Before anyone bites my head off for failure to update within the promised week, I actually DID, with my massive restructure of Chapter One and the removal of the Prologue. So there.
Now, one of the problems I've had with this current chapter is that I would sit at it for a week with the intent of finishing it, but had no idea what to write or what I could do to improve it; although I was sure it needed SOMETHING. Is that Writer's Block? Or did I just realize I suck? I'm not quite sure.
As to taking so long to get THIS chapter posted, getting a new laptop while simultaneously starting school AND having to work without a BETA can be hell. Oh, and I also started another story that should have the first chapter posted by now. Sorry for the wait.
ALCOHOL: THE CAUSE OF, AND SOLUTION TO, ALL OF LIFE'S PROBLEMS
Elizabeth's bit down on her lower lip as she struggled to steady her aim, knowing what had to be done if one of her two sisters were to be saved, but still hating herself for what she had done even as she tried to process what it was she had to do. Committing herself, she squeezed the trigger.
The gun fired.
For a brief second, Elizabeth could do nothing but stare. All the self disgust over what she had allowed to happen to her sister, as well as the horror over what she had just done to fix things, was replaced by a trembling wave of shock and no small sense of awe as she watched the bullet hole appear in the wall where a split-second earlier Sarah's head had rested.
Her oldest younger sibling, still covered in her own blood and sitting in the exact same spot on the floor, had only moved her head a few inches, but had done it so quickly and in such short notice before the gun's report that Elizabeth failed to suppress the chill that ran down her spine.
Sarah looked up at her older sister, eyes caked with fresh blood that had yet to dry, and she smiled. A joyless, sinister little smile, made even worse by the crimson staining her usually spotless teeth. But that alone wouldn't have been nearly as unsettling if not for her eyes. To put it simply, they didn't belong to her. The emerald green eyes still retained their clarity and color, but they were not the same eyes that had looked at her pleadingly to end her life mere moments before, nor were they the eyes that had looked up to her for as long as she could remember. It was in that instant that Elizabeth realized the worst case scenario had in fact happened: Sarah wasn't dead. Sarah was gone.
The girl leapt up and struck out her left hand, knocking the gun from Elizabeth's startled grasp. Then, in a single fluid movement, she covered the distance between them, lashing out with her right hand, her fingers finding purchase around her older sister's throat as she pushed violently forward, smashing Elizabeth against the opposite wall. She took another step forward, lifting the taller girl off her feet with one hand, intent on squeezing the life out of her.
Gabby stood off to the side, frozen in place. Her face was etched with fear, the horror and shock clearly visible in her eyes. She hadn't started wearing the goggles yet. Those were about a decade down the road.
Liz's vision began to blur as her former sister's fingers clenched tighter around her neck, slowly crushing her windpipe. She frantically searched her face for some sign of recognition, some trace of her little sister. There was nothing. The soft emerald eyes were sharp and cold, her usual stoic grin replaced by a leering smile. Both of Elizabeth's hands clawed at the single wrist that was holding her aloft. Muscles were visibly straining just beneath the smaller girl's taut flesh….muscles that should be nowhere near that strong.
Her lungs were burning now, the lack of oxygen bringing on the first waves of tunnel vision. She could barely see the sinister little sneer disappear from her assailant's face as her head jerked forward. Ever so slowly, the stranger's head craned around, allowing Liz to see the stream of blood oozing down from the back of her skull. Gradually, her own vision fell upon what used to be Sarah's focus. Gabby was standing there, the gun held at arm's length, both hands shaking very badly as she leveled the weapon at her older sister who was currently in the process of strangling her oldest sister. The butt of the gun's handle dripped crimson onto the floor after the violent crack Gabby had tried to deliver to the back of Sarah's head. Sarah didn't give the slightest inclination that she really minded the concussion.
Sarah merely stared at her little sister in what seemed to be confusion for a few seconds, perhaps considering the best way to rip her limb from limb. She looked like she was about to lunge forward and carry out whatever course of action she had decided upon, but she seemed to be having trouble taking those first steps, all her strength focused on keeping her oldest sister in the air. She shook her head slightly in disbelief. Apparently the concussion HAD had an effect on her…..Sarah slowly turned her face back towards her captive.
For the first time, it spoke. The cold, piercing eyes and superhuman strength weren't the only features that clearly didn't belong to Sarah. If one were unsure about the snake-like tone of voice belonging to an entity other than the teenage girl, the way it addressed itself left no doubts. Her words dripped with venom.
"I guess I'm not quite ready to make my grand entrance….but have no fear kiddies, I won't be far away. Oh, and don't worry too much about your lovely sister….I'll be keeping a VERY close eye on her…."
Sarah winked. Then, as her arms and legs began to tremble, the newfound strength leaving her body, her eyes rolled back into her head. The last thing Elizabeth saw before she blacked out was oldest little sister collapsing in a heap.
Elizabeth lurched awake, cracking her head against the wall of the shower in the process. She looked around in confusion, the hot water continuing to cascade over her, her short blonde hair plaster over her face. Struggling to her feet, she rubbed at the throbbing sensation emanating from the back of her skull.
That damn nightmare. Over and over. But no….it was more than that. Nightmares were usually unrealized manifestations of someone's fears; in her case, her inability to protect her little sisters. But no….they were more than nightmares.
They were flashbacks.
Usually she could get some sleep without being assaulted by memories of her greatest failure, when she had so horribly let her sisters down. Recently, they had been occurring less and less frequently, only popping in for a horrid little hello when she felt one of her siblings was in trouble. It took all of her willpower not to hop on a plane naked and make her way to Japan.
And do what? Follow Sarah into the Afterlife? Elizabeth chastised herself as she made her way into the main part of her bedroom, pulling on clothes as she went. Walking out the door, she paused as she passed her desk, glancing at the papers littering its surface. She only had to give them a onceover to know something was amiss. Sighing at the intrusion into her private domain, she went in search of those responsible.
Making her way down the hall, Elizabeth spotted her youngest sister, as well as the only sibling within a thousand mile radius. Gabby was struggling to press the door switch of one of the electrically-charged nanite chambers. The task was made increasingly difficult by the bundle of groceries in her arms: raw crab legs, uncooked pasta, a jug of milk, butter, and various vegetables and seasonings. She had just managed to press the button, the door sliding silently open, when Elizabeth leapt forward and hit it a second time, the door slamming shut.
Elizabeth rounded on her sister. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"I'm making dinner. Duh."
Liz could only stare at her silently for a few moments, struggling for a response. "You're gonna make the Nanites do it for us again! What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking I'm getting pretty damn hungry!"
"Then cook it yourself!" She waved her hands sarcastically in her sister's face. "You know, with these!"
Gabby sighed with exhaustion. "What crawled up your ass? We have them do it all the time!"
Elizabeth ran her fingers through her hair, letting out a frustrated breath. "You know the kind of energy signatures your boys give off while working. We just made a jump in the last twelve hours, not to mention the work we had to do on Katsuragi and Soryu…"
"Are you listening to yourself? Look: I'll take all this stuff, set it on the table in there, look at the screen, tell them what I want done, and by the time I turn around, it'll be done."
"Yeah, and in the meantime, this place will look like a giant microwave to any orbiting satellite with a decent radiation scanner." She placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. "We don't want to make it any easier for them to find us than it already is."
Gabby nodded reluctantly, knowing what her oldest sister said was true. Her shoulders drooped a little at the realization. "Seafood Alfredo for four? This is gonna be a bitch…"
"Don't worry Squirt…you've got plenty of time before dinner."
"Why do you say that? None of them have eaten anything in over twelve hours."
Elizabeth glanced back towards her room, where the notebook was missing from its usual place on her desk. "Because our guests have decided to go sightseeing, and it's fallen upon me to go round them up."
A mischievous smile crept across the youngest sister's face. "They were in your room, weren't they? Ooh….naughty, naughty….how freaked do you think they'll be when they figure out they're not in Kansas anymore?"
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Rangiku Matsumoto led the group across the grounds of the Seireitei, setting a brisk and somewhat frantic pace. Sarah followed right behind, seemingly unbothered by almost having to run to keep up, while Orihime, Chad and Rukia kept close to Toshiro, most of their questions going unanswered for the time being.
"You're sure you can find the person I'm looking for so quickly?" Sarah questioned their guide.
"Civilians usually aren't allowed into the Seireitei, and that would normally make it almost impossible to find this young woman if we were forced to search the Rukongai Districts. But Yoruichi insisted on doing this job, simply because she loves going to those other planes." Orihime, in a rare moment of clarity, caught something strange in that sentence.
"Other planes….you mean the land of the living? Why the use of plural?" Sarah answered, despite Matsumoto's annoyance at being interrupted only adding to her stress at the moment.
"You know the Captain of Squad 7? Whilst everyone in the group knew to whom Sarah was referring, the three Soul Reapers were the only ones who could identify the individual by name, so Rukia took it upon herself to pick up this line of questioning.
"Sajin Komamura? What about him?"
"What about him! He's a big anthropomorphic fox! How the hell do you explain that?"
"….You know, to be perfectly honest, I've never really thought about it before…." The short Shinigami with a bobbed haircut began to dwell on this new revelation, completely ignoring what her newest classmate was implying.
"Well, he obviously didn't come from the land of the living. But he HAS to have been alive at some point, and he'll be born again should he die here. So the simple truth of the matter is this: multiple planes of reality are sharing the same afterlife." Orihime, Rukia and Chad followed in silence, idly wondering if Sarah was insane despite the fact that she was kind of making sense. Only Toshiro and Rangiku knew just how accurate the statement had been.
"ANYWAY," Rangiku continued, "Yoruichi brought someone back yesterday: a young woman with long dark hair whose had a few close calls in the past." She was mostly interested in the goings on because there were a large number of soldiers killed by a small group who wasn't meant to be there. Her attention was drawn to this young woman when a member from that group collected her body and took it….elsewhere."
"Yoruichi brought the young woman back here to try and pump her for information, but one thing led to another, and….well…." Matsumoto had actually been on her way to join the changeling princess and the new arrival when she had been waylaid in the office. She was saved having to continue with her explanation as they arrived at their destination.
The bathhouse for the most part was a nondescript building, keeping in check with the military uniformity that dominated the Seireitei. Only its size gave away its individuality, as it was at least three times as wide and that many deep as any of the surrounding structures. The group paused in the street outside, all except Sarah, who boldly strode forward. She halted in the entryway when she realized she was alone and looked over her shoulder.
"You're not going to go back on this little deal, are you Ms. Matsumoto? I've traveled a long way, and you and I both have quite a bit at stake." Sarah disappeared into the building without waiting for a reply.
Matsumoto reluctantly started through the doorway. As everyone else made to follow, she held up her hand in a halting gesture.
"Please don't Captain. I've involved you too much as is. Could you all just stay out here and do me a huge favor? If the Imperial Guard shows up to take me away, please, PLEASE kill them?" Toshiro knew she was somewhat joking, but he nodded anyway, meaning it sincerely. His Lieutenant gave the group a nervous smile before spinning on the heel of her foot and following her pushy little visitor into the bathhouse.
The darker interior was in violent contrast to the bright daylight outside, and the blonde Shinigami only took a few steps before running into the brunette's back. Sarah was frozen in place, staring at the far end of the room.
The woman behind the counter was Caucasian, dressed in the black robes of a Shinigami while she attended to some paperwork. She was curvy and kind of short, with mousy brown hair and rectangular glasses. She was however without a weapon and the nametag on her chest that read 'TIFFANY' in both print and kanji signified her as an employee of the Seireitei Bath House.
A smile crept across Matsumoto's face in spite of herself, taking pleasure in her tormentor's discomfort. She might as well take advantage of the situation and have a little fun lest the stress become too unbearable. Rangiku stepped forward, placing both hands on Sarah's shoulders, resting her breasts against her back and her chin on the top of her head, smiling as sweetly as she possibly could.
"Good morning Mrs. Grant! I've got a visitor here to see you!" Rangiku could feel Sarah stiffen beneath her, a nervous chill running down her spine. The woman behind the counter looked up from her work with a hostess's smile, which vanished into a look of shock as she recognized her guests. There were a few tense moments of silence before Tiffany collected herself, smiling warmly once again, tears welling up in beneath her lenses.
"It's good to see you again, Sarah." The girl in Matsumoto's hands was shaking by now.
"It's good to see you too, Mom…."
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"Shinji…where the Hell are we?"
The subject in question tried to ignore the look of pleading in Asuka's eyes. That, coupled with her desperate tone of voice, was making him very uncomfortable indeed. Things tended to go poorly when other people were relying on him. He didn't want to question her decisions at times like this, but he was still considering the option that the two girls deep below them truly were on their side, and as such they would be far safer staying right where they were. At the same time, reminding Asuka of her former resolve may help to reignite her fiery self-confidence. "Are you sure we should make a run for it?"
The girl in front of him didn't answer immediately, still overtaken by the heavy weight pressed down upon her by the undulating lights in the sky above. Try as she might, there was no way to hide from the truth when it possessed such an overpowering and inescapable presence. He could see her doubts and fears chasing each other across her face, before they were suddenly extinguished by the sheer force of will that was Asuka Langley Soryu.
"Absolutely. Where's the road we came in on? It has to lead somewhere." Asuka seemed to collect herself, being able to focus on a goal that she could take physical action towards.
Shinji turned away from the lake, in the direction of the sprawling underground complex. "It's over that way." Asuka settled back into her element, striding forth with confidence and taking the lead as they ventured into the forest. There was a slight twinge of regret at having to leave the incredible scene behind. It vaguely occurred to Shinji how numb he felt: Asuka and he were trapped in this strange place, Misato was dead, and they were now making a desperate trek through the wilderness without any inclination as to where they were going.
The pair made their way through the forest for about fifteen minutes, the strange multicolored glow a constant presence. The lights of the aurora were made all the more unreal by the way they diffused through the canopy of evergreens all around them. Asuka was still slightly shaken by all of this, her rock hard demeanor threatening to crack under the strain of the unknown weighing down upon her from every angle. The pine forest pulled back like a curtain and the Second and Third Child came out upon the highway.
Shinji walked out into the middle of the pavement and looked as far as he could in either direction. There was no discernable difference. "Which way should we go?" It probably didn't matter, but it would probably be good for her to keep up the leadership role. The ploy seemed to have worked, as she perked up immediately when reminded of her superiority over her weak-willed companion.
"Left. We should definitely go left, since the other way will just take us back to that place. It might be easier for them to find us if we keep to the road, but we can also cover more ground. Come on Baka." Asuka gripped him by the collar on her way past and they continued their impromptu escape. The pavement made for easier going, but the surrounding wilderness and lack of civilization dampened their hopes of finding rescue. A mile or so passed before they saw the reflective sign by the side of the road.
Despite being late at night, the lights of the ever-present dancing aurora made it easy to read. That didn't necessarily make it any easier to comprehend, however. 'CICELY – 58 MILES, ANCHORAGE – 450 MILES'. Shinji was about to ask Asuka something, though not quite sure what. The silence was just starting to get to him, but the redhead's outburst fixed that: "SICILY! Why the HELL are we in Italy!"
It was one of the few times in recent memory where Shinji knew something that Asuka didn't. "Actually, I think Anchorage is in Alaska…" Asuka stared at him for a few seconds, shocked by both the revelation that Shinji was right and the fact that he had corrected her. Then she resumed her outburst.
"ALASKA! That's not much better than Italy! At least there we wouldn't have to worry about freezing to death!" Her angry exhalations were clearly visible, hanging in a thick cloud about her face and giving some proof of her claims. The sound of an approaching vehicle caused both to whip around as a pair of headlights appeared in the distance. Asuka moved quickly, pulling Shinji close behind her as she dove for the ditch.
They rolled to a stop and kept still, but Shinji failed to keep quiet. "Shouldn't we try to hitch a ride?"
His fiery-tempered comrade looked at him like he had lobsters crawling out of his ears. "Baka-Shinji! If we're that far from a town, it's probable one of them!"
The Third Child's resolve, surprisingly, held firm. "But….isn't that just a good reason we should go back with them? Do you really want to walk 60 miles in the middle of nowhere, this late at night?" When Asuka didn't answer, Shinji turned his attention away from the frozen road over their heads and glanced at the silent girl beside him. She was looking straight ahead, mouth hanging open, eyes wide with shock and fear.
"MEIN GOTT, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING!"
Shinji followed her line of sight, suddenly finding himself face to face with the monstrous head of some sort of….creature. Its hot breath hung heavy in the air as it was exhaled like smoke into Shinji's face. It was some sort of four-legged beast, standing nearly seven feet tall at the shoulders, and had an enormous rack of scoop-like antlers nearly five feet wide. Try as he might, Shinji was unable to answer Asuka's question. He had never seen anything like it in his entire life. That seemed to be happening a lot today….
Luckily, or rather unluckily, the answer to Asuka's horrified query came from another source, somewhere in the darkness above them on the road.
"That THING is a North American Bull Moose."
"Is it dangerous!" Asuka was too terrified by the lumbering alien before her to care too much about having been caught.
"Oh, yeah….damn thing will gut you like a fish if you make any sudden movements…" While Shinji had detected the sarcasm and humor in the older woman's voice, a soft whimper from his side indicated that Asuka had not. Glancing at her out of the corner of his eye showed him that the redhead was indeed nearly out of her mind with fear. The combination of being in this impossible landscape, encountering this unknown beast, and almost dying had finally started to crack her already fractured shell.
The extreme global warming effect resulting after Second Impact lead the two EVA pilots to have grown up in a world without the luxury of zoos, mostly due to the death of the majority of Earth's land based wildlife. And, due to more pressing issues and points of interest, their schools tended not to dwell too much on subjects as unnecessary or depressing as extinct zoology.
"FOR GOD'S SAKE, HELP US!" Asuka sounded as though she were nearing hysterics, fingers clawing frantically at the mossy floor of the forest as she scooted backwards.
"Well, alright. I'll see what I can do…." Elizabeth made a show of thinking for a bit, before cupping her hands around her mouth and shouting as loud as she could.
"SHOO! SHOO! BUG OFF, BULLWINKLE! NOBODY HERE'S INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU'RE PEDDLING!" The enormous creature shifted its unfocused gaze to the waving figure on the road above. It seemed to consider its choices for a bit, without really knowing what they were. Then it shifted its footing and turned around, lumbering off into the trees.
"There. I've saved your lives. Again." Elizabeth placed her hands on her hips and threw out her chest in a heroic stance as she watched the moose wander off at a leisurely pace, before returning her attention to the pair that was currently cowering in the ditch below. "If you two keep close and share your body heat, you'd probably be able to spend the night in relative comfort out here, and there's plenty of clean water right back there in the lake for your refreshing morning shower. OR, you can come back with me, where we've got the only warm beds, hot food and running water within 58 miles. Your choice."
By voice alone, it was difficult to determine just how angry Elizabeth was. Shinji and Asuka glanced at each other, seemed to come to a silent agreement, and dejectedly stood up. Asuka started up the bank while Shinji stooped to pick up the blanket before following close behind. Asuka slipped near the top and would have sent both of them tumbling back down into the ditch, had she not been grasped firmly by a helping hand.
Now safely back on the side of the road, Liz's face was clearly visible, a small smile may have been her way of trying to reassure them that she wasn't completely pissed off. She was wearing a leather motorcycle jacket to combat the cold, which they had been determined to brave without such preparations. "Still got all your fingers and toes? We can fix it if you don't, but it will be easier if you've stuck them in your pockets after they fell off." Asuka and Shinji kept their eyes downcast, favoring the view of the tires supporting the black jeep. Elizabeth took a step back and allowed them to go first. There was silence as they climbed up and in.
Not sure what to do with the blanket as Liz climbed back into the front, he offered it to Asuka. She looked at it for a little bit before accepting, wrapping herself in it with a bit more eagerness than she probably intended. She stared out the window as their driver turned the jeep around and started back the way they had come. Shinji turned his attention out his own window, wondering exactly what they had gotten themselves into, and whether or not they had greatly made matters worse. He was jolted out of his reverie when he felt Asuka move closer and wrap the blanket around him as well. Shinji looked at her questioningly, but she was careful to avoid his eyes. Despite this, her meaning was clear: they were in this together, like it or not.
"Do you guys have my notebook?" The German Mecha pilot jumped slightly as their chauffeur put her on the spot.
For a split second, Asuka considered lying. Realizing it would only get them into more trouble, she hesitantly reached into her pocket and handed the leather-bound book up to the front. Their driver gratefully took it back, leaving Asuka visibly flinching as she waited for the verbal backlash. The lack of such an attack effectively struck her mute. Instead the driver reached into a jacket pocket and tossed something back into their seat: Misato's cross, landing squarely in Shinji's lap. "There. Fair trade."
The Third Child's shaking hand shot out from under the shared blanket, snatching up the lost artifact before it bounced to the floor, the treasured cross dissapearing into his closed fist before that hand likewise vanished beneath the wrapped blanket, pressing it to his chest. Protecting it even as it gave him strength. He mentally kicked himself for losing it...for not even NOTICING he'd lost it, the necklace snagging on the doorknob of the driver's bedroom and falling out of his pocket during their mad dash. For her credit Asuka stayed silent about his actions, even refraining from any of those little sounds of disgust that easily could have rolled forth.
After driving in that continued silence for a few moments, he took it upon himself to get to the bottom of a few things. "Who are you people? Are you with SEELE?"
Elizabeth's reply was as instantaneous as it was loud. "Hell no! Your bodies would be cold and sufficiently bullet ridden by now if we were working for those homicidal assholes…Besides, if we were with SEELE, do you think we would have taken the time to fix up your uncommonly quiet companion? Or bring you all the way here?" Their driver nodded over her shoulder towards Asuka, whose silence was in fact very much out of place.
The mysterious older woman searched for the right words before continuing. "No, we're what you could call….good Samaritans."
Asuka's unbroken silence prompted him to continue with this line of questioning singlehandedly. "Where are we? Where are you taking us?"
"You saw the highway signs, right? I'm sure some smart kids like you can put the pieces together, but I guess I should go into some specifics as to why we're driving to an underground cavern capable of surviving World War 3. Besides you two deserve a little back-story, since you've been such good sports about all this up until now. Not counting the sneaking around in my room OR the part where you made a run for it first chance you got, of course." Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth launched into the history of their hidden lair, trying not to sound too much like a tour guide but still failing in that goal.
"We're currently driving north and parallel with the coast of the Bering Sea. This highway was originally paved for the tanker trucks after filling up with crude from the northern oil fields and taking it south to the seaports. Since its construction, there have been enough expansions added to the pipeline to let this road see almost no use. It's in fairly good condition despite the long intervals between repairs, due partly to the extremely low level of use. But it's also because this pavement is constructed far stronger than any other road in the state. And you two may not have noticed it, but this two-mile stretch expands to four lanes while paved highways are a rarity this far north."
"This installation was built during the height of a nasty little conflict called the Cold War. I don't know how much history you kids learned when it doesn't pertain to Second Impact, and you're probably more familiar with wars waged against giant monsters, but there were a few decades before the dawn of the 21st century where the US of A and the then USSR were racing to see who could most efficiently wipe out all life on the planet Earth."
"This bunker is situated ideally in a remote area where planes could be dispatched and entering Russian airspace within the hour. Among the many accommodations and facilities built into the reinforced bunker, the largest by far was the spacious hanger capable of housing an entire squadron of tactical bombers. During a time of crisis which had never come, the aircraft would roll up the concealed ramp before using the two miles of straight highway as a takeoff and landing strip. They could simply pop up out of the ground, the base remaining invisible to Russian spy satellites, and the Commies would be none the wiser. Well, they might catch on the second time the planes popped out of nowhere, but since this was all in preparation for a nuclear holocaust, that one initial surprise was the one that mattered."
"After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the high costs of manning and maintaining the installation proved themselves to be nearly without benefit, leading to its decommission and abandonment in the Spring of 1993. In one of the government's rare periods of financial insight, it was determined that such a costly piece of property as this, now made useless by both the removal of a credible threat and the existence of a far more maintainable base not 200 miles away, would be more beneficial if sold as real-estate. So, the corporation that was hired to design and construct the bunker bought this lovely little hole in the ground. And being….well, I suppose you could call us 'employees' of that corporation, we were in a prime position to move in and make use of it first chance we got."
Shinji assumed the corporation their driver referred to was that Hanso Foundation he and Asuka had seen engraved upon the wall of the hangar. The explanation he'd just been given had in fact answered quite a few questions, even though there were far more left unanswered.
But the absurdity of the story seemed to be too much for Asuka to sit back in silence. She spoke up for the first time in minutes, though her voice was still small and shaky. "Alaska? We're really in Alaska?" Elizabeth's affirmative nod was enough to keep her from speaking up again as she tried to lick her mental wounds.
"But, what about the lights in the sky?" Shinji was grasping at straws, trying to stick up for his redheaded companion.
"What do you think they are?" Liz kept her eyes forward, focusing on the dark road ahead while her passengers continued to struggle with their newfound knowledge.
"Well, we-"Shinji caught himself, fearing another punch should he fail to give credit where credit was due. "I mean, Asuka, thinks it's the Northern Lights." Elizabeth looked at the redhead with a new sense of admiration. Asuka, meanwhile, kept her mouth tightly shut.
"Very good. That's exactly what they are." Elizabeth started to fiddle with something on the dashboard, a small boxy object that Shinji recognized from the first time they entered the subterranean cavern. She was apparently too busy to notice that her praise had been unappreciated. Asuka remained silent, lips quivering, so Shinji pressed forward hesitantly, creeping across thin ice.
"But….Second Impact….that's impossible…." It looked like their driver was doing her best not to smile at their confusion. Shinji was shocked into the same level of silence Asuka had previously entered with Liz's next statement.
"In your world, yes." In any other situation the following pause would have presumably been for dramatization. But at that moment the section of road before them split open again and Liz cautiously descended back into the hidden tunnel. She continued her explanation once the pavement closed up behind and overhead.
"This is a world that has never seen the Angels. A world where the polar icecaps have yet to melt, where Japan is not almost completely underwater, and where the majority of Earth's population have not been killed off by a single cataclysmic event. Quite simply, we've brought you to a world in which Second Impact has not, and WILL not, take place."
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Despite the number of individuals relaxing in the spring, it was far from crowded due to its impressive size. For the most part, the pool was only three or four feet deep, with ledges built all along the rock walls where the bathers could sit comfortably in the steaming water.
Retsu Unohana, the caring, soft-spoken, and polite Captain of Squad 4, sat serenely with her long black braid draped around her neck and floating on the smooth surface of the pool, eyes closed and doing a masterful job of relaxation despite the ruckus surrounding her. Patients trying to leave the medical care of the 4th Division without being discharged may have been terrified by her presence, but no such effect was currently having an influence on the rowdy bunch nearby. Her lieutenant, Isane Kotetsu, sat to the left of her captain, watching the scene with a mixture of distaste and longing, simultaneously wishing the hard-drinking duo across from them would calm down, and at the same time that she could go join them.
"Don't be so reserved, Isane-san. Go have a drink if you'd like one." Unohana remained perfectly still, eyes remaining closed as she addressed her subordinate.
"Oh, no Captain. I'm fine, really." The white-haired Shinigami respected her Captain far too much to partake in such behavior in her presence.
"You're sure?" A frantic nod of the head was her response. Unohana smiled inwardly, wishing her motherly persona weren't quite so inhibitive. "Well, I wouldn't mind a drink myself….be a dear and see if they'll lend us a bottle, would you?" Isane visibly brightened at this, nodding her compliance as she crossed over to where the others were sitting.
Tiffany led Matsumoto and her daughter Sarah to where the new arrival sat. The young woman was reclining lazily in the pool, her left arm draped over the shoulders of Yoruichi to her left, while her right hand waved a bottle of Sake drunkenly in the air. Yoruichi's right arm was likewise wrapped around her new drinking buddy, whom just so happened to have the same hair color. To the left of the feline shape shifter, Soifon sat with her knees against her chest, arms wrapped around her legs as she tried to watch her best friend and sworn protected without getting any indecent ideas, still grappling with just what her feelings towards the former princess were.
The slightly panicking Lieutenant glanced over at Sarah, who gave her a simple affirmative nod that the woman wrapped around Yoruichi was in fact Misato Katsuragi, the person she had come all this way for. Rangiku quickly disrobed and stepped into the heated pool, but made no further move while she contemplated what she was about to do. She turned once more, trying to stall a bit, but Sarah had already left, following a little ways behind her mother while Tiffany went about her duties as Hostess of the hot springs.
Matsumoto reached for the hilt of her zanpakutō, missed, then grasped for it again before realizing she wasn't wearing it. Or anything else, for that matter. 'Crap…' she thought to herself. 'Maybe my wardrobe COULD be a little more conservative…' Although it was freeing to be dressed in a manner that felt like she was wearing nothing at all, even SHE had to admit that there may be a problem if she couldn't discern between the two. 'Ah, screw it…' she told herself. She had way too much on her plate right now, what with being moments away from carrying out actions that would easily call for her execution should the wrong people know about it.
Collecting her weapon from where her clothing had been deposited, she motioned Yoruichi over from her side of the tub. If there was anyone in the Soul Society who wouldn't mind bending the rules a bit, it had to be the dark-skinned woman in question. Yoruichi raised an eyebrow, shrugged, and departed from the 'protection' of her former bodyguard. She swam over, her smooth, sleek movements displaying all of her usual feline grace as she slipped through the water. Rangiku couldn't help but notice Soifon staring at Yoruichi's ass as she swam.
As the sultry woman slipped up alongside her, Matsumoto wasted no time in pulling her even closer so that she could share the details of her situation in private.
The sight of two of the most well endowed women in all of the Seireitei sharing such close proximity, nude no less, had Soifon's head spinning as she tried to smother the errant thoughts that were far too inappropriate for her to dwell on.
Rangiku spoke hurriedly and in hushed tones as she tried her best to outline her situation without giving away anything too terribly damning. For her part, Yoruichi kept quiet and gave her undivided attention, only giving away her sense of shock and surprise with her eyes. After a short period of time Matsumoto was finished, having left out a few minor details. These were ignored as her new cohort questioned her on a more pressing issue.
"You DO know a Soul Expulsion will only kick her out of the Seireitei, right?" This was perhaps the biggest snag in the blonde Soul Reaper's Frankenstein plan: the danger of simply banishing Yoruichi's new drinking buddy to the limbo of Hueco Mundo.
"True, but if another Shinigami were to help me channel the spell, she SHOULD be forced back into her original body. Right?" Matsumoto's voice wavered, revealing how unsure she really was about the whole plan.
"Hypothetically. No one has ever tried this before. It's incredibly uncertain and illegal." A sly grin crept across the shape shifting princess's face. "And I can take a wild guess as to whose help you want with this little stunt…."
"It would really, REALLY mean a lot to me Yoruichi…." That was certainly an understatement. The embodiment of her nightmares had taken on the form of a pleasant looking young woman, waltzed into her office, and threw perhaps the biggest mistake she'd ever made square into her face.
"But you can't tell me any of the specifics regarding WHY you need help doing something that breaks every rule of the Shinigami's code, and could easily result in your dying again?" A simple shake of the head was her reply. Yoruichi thought for a little bit, smirking at how nervous the other woman seemed as she twisted her hands about the grip of her zanpakutō. After a few moments she shrugged.
"Hey, what the hell? It's not like I've got too much at stake considering my track record. Besides, it could prove useful to have something so juicy hanging over your pretty little head." Yoruichi gave Rangiku a playful wink before she was able to respond to the implied threat of retribution, then slipped back between the heavily inebriated Misato and the slightly confused looking Soifon. "Well Misato, it looks like it's time to go."
"Go! What are you talking about? The party's just getting started!" The color in her face and slight slur in her voice suggested she was used to drinking something a little weaker than sake.
"We've got a huge hot tub, half a dozen lovely ladies in the buff, and enough liquor to float ANYONE's boat! And you know what that means!" Everyone looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to finish while she paused, tilting back the bottle and taking another healthy swig.
"H! L! A!" Misato pumped her fist into the air with the exclamation of each syllable. Soifon sank into the water nearly up to her eyeballs, hoping to hide her spreading blush. Isane coughed and spluttered, the shock of the newcomer's outburst more to blame than the strength of the alcohol. Eyes watering, she had nearly regained her composure when her Captain leaned over and whispered into her ear.
"What does HLA mean?" Unohana questioned her Lieutenant. Rather than try to answer, Isane followed Soifon's example in an attempt to hide her flush of embarrassment. Matsumoto glanced over at Yoruichi, whose blush was even darker than her own. But that may have been because of her skin tone, because for the briefest of seconds, Rangiku could have sworn Yoruichi was honestly considering Misato's proposition.
Yoruichi slid up behind Misato and placed her left hand against the small of her back. Her right hand likewise snaked around to her front and took its place over her heart, covering the scar. Closing her eyes and reciting a long-forgotten chant, Yoruichi placed all her focus upon the task quite literally at hand. Or at least as much focus as she could muster given Misato's response of leaning back into the embrace.
"Well, SOMEONE is up for my orgy idea!" The intoxicated woman glanced over her shoulder, grinning wide. "What do you say Kitten? You want tops or bottoms?"
Yoruichi continued to chant despite the smirk creeping across her face. As Rangiku placed the hilt of her sword to Misato's forehead, the other woman crossed her eyes while trying to make out the glowing symbols on the butt of the handle.
Misato bolted upright as her whole body began to glow. In mere seconds her body had become enveloped by the eerie glow. And a second after that, she had vanished, forced from the Soul Society and presumably back into the land of the living. The warm waters of the pool rushed slightly around the two Shinigami as they quickly filled the void that had just been occupied by another bather.
Matsumoto spied Unohana out of the corner of her eye. The deed was done, now she had to deal with the consequences. The motherly Captain had seen everything, as evident by the way her eyes were following her across the pool, slight confusion visible on her otherwise calm face. She didn't look in the least like someone who had just witnessed a subordinate carrying out an action punishable by execution. Rangiku had lost count of how many times she had sworn to herself at this point, and things were only about to get worse.
"Was there a problem, Rangiku-san? While that young lady may have been a little rough around the edges, I don't think you needed to take such drastic measures to deal with her." There was no malice in her tone. There was NEVER any malice in Unohana's tone. Matsumoto almost thought that made it worse. She was about to stutter a reply, although she wasn't exactly sure what, when Yoruichi came to her rescue.
"No problem at all, Captain Unohana!" Yoruichi shook her head emphatically, letting on that even she was a little intimidated by the soft-spoken Captain. "There was just a little confusion over when exactly Ms. Katsuragi was supposed to be here."
"But she will be coming back here when her time comes, correct?" Yoruichi and Rangiku nodded enthusiastically, looking very much like two children caught helping each other to reach the cookie jar. Nevertheless, their affirmation brought a genuine smile to the older woman's face. "I'm very glad to hear it. While I haven't known her for very long, I've already grown fond of Misato-san's company."
Matsumoto couldn't believe it. She was getting off scot-free. Isane looked like she had some questions she wanted to ask, but her Captain's lack of curiosity proved contagious. Yoruichi nudged Rangiku's shoulder knowingly before sitting back down next to Soifon, who almost looked disappointed that there would be no Hot Lesbian Action.
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The trio walked in silence down the main hallway from the hanger, Asuka and Shinji still seeming to have trouble accepting what Elizabeth had told them. There wasn't too much point in keeping an eye on her captives since it was obvious they weren't gonna make another run for it. She stepped past them, leading the two quiet teenagers to the REC room at the end of the hall. There was a soft chime as she pressed the button to the right of the doorway, the stainless steel panel sliding into a recession in the wall.
Gabby was sprawled out on the central couch, her feet propped up on the armrest as she gave her undivided attention to the wall-mounted television screen. She was wearing the plush Godzilla claw slippers she had received last Christmas.
"About time you got back! You're missing Creature Feature."
"What's on? Earth vs. Soup?" Liz took off her coat and hung it on the wall, somewhat unconcerned with her sister's answer.
"No, that's still in production hell. The studio keeps trying to screw over its writer….Art someone, I think. Nope, tonight the feature presentation is…" Gabby paused for dramatic effect. "Night of the Lepus." Her oldest sister stood frozen in place, staring at her, mouth slightly agape.
"NO FUCKING WAY! Holy crap, I haven't seen that since the drive-in at Rapid City..." Liz raced across the room, abandoning any and all semblance of a responsible adult as she vaulted over the back of the sofa, Gabby barely pulling her legs out of the way before her sister's rear landed in their place.
Shinji glanced at the television screen where, near as he could tell, a man was being killed by a giant rabbit, its fur soaked with blood.
Asuka and Shinji stood in confusion, seemingly forgotten by their captors for the time being. The thought of attempting escape once again was quickly quelled by the immediate memories of embarrassing failure that went hand in hand with their previous attempt. The two young women on the couch watched in silence for a few minutes, sharing Gabby's bowl of popcorn, before she decided to criticize her oldest sister about something new.
"I can't believe you actually like this shit…."
"Blasphemy! How dare you scoff at such a fine performance by Dr. McCoy from the original Star Trek! Besides, you expect me to respect the opinion of someone who actually liked The Prophecy?"
"You make it sound like there's such a thing as a bad Christopher Walken flick."
"No, not that one: the environmental horror movie about the mutant bear without any skin."
"Oh, that one….well, of course I loved it! It was the first documented sighting of Man-Bear-Pig. Not to mention the finest sleeping bag-related death in cinema history."
"Well, just don't hog the remote. Maybe you can put on some Bob Ross and help these kids relax." Elizabeth climbed up off the couch and spoke to Asuka and Shinji as she started towards the door. "Anything you two wanna watch?"
Neither of the EVA pilots seemed to have a preference, and it took a little coaxing on her own part before getting them to take a seat. The both sank into the same plush sofa, as far away from Gabby as possible. The pair also seemed to be sharing the same inner turmoil: not liking each other nearly enough to be sitting so close, but also uncomfortable enough in their new surroundings to not want to leave the other's familiar company.
Liz first went to her room and picked out an assortment of new clothing before heading to the Nanite Chamber for her occasional check in. While the tiny robots would usually follow directions to the letter, she still didn't trust them enough to ignore the possibility of the little buggers embarking on some grandiose project that would release energy signatures strong enough to be seen from space.
Liz set the bundle of clothing down on the counter top as the door swished closed behind her. As she turned to activate the main monitor she was halted in midstride by a foreign sound in the isolated little room. By the time she had diverted her attention to the prone form lying on the central dais, two things became evident.
One: the sound she had just heard had been someone yawning.
And Two: the prone form on the table was no longer prone.
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Sarah had watched the whole scene whilst peeking around the doorway of the employee's only backroom. The bright flash signaled that she had carried out her job here. Her Mom continued to fold fresh towels behind her. She had known that this was coming. They hadn't seen each other in over a decade. And they hadn't spoken a word to each other since the awkward greeting in front of Matsumoto. It was both a relief and a nightmare when the tense silence was finally broken.
"Do you blame me for what I did?" The unexpected question caught her off guard, and Sarah honestly had to think for a bit before she could answer.
"Sometimes….we all miss you Mom. But we understand why you did it. And after today, none of us can wonder whether or not you knew what you were doing." Tiffany started to chuckle at this.
"Hell, I didn't know what I was doing. I panicked. It was the first thing I could think of, and since that day I realized the only way it could prove useful was if one of you died. Looks like I was wrong about that one too."
"So, this isn't exactly how you'd planned for us to use your little gift, is it?" Sarah was a little shocked. True, it had been a long time since they'd spoken, but she could NEVER remember a time when her Mom seemed hesitant or unsure in her actions. Such was the infallible Mother in her child's eyes, apparently….
"No, it's not….but I did what I did because I wanted to help you. And if you think this will help, then I wish the best of luck to you." Tiffany finished with the towels and started to rearrange some bottles of sake. "Besides, have you talked to Major Katsuragi yet? She may have a few problems, but she's a good person. This is a very nice thing you're doing for her. For all of them."
"It won't matter if we fail, Mom."
"Don't talk like that….there's nothing that can be done in that case, so only focus on succeeding. I know you girls can do it."
"You give us far too much credit. Elizabeth is trying her best to fill your shoes….I want to help her more, but she's still so worried about this damn thing inside my head."
"You've been taking your medicine?" It was in the same tone a Mother used when making sure her child had taken their asthma medication. Very few mothers would have been able to handle the sheer repercussions of a child consuming...that. Then again, Rosemary still loved her baby.
"Gawd, you make it sound like it's purely mental….schizophrenia would be a joy compared to what I'm dealing with."
"It's okay honey. Everything's going to be alright." A chill ran down Sarah's spine, as she tried to determine whether or not she had heard correctly. For years, her condition had been the source of nothing but worry and strife to herself and her sisters. NEVER had anyone ever said 'it'll all be okay' when referring to her ailment. She was struggling to keep from crying at this point, her vision already blurring.
"I know it's unfair of me to ask of you to do something this big. I'm sorry it fell to the three of you. You all deserved so much more." Sarah didn't like hearing her Mom talk like that. It was all she could do to contain herself, but she also knew she had to come out with what was bothering her most.
"If we don't win this thing….none of us will ever see you again." Sarah was sobbing openly now, the lenses of her glasses streaked with tears. Suddenly her vision was cut off completely, as she was unable to see anything but soft brown hair, faintly smelling of lavender. She had nearly forgotten how awesome her Mom's hugs could be. She had remembered her Mother being a little bit taller, though. And now that she was welcomed so readily into a comfort she had forgotten a long time ago, all of her defenses failed. Sarah wept without restraint, letting loose with what she had been keeping inside for so many years. "We never even got the chance to say goodbye…."
"I know honey….I'm so sorry. A day doesn't go by when I don't think about you three. But it seemed like the best possible way to help you do what needs to be done." Tiffany rubbed her daughters back as she spoke. "There's a long road ahead, and it pains me that I won't be able to walk it with you. But you're finding help. And you're making sure you can help them along the way too. You girls are going to do something great. And even though you may not see me, I'm gonna be there when it happens."
Sarah just stood there shaking, smiling through the tears. Her Mom always knew what to say to make her feel better. And no matter what she said, Sarah always knew she could believe her. Her Mom could even give her bad news and take the sting out of it.
"But you also know you can't stay here much longer. Lieutenant Matsumoto's done so much for us already; I'd hate to get her into trouble."
"I know Mom. You're right. You've always been right."
"Nope, I'm just lucky. I have some cookies for your trip back. Just be sure to save some for your sisters." It was absurd to think all of her cares would just go away with the help of her Mother's homemade chocolate chip cookies. They WOULD, of course. But still, it was absurd for anybody who'd never tried them.
"I love you Mom."
"I love you too Sarah."
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Misato Katsuragi slowly opened her eyes, bracing herself for the pounding headache that should accompany any hangover. When the pounding in her skull failed to manifest itself, she took a few moments to try and go over the events that lead to her being in this position. Namely, naked and lying on a metal table. Not that that in and of itself was too out of the ordinary for her….
After a long and experienced history of drinking to excess, Misato found that it was easiest to recall past events of an inebriated state if she worked backwards. So let's see….last things first: She woke up on a metal table, wearing nothing but her extremely stylish birthday suit, and staring up at a ceiling she couldn't quite recognize. The most recent thing she could remember happening before that was her sitting in a hot spring, accompanied by half a dozen other young women, sans clothing, and no short supply of alcohol.
The shortest of the women present, the one who seemed to be the acting hostess, wore glasses and had curly brown hair. The woman had spoken only a few words when Misato began to marvel at how much she sounded like Asuka. The woman next to her who shared her hair color had been the one to bring her to this place, and their competitive drinking was just about to get interested. Misato blushed at the memory of suggesting new activities for the women in the bath to try.
Her heart began to pound as certain other events came into focus….she had been at NERV….SEELE troopers were going after Shinji….she had been….
Misato lurched up into a sitting position, feeling frantically for the bullet wound, running her hands over the place she had been shot. Nothing. Smooth, unmarked, flawless skin. Supporting herself with one hand, she absentmindedly let her fingers search while she tried to overcome the wave of dizziness from sitting up to fast. Then she felt something. Or rather, she didn't feel something. Slowly, her fingers traced back and forth below her breasts, searching for the scar. Cautiously, she glanced down at her own body. It only took a few seconds to reach the conclusion that it was NOT her body.
A figure appeared in her peripheral vision, quickly dissolving into a recognizable being: a tall girl with short dirty blonde hair. The girl she had seen in the hallway back at NERV….the last face she had seen before she died.
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"Rangiku, what's this 'deal' she kept talking about?" Rukia posed this question from the leftmost leg of the semicircle made up of Toshiro, Chad, Orihime and herself. Matsumoto had returned to the group waiting outside the Hot Spring as soon as the Soul Expulsion was completed. Sarah had yet to return however, so it was time to answer a few questions she'd really rather not.
"Well, a few years ago, I went over to the other side to bring back some souls. Normally we don't make special trips for souls, mostly because they're so hard to find and happen in such frequency that we'd need way more Shinigami employed in the real world constantly." She paused for a few seconds, but when no one said anything Matsumoto continued.
"The main exception is when a large group of people die at the exact same time and place. Then we'll bring them to the Soul Society flat-out, if for no other reason than to make our jobs easier and keep them from turning into Hollows." Rangiku took a deep breath, closing her eyes as she remembered something from the past.
"There were a lot of them that time. There was some sort of battle. The Gates of Hell had already been opened, and by the time I got down to your world there were only a third or so left. The girl's parents were there. Her Father was dead, and her Mother wasn't looking too good either. If she could get to a Doctor fast she may have been able to survive, but she had lost an arm and would probably never walk again." She cringed slightly, not liking to remember Tiffany in that state, especially given the circumstances.
"She could see me. Probably because of all the death she'd been around. Maybe it was because she was so close to death herself? She had been watching me work and was able to figure out what I was. She said she wanted to make a deal with me." Matsumoto glanced around at the group, and as the attentive looks prompted her on she took the final plunge and revealed what she had involved her Captain and herself with.
"She said that she would go with me then, before her time, and in exchange one of her daughters would get a free pass. She kept talking about some job they had to do, and that one or more would likely be killed trying to do it. If that happened, she was willing to trade her own soul on their behalf, and the one who died would get a second chance. But only once." The blonde Soul Reaper was seemingly finished, hoping she had nothing more to explain. But Orihime pushed further, leaving nothing to uncertainty.
"…So, what did you do?" Matsumoto's reply was silence, coupled with a downward casting of her eyes.
"You AGREED! How could you think something like that would be okay?" Rukia didn't care too much for Rangiku's seniority at that moment, and was actually the reason she was so shocked: someone who had been doing this job for longer than she had should have known better. But the other woman's answer was both believable and slightly expected.
"Well, I was REALLY drunk at the time.…" This brought on a wave of silence, no one really knowing what to say. The lull in conversation was then broken by the most unlikely member of the party.
"But they were going to kill Rukia, and she had only asked for Ichigo's help when she was wounded." Chad's calm and stoic demeanor sometimes led people to believe he wasn't listening, but he occasionally caught everyone off guard with a well-placed statement or question.
"Well, yeah, but Aizen and his subordinates had a heavy hand in that. Toshiro, Tiffer and I are the only three who know that she's not really supposed to be here. My Captain did a marvelous job of covering my ass. I just had to do….something, in return." Chad studied her curvaceous frame out of the corner of his eye. He had a pretty good idea what that 'something' was….But Orihime. Sweet, innocent, naïve little Orihime….
"What did you have to do?" Rangiku looked down in embarrassment. The expression on her face was enough to reveal what kind of agreement may have been reached. But when she finally DID answer, her response was far less raunchy than was to be expected.
"Three years of completing my paperwork on time, and I had to dress formally…." Toshiro crossed his arms, still standing by his decision.
"It was high time you covered those things. It was much easier to get some work done in the office." His Lieutenant however was still fairly sore regarding the subject.
"I COULDN'T BREATHE! Having to strap the girls down every day was nearly a death sentence!" Matsumoto placed both hands beneath her ample breasts, hefting them with just the smallest amount of difficulty and bouncing them to give her statement emphasis.
"But why is she here in the Seireitei? Is she being kept as a prisoner?" Rukia paid no attention to Rangiku's display, instead trying to discern what was being told to her. She had seen the woman around, but couldn't believe there was such a story behind her being here, nor that Captain Toshiro would be a part of something like this.
"Not quite….." Toshiro and Rangiku glanced at each other hesitantly. They were suddenly very much aware of how bad it sounded to be breaking nearly every rule they came across.
"Well, she wanted to be kept in the loop and be easy to find should…." Rangiku motioned towards the bathhouse. "Should one of her daughters show up. And likewise, Toshiro wanted to be able to keep an eye on her. So, we got her accepted into Squad 4. Unohana didn't ask very many questions, and was pretty grateful to have her around. She's an excellent hostess, and knows how to get along with pretty much everybody." The way the blonde Lieutenant spoke of her guest let on just how highly she thought of the woman, despite the dangerous predicament she'd been forced into on her behalf.
"So their Mom set up an insurance policy for them? Who's this other woman they used it on?" Orihime could understand loving someone so much that she would give their life for them, but from the sound of it Sarah almost didn't even know the dark-haired girl.
"Someone whose help I desperately need." Sarah stood in the doorway, a paper bag with a heart drawn on it in one hand, a few envelopes held tightly in the other. It was unknown how much she had heard, but she didn't seem to care regardless. "Well, I'm ready. Let's go see if Ichigo is still alive and get the hell out of here."
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Elizabeth entered the common room to find Shinji and Asuka sitting quietly on one of the sofas, as close as they could get without actually touching each other: each was taking refuge in the other's company as best they could while still avoiding any form of intimacy or friendship with which they were still at odds. Shinji still had Misato's cross clutched tightly in his closed fist, the necklace wrapped around his hand like knuckle tape. It didn't look like he'd stopped squeezing it since she'd given it back in the jeep.
Gabby was busying herself with setting four places at a heavy wooden table in a corner of the room, beneath a wall mounted oil lamp. There were certain little aesthetic touches that helped the inhabitants forget that they lived underground.
"Hey, Gabby? Go ahead and set a fifth place at the table, would you?"
The girl who walked in did so with a slight stumble, as if she were half asleep.
Shinji and Asuka were doing their best to keep from freaking out, the revelation of their current location in the universe proving a little too much for them to handle. The presence of this new guest was simply too much to comprehend.
The woman certainly looked like Misato, and for a brief second the Evangelion pilots wondered whether or not she had a younger sister.
Her eyes lit up when they fell upon Shinji, and she started forward at a brisk pace. Shinji took a step back, fearing a repeat of the last time someone he thought he had lost entered the room and made their way straight for him. He wasn't fast enough; they were still three feet apart when his attacker lunged through the air. Shinji found himself trapped in a bear hug, as something warm and wet forced its way into his mouth.
Elizabeth and Gabby were watching from the couch, trying their hardest not to laugh. Asuka was standing in the exact same place she had been since the newcomer walked in, her mouth slightly agape.
The woman kept kissing him until she came up gasping for breath, just enough time for the Third Child to decide that this method of attack wasn't entirely unpleasant.
It wasn't entirely unfamiliar either, and as the very young dark-haired woman drew back and whispered in his ear, Shinji Ikari was suddenly made aware of where he'd experienced an Adult Kiss like that before.
"You didn't think I'd forgotten about my promise, did you Shinji?" The young woman whispered into his ear, her soft breath giving him goose bumps.
"….Mi-Misato? Is it really you?" It couldn't be, of course. It was probably just another twisted dream. Things like this didn't happen to Shinji when he lost someone he cared about. The apparition however was adamant.
"In the flesh babe. As you'll find out soon enough…." A chill ran down the Third Child's spine as he realized it WAS Misato….even a manifestation of his imagination would fail to be that flirtatious or straightforward.
"Alright kids, now that Ms. Katsuragi's here to provide the T&A, everybody pull up a chair and let's have some Q&A." Gabby leapt over the back of a sofa, landing on her side and propping her boots up on an armrest.
Elizabeth ignored her sister's behavior; she had already put her shield back up. The compassionate, concerned, and loving little sister from a few hours before was gone. Of course, these people weren't part of her circle yet, and may never be. She only showed that side to her family.
"So what's this all about? What the hell did you guys do to Misato, and what's with telling Shinji you want us to save the world?" The youngest sister answered Asuka's question, slightly relieved that the flamboyant and noisy redhead was recovering to her old self again, albeit little by little.
"As to your first question, we did to Misato the exact same thing to you: reconstructive surgery. A far-more advanced and less-timely method than anything you're familiar with, but basically the same thing. As to saving the world….." Gabby glanced in her sister's direction, causing Elizabeth to quickly look away. "I'm afraid that description was fairly inaccurate and a blunder on my oldest sister's behalf. She has a problem with deciding when to downplay the severity of something." Shinji let out a sigh of relief. First he gets Asuka back, then Misato. Now he finds out that not as much is resting on his shoulders as he'd previously thought. Add in the fact that they were no longer being hunted by SEELE, and this was turning out to be perhaps the best day of his entire life.
But then Gabby continued. "She really should know better than to sugarcoat things. Especially with her earlier statement, in which she made the current situation seem far less important than it really is."
Shinji did a double take, praying he had misunderstood. "Wait….you need us to help you do something more than save the world?" Gabby looked him in the eyes. Or he assumed that's where she was looking. It was hard to tell with those weird goggles.
"The truth of the matter is, we need your help to save Existence."
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Brownie points to anyone who can recognize the true identity of Elizabeth, Sarah, and Gabriella's Mother. It shouldn't be too hard, seeing as I almost flat-out TOLD you guys. But she may be unfamiliar to people who have never met her in person. I know there are rules against including celebrities and nonfictional persons, but since it's not really HER outside of name and visual likeness, I hope my homage will be allowed.
Alright people, here's the deal: the next chapter is virtually DONE.
It will contain the majority of the plot, answering a lot of the questions I've left you readers with and showing how I plan to tie together most of the franchises I've included in this crossover. It may be absurd, parts may be corny, but screw it, it's my story and I'll write it however the hell I want.
After that, you'll all have enough information to know whether or not this story is something you'll want to keep following, or if it's just too far out there.
See ya soon.