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Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival. -C.S. Lewis
Chapter 8- Training Day
Asuka was having a bad day.
First of all, when she arrived at school, Shinji in tow, she discovered that she was no longer the center of attention, and this inflamed her sensibilities deeply. Fortunately Hikari and most of her circle of groupies had the good sense to flock to her as she arrived, but the male portion of the student body seemed utterly obsessed with Miss Makinami, who was in turn gushing about how wonderful Superman was and that she, in fact, "totally kissed him" a fact corroborated by Kensuke's video of the event, a copy of which was available on YouTube. Asuka was starting to wonder why NERV hadn't had him assassinated or something. She almost felt a pang of sympathy for Ayanami, who was utterly ignored as she returned to the her seat, but this faded quickly as the pale, quiet girl seemed not to miss the attention and settled into a desk to stare off into space. Points of fact, the only boys not sniffing after Mari were Shinji (who Asuka presumed was too timid) and Toji, which truly confused her.
Secondly, the Angels couldn't wait two full damned days before attacking again, although this one was sadistic enough to wait until after she'd wasted a whole day at school with kindergarten material to launch its attack. This set in motion an most unfortunate chain of events that led inexorably to her current position, that is to say, standing in front of an old man in a skin tight outfit with her hair all sticky with bloody smelling goop standing next to Tits McMoron, being dressed down for her alleged failure.
This is how it happened.
Asuka closed her eyes as she felt the rush of the launch pressing her into the seat of Unit-01's plug at nearly two hundred miles an hour, bringing her to the surface on the leeward side of the city, towards the waterfront. The afternoon sun made the water look vaguely like LCL, and in the distance was the "aquatic humanoid" that was approaching the city, desperately in need of being blown up. Asuka felt very much like blowing something up, and at Misato's instruction, gathered up a pallet rifle and started making her way towards the target, stalking amongst the ruined buildings at the city's edge, where the old city had been submerged by Second Impact.
Somebody really should clean that stuff up.
Asuka took cover behind a building and watched the Angel approach. It was bipedal, and reminded her vaguely of the first one, in the footage she saw from Rei's battle with it. It was hunched, with long, gangly arms and heavy, armored shoulders. It plodded slowly along the waterfront, giving them plenty of time to intercept it before it reached the city.
That was when Mari, in Unit-02, vaulted over the line of ruins screaming "RAMMING SPEED!" and ran full-tilt at the Angel. Startled, Asuka opened up on the target, firing short, three round bursts at the core, hoping Mari was well-trained enough to neutralize the AT field. Hopefully, that was her plan.
Her plan turned out, in fact, to be "hit the Angel with my spear until it dies". She executed this plan by hitting it full on with a two-handed downward strike that split the thing from head to groin, both halves lolling over drunkenly. She yanked the spear free, took a step back, and leaned it on the Eva's shoulder.
"I got this!" she announced cheerfully.
Then the two halves started to move…
"…massive embarrassment," Fuyutsuki's voice snapped her back to reality. "and seriously calls into question your ability to pilot, Makinami, and your ability to lead a team, Pilot Soryu. I am beginning to think the Commander's faith in your abilities was misplaced."
Asuka looked around the office and said nothing. It reminded her of the offices of her professors back in Germany, who never heard what she had to say either, with his books and his papers and the ticking grandmother clock on the shelf behind him. It looked oddly out of place, some sort of fossil of a lost age. She clenched her fists at her side and waited for it.
"After the N2 mine was dropped, the Angel reverted to a defensive state, erecting an AT field we have no hope of penetrating. We have calculated it will resume its assault in seven days. I want you both to remember while you are training for the renewed offensive that the survival of the human race rests on your shoulders. Report to the Operations Director for the details of your new training."
He dismissed them with a wave of his hand, and then went back to his reports.
SSSSS
Shinji Ikari walked into Misato's apartment with a sigh, shrugging his backpack into his hands. Behind him, Toji and Kensuke followed, probably hoping for a chance at some patented Shinji Home Cooking or a glimpse of his roommates in states of undress or both, or they would have, had Hikari not accompanied them to visit Asuka, who had missed school along with Mari. All four of them stopped in the hallway when they heard shouting from the living room.
"It's not my fault you have canned hams stuffed down your shirt! You have no balance!"
"At least I have something to balance!"
"Cut it out!" Misato snapped as the small group made their way into the room.
Toji and Kensuke stared, unable to process what they were seeing. Misato, Asuka and Mari were standing in the middle of the room on mats marked with multicolored dots hooked up to a game console attached to Misato's television, both girls in leotards, their chests heaving as they fought to catch their breath. Mari stared at Asuka as if she would turn to stone, and Asuka was apparently trying as hard as she could to make Mari's head explode through sheer force of scowl. Misato stood next to them in a skin tight bodyglove of her own, a towel draped over her shoulders. Rei stood at the window, staring at the afternoon sky, equally sweaty but far more composed.
Kensuke turned to Shinji.
"One day, when all of this is done, I will don robes and walk the earth, spreading word of your legend far and wide. Men must know of the glory that is Shinji Ikari."
Shinji groaned.
"Uh," Hikari said sheepishly, "Hi?"
"Asuka," Misato sighed. "Take a break. Rei, it's your turn on the mat with Mari."
Misato's cool gaze fell on Kensuke. "You. If I see a video of this on Youtube, I will murder you."
"I understand," Kensuke nodded gravely.
While the guests took up positions on the couch to watch, Shinji set about preparing for dinner, glancing occasionally at the goings on in the living room. Hikari cheered Rei and Mari on as Asuka leaned panting against the back wall, staring more intently at them. The ballet music Misato chose soothed Shinji, and Rei moved easily in time to it, mimicking Mari's movements perfectly without even looking at her. The television flashed, 100%.
Asuka padded into the kitchen in her bare feet, a dark look on her face, and plopped down in the chair beside Shinji. He reached into the refrigerator and handed her a bottle of water and she took it wordlessly, uncapped it, and downed half of it in a single gulp.
"You shouldn't drink so fast. It'll give you a cramp," he said, chopping some leeks.
"Shut up," she replied amiably.
"I love you too," he muttered.
She eyed him angrily… that was angry, right? Was she blushing, or was she flushed from exercise? He didn't dare stare at her too closely, but he could see the heat waves rising off her skin. The sound of Hikari, Toji and Kensuke clapping distracted them both and Rei stepped off the mat, chest heaving but still pale as a ghost, and stalked silently into the kitchen.
"Asuka," Misato called, "You're up."
Huffing, Asuka swallowed the rest of her water and headed back into the living room, bumping Rei's arm as she passed. Rei either didn't notice or didn't care, and instead sat primly in the seat the German once occupied.
"Ikari," Said Rei.
"Hi Rei, how are you?"
"I am thirsty. May I have some water?"
He pulled open the fridge and produced a bottle of water for her, and she took it wordlessly. He studied her for a moment. "I meant, how do you feel?"
"Tired."
"Emotionally, Rei."
She blinked and looked at him. "I… I do not know."
Well, that was different.
"Rei," Misato called, "It's your turn with Asuka. Come on."
Mari did not join him in the kitchen, instead plopping on the couch next to Kensuke, who was perfectly comfortable with the girl throwing an arm around him and leaning back with an exaggerated yawn, a look of pure concentration on his face as tried desperately not to let his gaze fall on her chest. Or rather, to stare at her chest while appearing not to. Shinji shook his head and turned back to cooking, and then the doorbell rang. Now what?
As Misato ignored it, it fell to Shinji to open it, and so he wandered out of the kitchen to find Kaji at the door.
"Mister Kaji?"
"I'm here to see how the training is going," he said cheerfully, walking into the apartment as if he owned the place. "Well, Katsuragi?"
Misato eyed him warily. "Better than I expected," she said, bundling her towel over her chest under the pretext of wiping her face. "Okay," she said, "It's my turn. Asuka, stay there, you're with me."
"You're dancing too?" Shinji said.
"Thank you, God" Kensuke whispered.
"Shut up, Kensuke," Toji palmed his face.
"Yes," Misato said, tossing her towel aside. "A commanding officer should never ask her subordinates to do anything that she's not willing to do herself." She looked at Kaji "You. Get out."
Kaji sighed. "Mind if I borrow Shinji for a minute?"
"Borrow him outside. Don't let him corrupt you, Shinji."
Asuka glanced at… one of them, Shinji wasn't sure, as they left, Shinji following Kaji into the hall. The door slid close behind him and Shinji followed him down the stairs and out to Kaji's car. He opened the door for him.
"We're going for a ride."
Shinji shrugged and hopped in. Kaji followed suit, the car rumbled to life, and he pulled out into traffic with an assertiveness that actually made Shinji flinch, although not so much. As the man took to the road, Shinji found himself admiring him. Unlike Misato, his breakneck speed was accompanied by a calm sort of control, as if the car were an extension of his body. They slalomed around a corner and Kaji slowed to a fairly normal speed, lazily shifting the car into fifth gear before planting that all too familiar cigarette in his mouth.
Shinji glanced at his lungs. "You're lucky, you know. If you quit now, it'll be like you haven't smoked."
"I really don't," he smirked, "it's a spy thing. I need to be suave, you know?"
"How do you stay so calm about all this?"
"Hey now, you're the indestructible one."
Shinji sighed. "Okay. So what is it?"
"Right to the point, eh? I don't have much to tell you. Actually, I need you to do something for me."
"What would that be?" Shinji glanced out the window, watching the buildings slide by.
"Ask some questions for me. I've noticed a pattern and I want to confirm it."
"What questions?" Shinji said, getting a little annoyed now.
"I have to put this delicately… I've noticed that a lot of NERV personnel are single parents, and almost all of them are fathers. Among the pilots, Rei is a total mystery and Asuka and Mari's mothers are both deceased."
He pulled the car to a stop. "Listen to me. You must never mention Asuka's mother, do you understand?"
Shinji nodded. "I won't."
"If she brings it up, fine, I trust you not to say something stupid. She doesn't want to talk about it, so let it lay. She died when Asuka was very young, and there's something strange about it."
"Strange?" Shinji glanced at him. "Like what?"
"Like, before she started working for GEHIRN, the predecessor to NERV, she didn't exist. Like she just walked out of thin air with a doctorate. She ended up marrying some scientist there. Asuka's father. Anyway, like I said, it's an open wound. Leave it alone."
"Yes, sir."
"Good boy. Speaking of Asuka, how is she?"
"Fine, I guess. She doesn't get along with Mari too well."
"No, they're too much alike. So, have you asked Asuka out yet?"
Shinji blinked. "What?"
"For somebody with about ten different kinds of vision, kid, you're pretty blind."
With that, Kaji drove back to the apartment, and let him off at the door. "I'll be back later this week to see how it goes."
Shinji quailed when he walked back into the apartment to find instant meals and snacks everywhere and everyone else eating and shrugged, his meal unfinished. He supposed he could let it go this time. At least Misato hadn't forced her spices on everyone else. The kitchen table was too small to accommodate the entire group, so everyone sort of fell into knots of familiar faces around the apartment. Toji and Kensuke sat with Hikari, who chatted amiably with Toji until Mari grabbed Kensuke and pulled him to the couch, where they sat together, animatedly discussing aircraft carriers and weapons systems. Wooshing sounds were made, and hands became aeroplanes. Toji glanced at them as Shinji drew near, a cup of soup in hand.
"The hottest girl in school…"
Hikari's eyes narrowed.
"…besides Hikari," Toji quickly corrected himself, "is talking to the King Geek of Nerd Mountain. About nerd stuff. This is blasphemy."
Hikari playfully punched him on the shoulder and Shinji noticed Rei alone on the veranda.
"Rei?" he said, sliding the door open. "May I come out?"
"That would be acceptable."
"You're not eating."
"Captain Katsuragi's food contains meat. I dislike eating meat."
"I'm sorry. I'll fix something for you."
She half turned and looked at him, her crimson eyes turned almost earthy in the darkness. "Why?"
He stopped. "Umm, because you're hungry?"
"Why are you concerned? I am able to procure food for myself."
"Well, because I want to be nice to you."
"I do not understand why."
He shrugged. "Because I should."
"Why?"
"Because people should help each other. Besides, we're friends, right?"
"I am your friend?"
"Yes, unless you don't want to be."
"It would be… acceptable. I will be your friend."
"Thank you, Rei. I'll make something for you."
Asuka and Misato sat in the kitchen, chatting about something, and immediately stopped when Shinji walked into the room and started heating up some half-made miso soup he had in a covered pot in the refrigerator.
"So," Asuka said in her sweetest tone, "when's the wedding?"
Shinji glanced at her. "It's not like that."
"Oh," Misato said playfully, looking more at Asuka than at him. "What's it like?"
"I just want to help her, that's all. She seems so sad. Like she's all alone. I don't even know where she lives. Did you know she's a vegetarian?"
"No," Misato said. "Come to think of it, I've never seen her quarters, either. I know Mari is on base, but Rei just sort of shows up. I assumed the Commander takes care of that. He's her guardian. I think."
"Aren't you the hero," Asuka snarked, "a regular knight in shining armor."
"I'm not trying to impress anybody," he said honestly. "I just… somebody told me once, if I see people in need and there's something I can do for them, I should."
Misato nodded. "Huh. I guess that makes sense."
"What are you, Spider-Man or something?" Asuka smirked.
"No," Shinji shrugged, pouring the now heated soup into a cup. "I'm just Shinji."
Misato chuckled. Asuka watched him, her expression opaque.
After dinner, Misato gathered everyone in the living room again. The room was crowded, but there was a sort of glow to it that teased Shinji, like the hint of a color at the edge of his vision that he couldn't quite see. His stomach tightened. He might be developing a new power; they came in slowly sometimes, rather than all at once, like the speed or the flight.
"Our brave pilots have worked hard all day," Misato announced. "For their entertainment, the non-pilots will now demonstrate their dancing skills." She grinned evilly, scanning the room. "Hmmm. I wonder who should go first."
Her eyes settled on Shinji. "Shinji…" she scanned the room again, her eyes resting on Rei for a moment, then snapping to Asuka. "…and Asuka."
Asuka took the mat and stretched, cracking her knuckles. Shinji fell in beside her on the other mat and steeled himself, reaching for his concentration. The music started and he let it flow into his mind, the way he did when he still played his cello. He let his eyes close a bit, but kept them open enough to watch Asuka's movements. As he focused, the world slowed, and he tuned out everything but her movements, the tensing of her smooth, athletic muscles beneath the leotard she wore, the precise, balanced motion of her limbs as they balanced her body. After what seemed too short a time, the machine pronounced them perfectly synchronized and they stood staring at one another as the entire room clapped. Mari stuffed two fingers in her mouth and whistled, making Asuka jump.
"Wow," Asuka said absently. "Too bad you're not an Eva pilot."
He shrugged. "I probably wouldn't be a very good one."
SSSSS
Shinji sat on the edge of a ruined building that leaned about halfway over in the water, like a bent reed, his cape blown out behind him by the explosion as the Seventh Angel perished in a spectacular flash of light. Unit-02 and Unit-01 nailed the landing perfectly, pirouetted, and then high-fived, in a motion that Mari had insisted on adding to the routine, since by her calculations they had about a half a second of power left after the routine actually finished. Both Evangelions hunched forward, entering standby mode. If he trained his ears just right, he could hear the communication's systems inside as the pilots talked with headquarters.
"Excellent job, both of you," Misato announced. "I order you both to participate a mandatory shopping trip as planned."
Shinji groaned.
He heard both pilots gasp.
"Pilot Soryu," his father's voice said, "Excellent work."