Disclaimer: No ownership over any concepts or plots expressed in this work of fiction is stated or implied. The author intends no financial gain from the distribution of this material and makes no claim of copyright or trademark.
S
Hikari felt a creeping tension in her shoulders as she rode the elevator to the Katsuragi apartment. She hadn't seen Asuka since before the last angel, the last angels, and the last she heard of her friend, she'd run away from home for some reason, one of her guardians was driving around looking for her, and there were Nerv security people shaking people down for information. It came as something of a surprise when Asuka called her out of the blue and asked Hikari to join her for a shopping trip. She stepped out of the elevator and looked around, scanning for danger. Everything looked normal. They would have plenty of time- the city was swarming with high school students, as the school had been closed following the attack, and would reopen in a week when everything was moved over to the warehouse where classes would be held it until it reopened.
Shinji answered the door. He was dressed for school, or so it seemed, until Hikari realized he was wearing long sleeves, and a tie. With his hair combed, he looked rather gentlemanly. "Oh," he said, "Hi, Hikari."
"Shinji?" said Hikari. "Hi. Um, Asuka invited me over."
"I know," he gestured, "Please, come in."
Hikari followed him inside, slipping out of her shoes. "Is everything okay? With Asuka, I mean."
"I'm fine," said Asuka, appearing from her bedroom. She was dressed to the nines in a sky blue sun dress that left her back exposed, makeup, the works, and she was wearing her hair differently. It dawned on Hikari after a moment; she didn't have her trademark hair clips in, and was just letting her hair flow free. She kept brushing it out of her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Be careful," she said to Shinji, as they left.
He followed them to the door. "Call me if you need me," he said, touching her shoulder.
Asuka kissed him on the cheek. "I will."
Hikari was shocked into silence until the elevator doors clothes.
"Oh my God," she breathed, "You kissed him."
"Yeah," Asuka rolled her eyes. "I do that all the time."
Hikari clapped her hands together in excitement, bouncing on her feet. "Wow! That's great! Is he your boyfriend now?"
"Has been for a while," Asuka said absently, staring at her feet. "We started going out… well, we don't really go out, but it started on the aircraft carrier."
Hikari nodded. "That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you. He's quite a catch."
Asuka smiled secret to herself. "Oh," she said, "You have no idea."
"So," said Hikari, "um, I was… I was wondering about the other night. After the attack."
"Oh," said Asuka. "I… Shinji was hurt. I got scared and I, I guess I ran away."
"Toji and Kensuke were really worried about you. They called me up in a panic after they saw you outside the school."
Asuka nodded. "Yeah. I guess I should thank them for calling you. You told Kaji where I was."
"I was just trying to help," said Hikari.
The elevator came to the first floor and the door opened. Asuka put her hand on the doors, to keep them from closing.
"Thank you," said Asuka. "I really mean it, Hikari. I can be a really demanding person sometimes and," she drew in a breath, "I'm really glad that you're my friend. I don't do enough to show you show much I appreciate you."
"Wow," said Hikari, "I mean, thank you."
Asuka smiled and nodded, and they headed out the door. As usual, a small crowd of security people kept their distance, forming a loose ring, chattering into their wrists. Hikari stopped noticing them after a while. Men in Black were a common sight in the city.
"Where are we going, anyway?" said Hikari.
"The mall. I just wanted to shop a little and hang out. I need to get my hair done. It won't stay out of my eyes."
"That's cool. I should probably go with you. I'm going out with Toji tonight, and-"
"Yes!" Asuka squealed, elbowing her. "Finally!"
Hikari blushed furiously. "Yeah, yeah. It just… after the last attack it feels stupid worrying about stuff."
Asuka nodded. "Yeah, yeah it does."
"Where's Shinji going? He's all dressed up."
"The Second Impact memorial," Asuka said, casting her eyes to the ground.
"Oh," said Hikari. "Why is he going there?"
"This is the anniversary of his mother's passing," said Asuka. "Her memorial is there. He goes every year, I guess."
"That's really sad that his mom is gone," said Hikari. "I lost my mom when I was little. I don't really remember her, but my dad and Kodama talk about her with each other sometimes. I feel left out."
Asuka stopped in her tracks. "What?"
"Oh, I mean because I don't really remember her, and Nozomi was just a baby-"
"I," Asuka choked up a little. "I lost my mother, too. I was eight."
Hikari looked at her feet. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."
Asuka shook her head. "It's okay. I have to be strong for him. He needs my help. I need to pick up a few things. He's taking me out tonight, on a real date."
"Did he say where?"
She shook her head. "No, it's a surprise, but I'm sure it'll be great."
"I hope so," said Hikari. "I'm just going to a movie with Toji."
Asuka nodded. "I guess everybody is going out tonight, now that I think about it. Misato has some kind of a wedding she's going to with Kaji."
Hikari coughed. "Oh."
"I'm completely okay with that," said Asuka. "They're adults, they can do what they want. I just hope Shinji will be okay without me."
"Huh?" said Hikari. "I'm sure he will. He's really strong."
"Yeah," said Asuka, lowering her voice, "but his father will be there, too."
"So," Shinji said to the stone, "I have a girlfriend, mother."
He was kneeling before the plain black marker, a slab of polished black stone carved with his mother's name, lined with dull silver, and under that a pair of dates. That was all that was left of her, that and the picture that Fuyutsuki kept in secret. Every other piece of evidence his mother ever existed, her writings, her accomplishments as a scholar and a professor, her speeches, all of it was gone, erased in totality, as if she never was. Outside of a small circle of people, this marker was the only evidence she ever existed.
"Her name is Asuka. You probably knew her, she was, she is your friend's daughter."
He touched the stone, sniffing quietly to himself. "I'm trying, mother, but it keeps getting harder."
"She can't hear you."
He looked over his shoulder. Gendo stood among the markers as if he was one of them, as cold and unmoving as the rest of the stones, marked out only his height. He had his hands in his pockets and one hand was on some kind of a box, something that Shinji couldn't see through. Slowly, Shinji stood up, leaving the flowers he brought pinned to the ground, and faced his father. The older man ignored him and stood in front of the grave, gazing down at it.
Shinji didn't take his eyes off of him. "Then why bother coming?"
"To remind myself of where I have been, and what is at stake."
Gendo didn't ask Shinji why he came.
"It's always about you, isn't it?"
Gendo gave him a withering look, and Shinji met him on his own terms, squaring himself up. He wasn't as tall as his father and probably never would be, but he would never let the old man see him back down.
For all that, his father did not rise to his taunt. "In our hearts, we live only for ourselves. We may believe the lie that we can understand others, but in the end, we are all alone."
"I'm not," said Shinji, "and you don't have to be either."
Gendo did look at him, now.
"I'm asking you to join me, father. Put the past behind us and work together."
"To what end?"
"To stop Seele. To prevent whatever it is they're planning."
Gendo smirked. "There is nothing more dangerous than a young man with just enough knowledge to cause trouble for himself. One day you will learn that lesson, to your sorrow."
"I can stop it, I know I can. They can throw Evas and angels and Kaworu and anything else at me, I'm not afraid. I'm going to try and I'm not going to stop trying until I win or I die. Your help might make the difference."
Gendo's smirk faded. "That's what they do, boy. That's how they win. You fight and you strive and you think you have them, you think you've figured it all out and they have no idea what you're planning, and then when you've completed your masterstroke, you find out you were serving their ends all along. They'll kill you and they'll kill the girl if they need to, and they probably will anyway. You were foolish to confront me. I'll be sitting on the bridge the next time your little girlfriend is out there piloting the Evangelion."
Shinji clenched his fists. "Just remember one thing, father. If you hurt her, there's nowhere in the world you can hide from me, and you better hope you can get out whatever's in that box before I break every bone in your arm."
Gendo leaned over him. "You don't have it in you. If you did, you'd have done it already."
Shinji sighed, cursing himself inwardly. He looked at the stone. "The offer is always on the table. She wouldn't want us at each other's throats."
"There are many things she would or would not have wanted," Gendo said as he turned away. "Many hopes, and many dreams. Now they are all as dead as she is, and there are only ghosts."
"No," said Shinji. "There's one hope left."
Shopping with Asuka was not an activity, it was an enterprise, an adventure. Hikari wore stout shoes knowing she'd be at the mall all day, but she didn't expect half of the stores to be closed. The larger stores were open, but many of the smaller shops were closed. Her favorite costume jewelry store and the place that sold the little plastic army men were boarded up, and some of the restaurants had closed.
"Things get bad and they run," Asuka scoffed, brushing her hair out of her eyes.
"I've heard lots of people talking about moving," said Hikari. "They say it's getting too dangerous around here. I'm worried there won't be many people left when we go back to school."
Asuka nodded absently. The mall itself was surprisingly deserted, with only a few clumps of people moving here and there, the stores mainly empty. Hikari followed Asuka's lead as they wandered in and out of department stores. She spotted something that interested her and quickened her pace, heading into the cool air of one the stores.
Hikari stopped. Asuka slowed. "What is it?"
Skulking along the other side of the hallway was an unearthly pale girl with silvery blue hair, dressed in an oversized long coat and a man's had pulled down over her forehead, and a pair of dark aviator sunglasses. Hikari watched her for a moment.
"Is that Ayanami?"
Asuka nodded. "What the hell is she doing?"
Hikari shrugged, and Asuka stormed across the hallway to confront her.
"Rei, what are you doing?"
Ayanami stopped, looked around, and tilted her head to the side. "I am engaged in a covert operation."
"Uh," said Hikari. "What?"
"I cannot explain now. Excuse me."
Rei shuffled off, tugging on her hat. Asuka and Hikari stood there, watching her until she rounded a corner and headed for the food court. The girls turned to each other, shrugged, and headed back to the shop. Asuka weaved between the displays and racks of clothes until she came to a display in the eveningwear section, a tall mannequin dressed in a red sequined dress, glittering in the light as if it was covered in rubies. It left one shoulder bare and the front was slit almost to the hip.
"Wow," said Hikari. "That's pretty."
"It sure is," said Asuka. "Wait here."
Asuka disappeared, and a few minutes later, stalked across the floor in a copy of the dress. Hikari's jaw dropped.
"What do you think?"
"You can't wear that!" Hikari breathed.
Asuka looked down at herself and did a slow turn, twisting her back. She grinned wickedly. "That's exactly the reaction I was going for."
Hikari stood, scandalized, while Asuka disappeared again, and returned with the dress in a bag. She kept staring at it while Asuka walked, the red sequins flashing in the harsh mall floodlights. Asuka moved with a purpose, taking long strides that forced Hikari to hurry to catch up.
"We," Asuka announced, "are getting our hair done."
Kensuke looked around the nearly empty food court, nervously running his fingers over the straps of his backpack, ready to bolt at a moment's notice. When he saw a pair of men in dark suits and sunglasses walking through the mall stop and look at him, he started to jump up and pull his pack on, until a slender hand forced him back down into his seat. It took him a minute to register the fact that the person in the coat, hat, and sunglasses that sat down opposite him at the cast iron table was a girl. On further examination, it was not just any girl. It was Rei.
"Ayanami?" Kensuke whispered, "What are you doing here? Why are you dressed up like that?"
"I instructed you to meet me here. I am dressed clandestinely."
"Uh," said Kensuke. "I guess. Wait, what? That was you? How did you access my phone?"
"It does not matter," she said quickly, glancing around. "You must come with me."
Kensuke shrugged into his backpack and followed her out of the food court. Instead of walking down the mail hall, she headed between a noodle stand and a loudly decorated burger restaurant, drawing bewildered stares from the operators of both. She glanced over her shoulder and pulled him by the wrist down a pair of plain access doors and down a dark hallway that smelled like dirty water and echoed with dripping sounds. Kensuke looked around, and felt his chin begin to quiver.
Ayanami stopped at a security card reader. A tiny red light blinked like an angry eye, until she touched it with her finger, closed her eyes, and it beeped. The light turned green and the door popped open. She pulled the door open and pointed inside.
"Is this your secret lair?"
"No," said Ayanami, "it is the loading dock. Now move."
"Oh," said Kensuke.
The dock was quiet and dark, and one of the exterior doors was open. Ayanami led the way out into the parking lot, where she stopped, looked around, and grabbed Kensuke to keep him from moving. "Wait," she said, "We must avoid the cameras. Move when I move."
"How-"
She pulled him a few feet ahead, stopped, and did the same thing again, moving in a zig-zag pattern across the empty parking lot. Eventually, she reached a path that led out onto the sidewalk and away from the mall. Kensuke rushed to keep up with her.
"What's going on? How did you do that thing with the security? I didn't even see any cameras."
"I cannot tell you," said Ayanami. "Follow me, and be quiet."
By the time they reached the more dilapidated section of the city, the old part where the construction workers were housed when it was built, Kensuke's feet hurt. Rei took a seemingly random pathway, sometimes doubling back or going in different directions. He started to feel a bit nervous as more and more of the windows were broken or boarded up and the sound of a pile driver echoed in his ears. He rubbed his arms nervously. His backpack was heavy.
She stopped at a seemingly random building, walked to the fire escape, and shrugged out of her coat, revealing a school uniform beneath. She handed Kensuke the hat and glasses, then jumped up, surprisingly high, to grab the last run of the fire escape. After she crawled up to the first level, she lowered the ladder for him. He huffed his way to the top, and she pulled the ladder back up, bundling the coat and hat and glasses behind the first iron staircase. Kensuke followed her up to the fourth floor, where she sat on an open window, swept her legs inside, and motioned for him to follow.
He ended up in a small, dilapidated but obviously inhabited apartment, small and smelling oddly of disinfectant and, well, girl. He wandered into the bedroom, which was also the kitchen and laundry room, and turned in a slow circle. The entire wall was covered in papers, printouts, cutouts from old browned newspapers, notes and figures jotted on pieces of napkin and wrappers and what he quickly realized was the inside of a disassembled tampon box. The entire labyrinth of papers was connected by strings of yarn, tracing seemingly random connections between them. As he started to read them, he saw that the strings were color coded. Some of the articles were eighty years old; Billionaire assassinated, one read, while another talked about a forensic scientist killed by a freak lightning strike. He put his bag on the floor and walked around in a slow circle, taking it in.
"Do you see?" she whispered.
"Yes," said Kensuke, "Yes, I see."
She stood next to him. "There is something missing. Something that was meant to happen, but did not."
"What do you mean?"
"The landscape has taken the wrong direction," said Rei, looking around the room. "Events are misshapen. We are in chaotic terrain."
Kensuke shivered. There was something about it that unnerved him, like the idea was too big for his mind and he was struggling to force himself down pathways he couldn't take. Rei stared silently at the pattern until she turned to him.
"You will call me Rei."
"Okay," said Kensuke. "Um,"
"Did you bring the materials, as I asked?"
He nodded vigorously, and hauled his backpack up onto her bed. Inside he had a thick sheaf of papers, neatly organized into bundles and folders. He started laying them out on the rumpled sheets and Rei picked them up one by one, scanning them.
"I detected your intrusions into these systems," she said absently, looking over one of the reports he printed. "I ensured your anonymity was maintained. You must not do this again. I'm concerned for your safety."
"Is it that bad?"
"If your identity were connected with these intrusions, you would be killed."
Kensuke paled. His throat went dry. "Oh," he said, "Shit."
"Indeed," said Rei, spreading open the folders. "You did not risk your life without purpose. You have opened avenues of information for me that would not be safely accessible on my own."
"I don't understand," said Kensuke. "This is just a budget report. I don't even know what they're spending this money on, just that it's a lot."
"I do," said Rei. "See here."
She touched one of the spreadsheets he'd printed, underlining the lines for something called a "KHE".
"What's a KHE?" said Kensuke."
Rei leaned over the papers and her shirt fell away from her chest. Kensuke blushed furiously, heart skipping, and turned away from her, adjusting his glasses for the sake of something to do with his hands. He coughed.
"Did it work?" said Rei.
"Uh, what?"
"I intentionally exposed my cleavage to you. This is called 'flirting'. My research suggests that is highly effective to-"
"Uh," Kensuke sputtered, "Yeah, it worked, I didn't know you… umm…"
She sat down next to him. "I cannot be your 'girlfriend', Kensuke. I must make that clear."
"I, uh, what, what are you-"
She folded her hands in her lap and looked down. "It would not be fair to you. But… I did not ask you to join me here for the sake of this information. I have enjoyed our chat sessions. I wanted to know… if you desire me."
Kensuke tried to talk, but his throat was so dry only sputtering croaking sounds came out. He swallowed against his sticky throat and stood up, rushed to her sink, and took in a handful of water, then watched his hand shake. Rei watched him, confused.
"Have I offended you?"
He coughed on the water. "No," he croaked. "I can't… I mean I don't… is this some kind of a joke?"
"No," said Rei. "Sit down. Now."
Warily, he sat down.
She turned to face him, shifting slightly, and the way she twisted her body tightened her school uniform shirt across her chest. Kensuke swallowed again, and he was shaking. She leaned closer to him and closed her eyes, putting her hand on his cheek to guide himself. He closed his eyes and leaned towards her, and his chest tightened. She had an earthy, human smell, no perfume, only a faint sweet odor of sweat and the soft heat of her breath on her lips before they touched his. At first they both pressed too hard, awkwardly, until he relaxed and they settled into a softer, gentler sort of embrace. It felt like forever until she pulled away.
She looked at her feet again. "I would like to continue, but I will not."
"Why?" said Kensuke. "I don't understand. Are you in some kind of trouble? Look, I- Shinji knows Superman. He could ask him to save you."
She smiled softly. "He has already saved me."
"Then what's going on?"
She rested her pale hand on his. Her skin was much warmer than he would have thought. "One day the war with the angels will be over. You will find a warm and kind woman and you will be happy with her. Promise me this."
"Rei?" said Kensuke. "You sound like you're dying or something." He looked around the room, saw the pill bottles, "Are you sick?"
She took her hand away. "One day soon, I must leave. I can no longer stay here."
"Where are you going?"
She shook her head. "Someplace far away, but I will not forget you, or my friends. You have all made me understand."
"Understand what?"
"I once believed that it was not possible for human beings to connect with one another. I was wrong."
"This doesn't make any sense," said Kensuke. "Why are you telling me this?"
She looked at him, and smiled softly. "I like you."
Kensuke shifted, and stared out the window.
"I must ask you not to speak of this with anyone else."
He nodded. "I won't."
"Thank you," she whispered. "I should walk you home, now."
Hikari walked Asuka into the apartment building, and her head felt weird. Her new hairdo bounced with every step, and it felt wet and heavy. It would dry in time, but it still felt odd compared to her normal pigtails. After the stylist showed her the way her hair had been cut, she stared at it in amazement and poked at it with her fingertip.
"You look awesome," said Asuka.
Hikari didn't know how to reply. Asuka looked unbelievable. Even in her simple blue dress, the way she'd had her hair done made her look not like a different person, but more herself, somehow. It was cut to shoulder length and flattened against her head, and shone like brushed copper. The trimmed locks around her face were cut and curled, and a thick strand of hair hung over her eye, swaying when she moved.
Hikari followed her into the apartment, smiling at the cool air. Miss Misato always kept her air conditioning turned down to the bare minimum, and the apartment was like an icebox. Hikari gasped in surprise when Misato herself emerged from the bathroom. She had on a tight black gown that left her shoulders bare and seemed to be supported only by a band of braided fabric that was connected to a black choker around her throat; the dress left so much of her back exposed that she'd risk arrest if she bent over. She'd had her hair done, too; it was flat against her head, spilled over her shoulders, and was as dark as night and shined like polished obsidian. As she walked into the living room in her bare feet, she tugged on a pair of white opera gloves that went almost to her shoulders.
"Hi girls," she said, cheerily. "How do I look?"
"Is that a collar?" said Asuka. She made a tiny whip-cracking motion.
Misato rolled her eyes. "You look nice. I like the way you did your hair."
"Hang out here for a minute," said Asuka, turning to Hikari. "I have to make a phone call."
That left Hikari in the living room, with Misato. She shuffled awkwardly, holding her bag in front of her so that her arms were crossed over her chest. Misato watched her from the corner of her eye as she ran dark lipstick over her lips. She walked over to Hikari and looked down on her, thrusting out her chest.
"You're going out with that boy, aren't you? Shinji's friend, what's his name, Toji?"
"That's right," Hikari said, her voice squeaking a little.
Misato smiled softly. "First date, huh?"
Hikari nodded.
Misato stood next to her until they both faced in the same direction. Misato dipped a little, arched her back, and thrust her chest out. "Here," she said, "Stand like this."
Hikari imitated her, blushing furiously. "I, um," she said.
"Don't let him intimidate you. Remember, boys are like spiders, they're more scared of you than you are of them."
Hikari giggled.
"What are you going to wear?"
"We're just going to a movie. Asuka made me buy this."
Hikari held up the dress she'd bought, or rather, that Asuka had bought her.
Misato nodded, touching her chin with her gloved hand. "Asuka is many things, but unconscious of fashion she is not. That's a good pick, very conservative. It's you."
Hikari smiled. "Thank you."
Asuka came out of her bedroom, dressed in a bathrobe. She hugged Hikari tightly. "Thanks," she said again.
"Anytime," said Hikari.
"I made some calls. I got you a ride," said Asuka. "I have to get ready for tonight."
Misato arched an eyebrow, but said nothing as Asuka headed for the bathroom.
"I guess I should go," said Hikari. "Thank you for letting me visit."
"Of course," said Misato.
Hikari sighed and headed out of the apartment. The elevator ride felt sort of lonely. She sighed, and headed down through the front door of the apartment complex, and her heart jumped up into her throat. In the parking lot was a long black limousine, and a pair of suited Nerv agents, talking into their wrists. Oddly, one of them was a woman, in a black pantsuit.
"Over here," she called.
Hikari walked over to the car. "Um," she said, "I surrender?"
The agents grinned at her. "We're Pilot Soryu's security detail, but she won't be going out tonight, so she asked us to take you and your friend wherever you want to go, instead."
"Oh," said Hikari. "Um, thank you?"
"No problem," said the female agent. She opened her coat, revealing the gun hanging on a holster inside. "If he gets grabby, let me know."
"Uh, thanks," said Hikari.
Hyuga slumped in his chair, his feet thrown up over the top of his console. Propped on his lap he had open an American comic book. His head leaned back into his seat and his glasses had drooped down as he dozed off. Slowly, Aoba crept up behind him and slipped his glasses off. He leaned over the chair, aimed a flashlight up at his chin, and dropped the glasses on Hyuga's lap.
Hyuga awoke with a start, sputtering. "What the?" until he turned, saw Aoba, and jumped out of his seat, spilling his comic on the floor.
"What are you doing?"
"I am the ghost of Christmas Future," Aoba said, theatrically waving his hands. "I come to bear you the message that you, Makoto Hyuga, will never get laid."
Hyuga sighed and bent to scoop up the glasses. "Yeah, well, I don't see you going to the reception, either."
Aoba shrugged. "Yeah, but somebody has to hold down the fort. All of humanity is at stake. We're heroes."
"Yeah," said Hyuga, slumping back into his seat. "Real heroes."
Aoba flopped back into his own seat. "What's that?"
Hyuga glanced down at his comic. "It's a comic book."
"A comic book," said Aoba.
"Yeah, it's like a manga, but they print them in color, and you read them backwards."
"Backwards?" said Aoba.
"Yeah, they read from left to right."
"That's really weird. What's it about?"
"It's called 'Valkyrie' it's about a girl who finds a magic hammer."
"Like a magical girl anime?"
"Kind of like that, I guess," said Hyuga, shrugging. "It's not really the same."
"Isn't there a movie coming out?"
"Yeah, but the book is always better."
"Gentlemen," said Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki, striding down the steps to the lower section of the bridge.
Hyuga coughed and shoved his book under the console in a flutter of pages. Aoba killed the solitaire game he had on his screen and straightened up, pulling up a radar display which was, predictably, blank. They both stared down at their feet.
"I didn't hear an 'officer on deck'. I run this operation military."
They both stared at Fuyutsuki, jaws hanging open. Hyuga sputtered, "I'm sorry sir, I-"
Fuyutsuki waved his hand. "I'm joking. I thought I'd come down to see who was working this shift."
"Oh," said Aoba. "It's just us, everyone else is at the wedding, I think."
"Alas," said Fuyutsuki, "I wasn't invited. People in this country used to respect their elders."
"Well," said Hyuga, "You are kind of stern."
"Ah, yes," said Fuyutsuki. "You assume I'm boring just because I'm old. Let me tell you two something very important. I used to be hip, and 'with it', but then they changed what 'it' was, and now what I thought was 'it' isn't 'it' anymore, and what is 'it' is strange and confusing to me."
When he saw the looks on their faces, Fuyutsuki laughed quietly to himself.
"You can go back to your comic books and solitaire, gentlemen. I think everything will be quiet tonight."
As if on cue, a warning appeared on Hyuga's screen. All three men tensed. Hyuga slipped his headset on and adjusted himself in his seat. "This is Nerv Tokyo-3. Who is this?"
Hyuga's brows furrowed in concentration. "I see. Keep us updated." He slipped his headset off. "It's nothing. The transport carrying Unit Three ran into some kind of weird radio interference and they wanted to touch base with us."
"Ah," said Fuyutsuki, "A wise precaution. Well, as you were, gentlemen."
Kaji preferred to skip weddings, but receptions, he didn't mind. He was surprised at the turnout- it looked like half of Nerv was here. The convention hall, a spacious building that never would have never found a place for itself in a pre-Impact city, looked to be filled to bursting. The fact that he knew the bride and groom only by reputation didn't hamper him much. He parked the Lotus at the far end of the lot and slipped out, shrugging into his dinner jacket.
Across the lot, he spied Ritsuko, Misato, and Maya Ibuki getting out of Ritsuko's boring little car. Misato was resplendent but he was surprised by how conservative her dress was. It barely showed any skin, between the high neckline and the shawl she had around her shoulders that draped down her back, past her waist. Ritsuko, curiously, was the risqué one, with a dark yellow gown that hugged her hips and showed a dangerous décolletage. Ibuki had on a pink gown that looked like she'd recycled her prom dress.
Kaji deftly maneuvered between the cars to move behind them. It was quite a sight to see all three of them walking at once, especially from behind. As he closed in, Misato glanced over her shoulder.
"I see you back there," she said wryly, pulling her long shawl up around her neck.
Kaji trotted briefly to catch up with them. In her heels, Misato was almost as tall as he was. She'd laid it on thick; he didn't remember her looking that good in years, not since… well. He glanced at the other two and gave them brief nods.
"So, you three are going stag, huh?"
"Not exactly," Ritsuko said, smirking. She glanced at Maya, and the girl turned beet red.
Kaji raised an eyebrow. Huh.
"I could offer my services to walk you in. Parking lots like this are dangerous these days."
Misato sighed and held out her elbow. Kaji's heart fluttered like a teenage boy when he slipped his arm through hers, and they started walking in step. They both slowed, and Ritsuko and Maya picked up their pace, pulling ahead.
"Quit looking at their asses," Misato growled.
"I'm a spy, not a robot. I wouldn't worry about it, anyway. I think Rits is off the market."
"Your part of the market, maybe."
"I never figured that."
Misato rolled her eyes. "I was her roommate. Oh, the stories I could tell."
Kaji tugged at his collar. "I'd much rather see pictures."
"Not on your life," said Misato.
As they reached the front door, a doorman in a red velvet jacket took their invitations. Kaji maneuvered to the coat check station, handed over his jacket, and shrugged his shoulders. He felt a little ridiculous in suspenders, but the occasion suited them. Misato walked up to the coat check, took a ticket, and whirled the shawl from her shoulders, and handed it over to the girl.
Kaji could practically feel the blood rushing out of the head of every man within visual range. Misato grinned ferally, deliberately flexing her shoulders and twisting her back as she offered her hand. Kaji took it, and felt quite a few angry stares as they walked into the ballroom.
"Should we head over to the bar?" Kaji whispered.
Misato looked at the open bar, where the barman was theatrically preparing a mixed drinking before a gleaming assortment of bottles.
"No," she said, "I'd rather not. Let's dance."
Surprised, Kaji nodded, and let her guide him to the dance floor.
Toji straightened his tie. He felt a mild sense of panic as he saw a black Nerv staff car pulling down the street towards his apartment block. In his left hand was a bouquet of flowers, crowned by the dandelion that Kanna had picked out to make sure his date would suitably impressed. When the car pulled up, an agent in a black suit got out, ran to the back, and offered Hikari a hand as she stepped out onto the sidewalk.
Toji blinked. He barely recognized her. Gone were her trademark pigtails, her hair elaborately cut and layered into a tight bob that, combined with the conservative and yet surprisingly tight black dress she wore, made her look, well, different. The exact word didn't spring to his mind. In fact, no words sprang to his mind.
So they stood there, staring at each other for a moment.
The agent leaned over. "Real smooth, kid."
Toji shook himself out of his reverie and awkwardly shoved the flowers at her, holding his hands straight out. Hikari laughed softly to herself, took them, and smelled deeply, closing her eyes. Toji didn't know which one of them was blushing harder when she finally lowered them.
"Thank you, they're lovely."
"Uh," Toji tried desperately to remember what he planned to say, "Shall we?" That sounded right.
"Sure," said Hikari, nodding her towards the car. Toji jumped to help her get in, and then slid in himself.
He'd never been in a car like this before. The seats felt more like a couch. He reached to pull the door shut, but the agent, smirking to himself, closed the door. Toji didn't know what to do with his hands, so he folded them in his lap. The inside of the car was bigger than any he'd ever ridden in, and the seats went all the way around. There was an actual refrigerator sitting in the middle of the cabin. The drivers were partitioned off by a sheet of opaque glass.
Toji swallowed. "So."
Hikari smiled. "So, movies, right?"
"Uh, yeah, how do I-"
Hikari pushed a button next to her seat, and the dark glass rolled down. Toji haltingly gave the directions, and the window slid back up.
"So this is a date," said Toji. "We're dating."
"Yes," said Hikari.
He felt himself panicking. What was he supposed to do? Was he supposed to say something? Huge as it was, the cabin felt monstrously small.
"So," he said. "How are, um, things."
"I went out shopping with Asuka today," Hikari shrugged.
"What happened with that, anyway?"
Hikari looked out the window. "I don't know. Shinji got hurt, I guess, and she ran away."
Toji sighed. "He was outside the shelter. He's always out risking himself somehow, and…" he trailed off.
They both turned to each other.
"Let's talk about something else," said Hikari.
Shinji stood on the roof, watching the stars come out, as they worked their way one by one through the purple blanket of evening, like pinpricks. He'd already seen Asuka today, he'd already seen her that morning, but his heart was pounding, anyway. He left the note on the table while she was in the shower, and he waited, watching the sun set and the milky way unfold over his head. When the door leading up from the stairs opened, he turned around, and immediately felt under-dressed in his slacks and tie.
Asuka wore deep, richly red high heels and a sequined evening gown of brilliant crimson that glittered in the evening light. It hugged her hips and her thighs, her leg whispering through a long slit as she walked. It curved up over her left shoulder, leaving her right shoulder and arm exposed, and as he leaned slightly to the side, he could see that most of her back was exposed to the air, too. Her hair bounced and flowed as she moved, curling on itself in the gentle breeze, one heavy lock fallen over her right eye. As she approached, he brushed her hair away and folded it behind her ear.
"Wow," was all he managed.
"So," she said, "You have a surprise for me up on the roof."
He nodded, trying desperately to pull his wits back into his head. "You might, um, you might want to leave your shoes."
She cocked her head to the side and raised her eyebrow, but she slipped out of her shoes and stood on the hot pavement. "Ow," she said.
"Oh," he blurted, "Sorry, here."
She made a soft sound as he put his arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. She put her toes on the top of his shoes and leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He took a deep breath.
"Hold on," I said.
He took off.
He lifted gently from the roof, and she pressed to his side instinctively, shoving her head into his shoulder, her eyes wide with alarm. He held her more closely with one arm, and let the other hang free, only for her to grip him all the tighter. The apartment building fell away beneath them and the city unfolded, the lights winking on as it came alive for the night matching the twinkling lights in the sky.
"Wow," she whispered. "Is this what it's like."
"No," said Shinji, "This is what it's like."
Asuka squealed, half in delight and half in terror, as he put his arms around her and took off, the city picking up speed beneath them. He slowed as he neared the edge, putting his feet out to land as he saw the overlook, where he'd shared his conversations with Fuyutsuki. He came in for a gentle, running landing, sliding his arms under Asuka's legs as he came to a stop, to more easily carry her.
"It's a picnic," said Asuka.
He had a blanket laid out, and a basket, and in a bucket of ice, a bottle of what appeared to be champagne. Asuka blinked in surprise as he lowered her to the blanket, holding her side while she steadied herself. She walked to the basket and sat down, and Shinji joined her. From behind it, he pulled a bouquet of flowers and handed it to her. She took it, turning it in her hands.
"I've never seen these before," said Asuka. "What are they?"
"They're Gibraltar Campions," said Shinji. "They grow only the high cliffs of Gibraltar."
"Wow," she said, breathless. "Did you, um,"
"I picked them myself." He grinned. "I got some more of those chocolates you liked, and I have some sparkling grape juice-"
"I thought that was champagne," she said, eyeing the bottle.
"Well, I'm not old enough."
"I don't think anyone would card Superman," said Asuka, leaning over onto one elbow. She flicked the heavy mass of her hair over her shoulder.
"Well, I mean, I wouldn't do that. It… I can't get drunk."
"Have you tried?"
"Well, no, but I'm pretty sure I can't. I don't technically need to eat."
"Huh," said Asuka. "I didn't know that. For someone who doesn't actually need to eat, you're a hell of a cook."
He shrugged. "I get a lot of practice."
"So what's in the basket?"
Grinning, he opened it, and started laying out the spread. Pan-fried potatoes, sausages, pasta salad, cut fruit. Asuka sat up and looked it over hungrily, and then said, "You didn't make anything you like."
He shrugged. "Anything I get to eat with you is something I like."
Asuka actually blushed, and Shinji felt a rising elation flowing through him. She ate demurely, mostly sampling the food and touching her lips with her napkin. Shinji avoided the meat, picking at the potatoes and the pasta salad.
"These are really good," said Asuka. "Where'd you get the potatoes?"
"Idaho," said Shinji.
She stared at him. "If you were anyone else, I'd think you were making fun of me."
He laughed, and she broke out laughing too, falling back onto her side. "This is really nice. Thank you. Today has to be hard for you."
Shinji sighed, shaking with the depth of it. "It is."
Asuka looked away. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."
"It's okay, said Shinji, I just,-"
"This may sound silly," said Asuka, "But I have this…" her voice tightened. "I think they're watching us, somehow. I can feel it."
Shinji blinked. "I hope so."
"Me too. I want them to see this," she said, and then she kissed him. "Now, take me home. I have something for you, too."
Misato was dancing with Kaji, and she was fine with that. The band wasn't bad, the lights were low, and her head was on his shoulder. In heels she matched his height. His hand sliding up her bare back as they turned made her shiver. After a time, they were no longer dancing so much as embracing each other while standing up. It was getting late, and most of the other couples on the floor were doing the same thing. The bride and groom had already left, and the party was winding down.
"Katsuragi," Kaji whispered.
"Yeah?"
"Let's say I told you everything. Laid it all out on the table. Do you think there would be a chance?"
"I don't know," she said, thickly. "I want there to be but I don't know. What's changed?"
He took a deep breath. "When you left, I thought it would be for the best. Not at first, but after a while, after I started taking my… work. I thought it would be better if I left you out of it, because I didn't know how deep the rabbit hole goes."
Misato nodded, but said nothing.
"That's changed. There's an end in sight, now. I think things might be different."
"How?"
"I don't know," he sighed, looking at the slowly rotating light on the ceiling. "Sometimes I wonder if there isn't someone watching out for us."
Misato laughed bitterly. "If they do, they did a poor job. I'd rather have skipped Second Impact, thank you."
"Mankind did that to themselves," he whispered, "and someone else took mercy on us, and sent us Shinji."
She sighed, and felt tears stinging the edges of her eyes. "Yeah," she said, "I guess you're right."
"So that's what changed," said Kaji. "After I saw what he could do for myself, I guess… I guess you could say I believe a man can fly."
Misato hugged him tighter. "I think there's a chance."
She could feel him smiling. "That's good, because I am incredibly horny."
Misato burst out laughing, and playfully punched his shoulder.
"He~ey," Ritsuko slurred, appearing behind Misato. "What's funny?"
She was practically dragging poor Maya behind her, although the latter didn't look the worse for wear. Misato had never seen her look so confident of her surroundings.
"Are you okay?" said Kaji.
"You better watch it," Ritsuko growled in mock anger, "I think I've been drinking."
Kaji snorted. "Maya, take her keys."
"Done," said Maya.
They both watched Ritsuko stumble away, half-leaning on Maya, until they made it through the coat check and out the front door. Kaji snickered. "They're totally going to do it."
Misato blew her hair out of her eyes. "Oh shut up, you pervert."
"Oh," said Kaji, "I'm the pervert now."
Misato looked around. They were nearly alone. "Let's get out of here," she said.
"Agreed," said Kaji.
Asuka kicked out of her heels when they entered the apartment. She headed into the living room and knelt down before the television set, fiddling with Misato's entertainment system. Shinji diverted his attention between staring at the floor and sneaking glances at her undulating back and the waggle of her hips as she moved. She picked up the remote, hit the play button, and soft music played.
"Get over here," she said.
Nervously, Shinji walked over to stand beside her.
"When I told Misato I don't dance, I lied," she admitted, putting one hand on his shoulder. "When I studied for my bachelor's degree, I had to take two physical education classes."
"What did you take?" said Shinji.
"Badminton, and ballroom dancing."
Shinji laughed.
"What?" she demanded. "It was an easy credit."
"I don't really know how to dance," said Shinji.
She grabbed his arm and slipped it around his waist, and took his other hand in hers, twining their fingers together, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. She started to sway with the music, and he moved with her. There wasn't much to it, really. He didn't recognize the music- it was old, and in English, something about an "earth angel".
"They taught you to dance like this?"
"No," said Asuka, "but I would only dance like this with you anyway."
They didn't go far through the dark room, so there were no issues of navigation. It was mostly swaying in one another's arms. Eventually, Asuka slipped her hand free and put both arms around his waist and he did the same as they leaned into each other, resting their heads on one another's shoulders. Shinji had never felt better in his life, even when he first realized he could fly.
"I'm still going to worry about you when you're out saving the world," she murmured.
"You are my world," said Shinji.
"Mmm," she said. "It's time for your surprise."
"I thought this was my surprise," he said.
Asuka looked him in the eye and grinned devilishly. She slid one hand free and worked the zipper down the side of her dress, and with her free hand, worked it off her shoulder, so that it was barely hanging onto her. They stopped swaying as she looked him in the eye. Shinji swallowed, hard, trying to calm his beating heart. She took his hands and worked his fingers for him, gathering up two handfuls of red cloth in either one, around her waist. His heart jumped into his throat, as the dress slid down her arm just a little bit more.
She leaned into him and in his ear whispered, "Pull."
Misato let the wind blow through her hair. Kaji put the top down, and just drove, drove for the sake of driving. It felt odd that they were both sober, doubly so Misato herself. The air was surprisingly cool, a freak cold front perhaps settling in. In any case, it was welcome. She closed her eyes and pulled her shawl around her shoulders.
Kaji woke her with a sharp turn. She cried out in panic and for a moment, felt stark naked without her gun. It took her a moment to realize he'd only cut hard around a corner, hard enough to make her slide over and crash into him. He was laughing at her reaction to his childish maneuver, and yet she felt heat on her cheeks.
"That's not funny!" she shouted over the wind. "Where are we going?"
"I don't know," Kaji shouted back. "I didn't want to say 'your place or mine,' but…. Your place or mine?"
"I don't know," said Misato. "I don't want to interrupt Asuka and Shinji on their little date."
"Why would they be home?"
"You know how they are," Misato shrugged. "She doesn't like public spectacles."
"You think they'll be okay?"
"Shinji's a perfect gentleman."
"He's not the one I'm worried about."
Misato snorted. "They have to grow up sometime, you know."
"They're growing up too fast," Kaji shouted. "It shouldn't have to be this way. After what we went through, you'd think we would try to change things for the kids."
Misato watched him for a while. He stole glances at her but kept his eye on the road, and it was a good thing. He didn't drive directly to the apartment, but took a winding route through the city, and up into the hills. The roads here were twisty, and instinct guided her to cling to his arm, and she decided it was a good instinct and she should follow it.
"Stop there," she shouted, pointing at a place by the side of the road.
Kaji pulled up to the guard rail. Through the windshield, they had a view of a the whole city, a glittering galaxy of lights through which yet more lights pulsed, moving along the streets in slow rhythm, stopping and starting with lights. The air was cool and smelled of trees and, curiously, of food. Misato sniffed the air.
"That's weird," she muttered.
Kaji shrugged, and put his arm around her as he killed the engine.
"Remember what we used to do in the car?" said Kaji.
"Don't push your luck," Misato said.
Kaji laughed. For a while, neither one of them said anything. Misato was starting to drift off to sleep when she awoke with a start. Something flapped over their heads, making her sit up and reach for her gun again. Kaji ran his hand down her back reassuringly, and then it stopped being reassuring when he reached the bottom of her dress, and it became something else. She wriggled out of his grasp.
"Stop that," she said, sharply. "I heard something."
She pressed back into her seat as she saw it, a flapping shape that cross their field of view, obscuring the moon for just a second. Misato hugged herself.
"Oh relax," said Kaji. "It's just a bat."
Misato shivered. "Okay, I've had enough, take me home."
Kaji sighed, and started the car.
He took the road back into the city with equal verve, the car pitching and yawing as he took the turns. Misato had forgotten that driving could be fun, and doubly so when she wasn't in the driver's seat and could really feel the twists and turns. He took a circuitous route to the apartment, and when he pulled into the parking lot, Misato looked up and saw that her windows were dark, relieved.
Kaji followed her up the stairs, and she was nearly shaking with excitement. She fumbled with her keys, and he made it worse by slipping up behind her and kissing the back of her neck.
"Hurry up."
The door slid open, and they stole inside, quickly depositing their shoes by the door. Misato pulled Kaji along by the wrist. She saw what appeared to be a sequined red dress pooled up near the couch, but Kaji didn't seem to see it and she said nothing. She slid her door open, and pushed him inside. He nearly tripped over a stack of car magazines, fumbling in the dark.
"I see Mount Junk is still intact,"
"Shut up," she snapped, but quietly, and without heat in her voice. She pressed herself to him as she reached up over her shoulders, arching her back, and slowly undid the ribbon at her throat. Her dress went limp, and the pressure between them was then the only thing holding it up. She put her arms around his neck, and touched her forehead to his, standing on her toes.
"There hasn't been anyone since you," she whispered.
"Same," he said.
"There's a bed in here somewhere."
He grinned. "We'll find it."
Hyuga was asleep again when Fuyutsuki walked loudly onto the lower section of the bridge. Aoba reached over and nudged his chair, and the bespectacled technician nearly fell out of it, and nearly fell over himself.
"Calm down," Fuyutsuki said. "I thought since you couldn't attend the evening's festivities, I might do you a favor."
In his right hand, gripped between his fingers, he held two short glasses. He put them on the console and then took the bottle of whisky he held under his arms and poured them both three fingers. They looked at him in confusion as he held the bottle.
"I'd rather not drink alone," he explained.
Aoba and Hyuga took their glasses, and raised them. Fuyutsuki touched his bottle to their glasses, and as they drained them, he took a long pull, wincing from the smoky bite of the spirit. He shook his head a little, and poured them both another round.
They raised their glasses again.
"Shouldn't we toast something?" said Hyuga.
"The bride, I guess," said Aoba.
"No," said Fuyutsuki, touching his bottle to their glasses. "She's gotten enough toasts tonight. One more won't be missed. To absent friends."
"I'll drink to that," said Hyuga.
And they did.
You have been reading
Last Child of Krypton
S
Chapter Thirteen: I've heard there was a secret chord,
that David played and it pleased the Lord