked incrediously.
The Mikuru beam is back!
"Confirmed, that was a blast of concentrated light!" Mister Makoto replied
"This shouldn't even be possible, not out of organic tissue at least!" Doctor Akagi cried in frustration.
Training for the girls was put on hiatus until the next day, so Haruhi and Mikuru would have time to get over the shock of what had just happened. I met the girls outside of the locker room after they had a shower and changed. Mikuru was limping slightly as Haruhi helped her walk,
"I am so, so sorry, Miku-chan!" Haruhi apologized fervently as they continued walking.
"It's okay, really! You didn't know that would happen"
I ran over and wrapped them both in a hug, "I'm so glad you're both okay!" I cried out, squeezing them tightly,
"You're hurting me Kyon-kun!" Mikuru yelped
"Sorry!" I said, breaking off the hug instantly.
"You know what happened already?" Haruhi asked in shock,
"I was watching the whole time" I replied happily.
"So... you met my dad then?" She asked curiously,
"Yeah, he's a pretty nice guy, worries a lot though."
"That's my dad!" Haruhi replied proudly.
On impulse, I pulled her over and kissed her deeply, much to the embarassement of Mikuru.
"Well that was random!" Haruhi said, breaking off the kiss.
"I'm just really happy you're okay"
Haruhi smiled brightly, "I'm starving, let's get something to eat!"
I'd expect nothing less from Haruhi, she can shake off anything and keep moving ahead, I love that about her.
That day we went out to eat at a local noodle shop, and I was content to listen to both girls chat like crazy as we ate. I sat next to Haruhi in a booth while Mikuru sat across from us.
"I can't believe your doing so well Miku-chan! I'm proud so proud of you!" Haruhi declared before gobbling down an enourmous pile of noodles.
"Oh heheh... thank you! I'm surprised too" Mikuru replied adorably, picking at her food.
"You alright, Mikuru?" I asked with concern.
"Yeah... I'm just not very hungry, I'm sorry!" She apologized sheepishly
"It's alright, you must still be in shock" I reasured her.
"Yeah... it was pretty scary what happened today... I'm just glad everyone's okay!"
I decided to spend the night with Haruhi again that night, oddly enough it was Mikuru who asked me to stay this time, Haruhi told me she felt really safe when I was around, so I didn't argue, I didn't really mind staying over at this point anyway.
Over the next few days, Doctor Akagi spent her time drilling the girls with more conventional excercises outside in the geo front, for fear of another accident. Neither the Mikuru beam or Haruhi's AT blast made another appearance, and other than Haruhi losing her balance a few times, training sessions were accident free. I had to admire Haruhi's determination though, she was trying really hard. It's strange that the girl who's amazing at everything she tries has so much trouble focusing, and the girl who's so timid took to piloting a walking death machine so easily, but I've learned to expect these kind of things in bizzaro world.
A week went by with spectacular improvement on both Haruhi's and Mikuru's part, much to the distaste of Sohryu, who continued to ignore me at home. Shinji popped in a few times to make idle conversation and Rei made a complete recovery, all in all, it was a pretty good week. Ryoko still hadn't recovered yet, though, which worried me, but Shinji told me that everything should be fine, so I tried not to think about it. Nothing else worth mentioning happened until the middle of next week during lunch time.
It was a barably warm day so we sat at the usual picnic table, enjoying a cool breeze.
I feel bad for it, but I've been feeling uncomfortable around Rei lately, but who wouldn't if they had seen what I'd seen? I didn't let it bother me too much though, she was still my friend after all.
I sat next to Haruhi like I had been everyday since we started dating, and sat across from Rei and Mikuru, they seemed to be getting along as well lately. Mikuru always seemed nervous around Rei, but recently she had engaged in more conversations with her, it was nice to see those two opening up more.
"I can't wait to fight the next angel, it'll be super special awesome!" Haruhi declared, already finished with her bento and holding my hand on the table,
"Just don't do anything stupid, I told your dad I'd keep you two safe" I remarked, I didn't like her eagerness to prove herself in battle, I knew she was capable, but I couldn't bare the thought of her getting hurt.
"Oh I'll be safe, those angel's won't even know what hit em'!" She declared, and it will probably be up to me to make sure they won't know what hit them. Although things had been looking up lately, I still didn't like the situation one bit, who knows what will happen next?
"Uh... hiyas guys, do you minds if I sit with you?" Tsuruya asked, aproaching us with her head bowed, she looked deppressed .
"Sure, what's wrong?" Haruhi asked with concern.
Mikuru scooted over to let her sit down,
"Stupid Sohryu stole my friends..." She pouted sadly.
How does that girl manage to make so many friends with that fake personality?
"You can sit with us anytime you like, Miss Tsuruya!" Mikuru reasured her happily.
"Thankies!" she replied, flipping to a cheerful demeanor.
Tsuruya looked to Haruhi and smiled excitedly,
"So I heards you two were pilots now, That's super special awesomes!"
"I know right?" Haruhi agreed excitedly.
"What is super special awesome?" Rei asked curiously
Before Haruhi could answer that, all our cell phones started ringing
(A/N: So there you have it, Mikuru is a better Eva pilot than Haruhi. It just made sense to me since Haruhi is so wild and unpredictable, and although it's never confirmed in cannon, I firmly believe that girl has ADD. And I have ADD too, pretty badly actually.
A little about the new Evas and their abilities, Haruhi did it subconciously. That's a great excuse, it's like saying 'uhh... a wizard did it' I don't think the Mikuru beam really needs any explaining, since a wizard did indeed do it, I saw him do it too, seriously. No, but I liked the Mikuru beam, so I added it. As for Haruhi's AT blast... as I understand it, AT fields are controlled by the pilots will, I could be wrong, but that's how I'm running this story, and who has the greatest force of will in perhaps any anime ever? Haruhi Suzumiya of course, so I figured, why not incorporate her fiery determination into her absolute territory? It's a defining feature that makes Haruhi well, Haruhi, and absolute territory is what makes you, you, so it makes sense to me.
So im curious, what did you think of my OC, Keishiro Suzumiya? Does he make a believable father for Haruhi in your opinion? I always imagined Haruhi's parents would worry about her a lot, she's kind of out of control in my opinion.
Super special awesome is a common phrase used in Yugioh The Abridged Series(by littlekuribo, or however it's spelled, I don't own it), I like that phrase a lot, so I added it.