+++++ 3rd Angel + 10. Monday, Day 9.
Shinji awoke, not expecting to be surrounded by LCL. The brief fear of drowning dissipated as soon as he noticed Rei's presence outside the LCL container he floated within. He could see Maya nearby, slumped down upon the desk she was working at, resting her head on her arms as she slept. If everyone around him was calm, he decided that he could try being calm himself for now.
Morning, lover. How's the headache? Rei II, with her face as emotionless as ever, was typing out commands on the console attached to the tank in an effort to get a read on his vitals. Rei I, on the other hand, was speaking to him with a warmth and affection he had long craved but never expected.
Rei? Why am I floating in here? He looked around, noticing the lack of clothing on his body. Too tired to panic about it, Shinji simply chose to feel along his upper torso and neck in search of any external injuries. She had been right, they'd seen each other nude and it was well past the time that either of them needed to be concerned about such silly things now.
Oh, I accidentally found the area of your brain responsible for limiting your A.T. Field to your immediate physical presence. She mentally pressed the affection she'd grown for him towards his mind, hoping to slow down the need to admit to messing up royally.
Shinji leaned into the sensation. It wasn't a bad way to wake up, save for the unpleasant taste the LCL left in his mouth. At least he didn't need to worry about morning breath, as the LCL worked better than any mouthwash at removing any microbial filth in his mouth. That doesn't sound horrible.
Well…Ugh. Ok, I found it and rubbed it a little. You're now able to manifest it outside of your body. Now feeling twice as guilty with how easily he forgave her, she chose to rip the bandage off.
Everything flooded back into Shinji's mind. The tank exploding, Ritsuko's revelation, waking up in the hospital bed. He stopped moving, stopped responding to Rei I's affections, and tensed up as he remembered the hospital door. He did that with a stray thought. He manifested an external A.T. Field and destroyed a door built to withstand sustained gunfire. He was now the things he was sent to kill. He wasn't human anymore.
No, Shinji. You are still human. When Shinji's eyes snapped to hers, Rei's eyebrow quirked upwards. Telepath. Remember? We've been talking mentally, you think we can't also hear your internal monologuing? She tapped a few more buttons. Right now, I'm going to teach you how to control it as best as I can. I figure, since we have a well-controlled starting position we can recycle, we should get busy. With time resets we should be fine to spend as long as we need.
"How is this fine?" Shinji spoke aloud, having lost focus on everything, "I'm a weapon now."
Rei II tapped the microphone's button to respond, "It is fine, because it cannot be otherwise. Even if we reset time, you remember what Mister Star told us. Skills we learn, muscle memory, those things remain. You are not alone, though." She reached out with her own Field, through the glass and stroked his face, "We can also do what you now are capable of. You know we control it, and so you will control it."
Look at it like this, Shinji. We are no longer alone. Your little Syndicate now has someone just like them. You've given us an increased sense of normalcy, and that's irreplaceable. Rei I stroked his chest with her A.T. Field, reminding him that it didn't need to be used solely to destroy. Isn't that what you've wanted to do?
"I don't want to hurt anyone, though." Shinji couldn't shake the image of the pod shattering, or the door crumpling. "I didn't feel any strain at all when I broke those things. A human wouldn't stand a chance against that."
We know, lover, Rei I's tone was long-suffering. We're always very careful about those things. Our biggest fear is that you'll use it and burn your life energy to ashes. You're not a synthetic being, like us, you have a rather finite pool to draw from and while you can reset if you die, you'll reduce your lifespan each and every time you use this.
"Which means time resetting, which may be unfortunate when it occurs," Rei II finished the thought. "Also, even though it is selfish, I would prefer to have a longer life this time. I would like that life to include you for the duration." Rei I mentally hugged Shinji, agreeing completely with the sentiment. Both of them found the new feeling of belonging with someone wonderful and would do whatever was necessary to prolong the sensation.
Ok, enough lollygagging. Rei I patted Shinji on the chest. Maya's going to stay unconscious, so let's get out of this pod and work on control. Whenever we make an oopsie, we'll just reset and start over.
Shinji climbed out of the pod, wobbling a little on muscles still not quite awake enough to steady him. The Reis helped him out, Rei II holding his hands physically, and Rei I holding his waist with their A.T. Field. The floor around them was quickly coated in LCL, prompting the three of them to simply sit down facing each other. "So, what am I supposed to do? I can't even feel when I'm about to use it, it just happens."
"First, you need to control your thoughts," Rei II reached out and took his hand, "my sister states that the trigger for your destructive urges involves a rabbit." She wove Rei I's presence into the connection so that they both could enjoy his touch. "The section of your mind that controls your A.T. Field must have some association with that creature. I would recommend that you visualize the rabbit, and see it performing what you wish with the Field in your mind."
Solid plan, Rei I took up the baton and continued the instruction, focus on the floor here. Imagine the rabbit hopping here in front of us. She loosened her connection to Shinji to let him have access to the reins, watching him squint and stare at the floor. When the floor violently broke downward, she sighed and braced herself for his inevitable reversal of the timeline. The reddish-black swirl, Luna simply guiding them to the point they'd decided upon without interrupting the necessary lessons, and the desire for Shinji slamming against her all fed her perception of this being a very, very long day.
After calming himself down over the memory of the pain he felt just before dying, with a great deal of help from the Rei Syndicate, Shinji climbed out of the pod under his own power and once more took up the position on the floor. The second test…did not succeed. The first twelve resets ended the same, the thirteenth was different insofar as the floor erupted upwards instead of downwards. The fourteenth through seventy second reset went back and forth with the floor breaking in various directions, and the seventy third was a reset due to Shinji killing himself with a crossbeam through his chest.
There was little progress, until an accidental breakthrough in the mid-hundreds. Shinji stayed in the LCL tank longer than he had been, after resetting, and Rei I took the opportunity to engage in some mental cuddling. It's ok, Shinji. We've got all the time in the world, we'll figure out what we need to do.
"Stupid rabbits. Each time I see it, all I can think about is the jumping. It jumps, the ground explodes, beep-boop-reset. The one time I thought about it eating some lettuce, I died…differently." He shuddered. "That is still terrifying. Shrugging off death that easily, waking up like nothing happened. I'm never going to live a normal life."
"According to the MAGI, there is a proverb about rabbits having an inordinately prodigious sexual reproductive ability. 'To fuck like rabbits', meaning to either have too many children, or to simply have more sex than is considered normal." Rei II turned her attention back to the monitor she'd been perusing, unaware of Shinji's blush and Rei I's vulpine grin.
So, Shinji, why don't we use that as your mental image? Me and my sister, dressed up like bunny rabbits from those old casinos? She trailed her Field down his spine. Us on either side of you, surrounding you, pressing against you, her voice became sultry, laying your thickness inside of us. Suddenly Shinji's body flickered, to the bluenette's trained eye he had managed to suppress an activation of the A.T. Field. She then tickled him, which broke his concentration, and the A.T. Field expanded and shattered the pod he lay within.
Following that success, they focused on framing Shinji's cognition regarding the concept of 'rabbits'. Slow progress was made, and Shinji was the first to admit that the Syndicate had superhuman reserves of patience with him. Several hundred resets later, Shinji was able to restrain the A.T. Field when he thought of a rabbit. His mental equivalent of the rabbit was the ladies in his house, dressed up like the old Playboy Bunnies, all giving a group hug. By the time he was successfully able to keep his Field internalized even with external distractions they had passed most of a month.
"Rei." Shinji lay still, Rei sitting atop his lap, creating and dispersing shaped Fields.
"Yes?" Yes? Both bluenettes responded.
"I think I have it. And this has been wonderful, but we need to move forward." He pressed a timid kiss to the top of her head, then stood up and set her down on her feet. His nerves were becoming more and more tense as he found fewer and fewer reasons to delay. "We have to have a talk with everyone about…the relationships." He tightened his grip on Rei's hand, "About how I am not going to give…give up someone who loves me."
The world went dark. Shinji's throat constricted, preventing him from screaming. There was a sensation of something sliding along his flesh as he was gently separated from Rei's hand. The world reformed around the Children, as suddenly as it had disappeared, and they sat clothed at a table in front of Mister Star. The tall gentleman reclined back against his chair, his long fingers tapping idly on the surface before him. His office seemed immaculate, decorated in tasteful blues and elegant crystalline accents. The table was barely translucent, you could see shapes beneath, but no detail to the figures themselves. Spread before him were stacks of texts, their lettering unfamiliar to Shinji.
"My apologies for the sudden interruption," the powerful being's voice sounded irritated, "it has come to my attention that my…alterations to the three of you have been more far ranging than I intended." With two snaps of his fingers, small bowls of the candies he had first offered appeared before them. "I can't apologize enough for that. It was never my intent to endanger your life, lad. Nor was it my intent to create a situation where you would be imprisoned, my dear."
Rei picked up her bowl and delicately tore through the offered candies. "You saved our lives, Mister Star. Nothing we face now is so dire as to wish for death instead." A small smile lit her face, as her bowl quickly refilled despite her aggressive hunger. Her words seemed to set him at ease, and her actions speaking of retained trust helped immensely in soothing the atmosphere of the office.
"That, dear lady, is no excuse for my failing as I have." The sandy-haired mage drew his hand across the table, filling a pair of cups with the same liquid as before. "The rings, at least, seem to enjoy your presence, which makes me glad." Each ring pulsed a dim red glow, 'speaking' in response to his recognition. The Children frowned, unafraid but still concerned by the experience. "A question, if you would," he waited for a nod from each Child, "how should I refer to you ladies? A 'Syndicate', as Shinji is fond of using, is fine for tertiary conversations. I, however, would like to be able to speak to each of you by name. Rei, while a lovely moniker, is going to garner both of your attentions, and make distinctions difficult."
"Haven't given it much thought," Rei I shrugged and took a sip of the offered drink, "I can't be out and about with the others, so I've been 'Rei' mentally the entire time. She's also 'Rei', because she's me." Reaching out, she ran her finger along Shinji's arm to give him a welcoming smile. "I don't know how we'll come to a consensus on who would own the name, if or when I'm ever able to actually move into the house with my loves."
"That could be arranged sooner, rather than later, if you would prefer." Mister Star offered a vague gesture toward Shinji while maintaining eye contact with Rei I. "Your presence in the home would be best, when you consider his newfound abilities. Although, I've already addressed the power consumption issue, in order to prevent a premature ending of our little arrangement." With a sigh, he waved at the head of the table and a veil of mist began to glow.
Slowly, an image of Shinji's body in profile appeared. The view zoomed in, showing a real-time diagram of his internals. Nestled between his heart and liver, there was a glowing shape. It hurt to look at for too long, and Shinji quickly found himself rubbing his eyes as he tried to understand what he was seeing.
"That is not Euclidean." Rei II glowered at the model. "You have placed a non-Euclidean object inside of Euclidean space, which comprises my boyfriend. I would ask you to explain how this will not end horrifically, when the inevitable physical checkup occurs."
"Hold on, sister dear, I'm still trying to map out what structure this is." Rei I furrowed her brow in concentration as she took control again, turning her head from side to side and nodding as the shape changed its cohesion with the surrounding structures. "Holy hell! That's a perfect heptadecahedron, isn't it?"
"Hep…hepta-, what?" Shinji looked between Mister Star and Rei I.
"A seventeen-sided object, where each of the seventeen sides are equal in size and shape." Rei II reached over to soothe Shinji, sensing his growing fear. "It is physically impossible in three-dimensional space, much like a Penrose Stair from our math class. Which is why I am concerned about it being inside of you, a greater-than-three-dimensional object being tethered to a three-dimensional object will not go unnoticed."
"I would not be concerned, Child. This object is quite similar to the one in both you and your sister, with a variation to allow integration with Shinji's completely human biology. Unlike the alteration I made to allow you both to remember infinite amounts of information, this only impacts the portions of the body that feed the production of your A. T. Field. I still wouldn't make a habit of using it without practice, though, as you will find that you tire rapidly. Like any muscle, it must be trained before it will perform efficiently over long periods. Rei, the firstborn, and her younger sister, have a rather unique mutated property that allows a peaceful integration of an organ that works in a similar fashion." His smile was kindly, gentle. There was no air of smugness or superiority to his words, "As to my other offer, would you three be amenable to my altering the landscape around you so that the firstborn may live alongside you? I truly feel guilty for this, it seems impossible for things to have happened as they have, and yet here we are. A soul split in two has managed to form into two distinct personalities. Complementation is truly impossible, anymore."
"How would you change things?" Rei I picked at the candies. "I might be able to continue to manipulate Gendo from a distance, but things would fall apart rather rapidly if he were to leave my influence. If we halve the power, I'm going to have to live at NERV anyway." The picture of Shinji disappeared, replaced by an overhead map of the GeoFront and Tokyo-3. There was a series of circles overlaid on the image, though without a legend there was no way to draw a sensible conclusion from the information being displayed. "I…think I understand the first circle, that looks like the range of people I managed to put to sleep when I wanted to boink my boyfriend. What's the second circle?"
"My offer." Mister Star pushed a button on his desk, Amy sashayed in and handed everyone a plush leather-bound folder. She snuck a candy from Shinji's bowl, offering him a wink and blowing him a kiss as she popped the treat into her mouth and strutted back out. "Sorry about that, she's a treasure but she's got unique views on professionalism." He smiled fondly after her, clearly not angry with his loyal employee for continuing her own campaigns.
Rei II had read through the contract, a contract that Shinji had chosen to simply trust as he didn't understand it, all two paragraphs of it, and snapped her copy closed, "I am uncertain as to the cost of this contract. It states that you will amplify any and all copies of 'Rei Ayanami' with the ability to reach further to use their A. T. Field, and ensure that all who come into contact with them understands that they are siblings. The cost you have stated is 'Shinji Ikari'. Exactly how is he the cost?"
"Simply put, he will pay the cost of the contract. His continued efforts to repair the damaged planet you live on, in addition to his support of those under his care regardless of how large that number grows." He shrugged. "A deal I believe he will gladly agree with, considering it follows along with the dooms foretold."
"Why aren't we paying the cost though?" Rei I began spinning the folder in her palms. "We're gaining, why aren't we paying?"
"Because both of you have a conflict of interest." With a gesture, he put Shinji to sleep. "In either scenario, you stand to survive. Survive what, you both well know." He cast a significant look at both the body and souls of the bluenettes. "Shinji has a clear motivation, and only one path towards survival. I am displeased at the White Moon, and its children. While both of you are a product of the White and Black Moons, you have chosen to identify more closely with the Black. So long as that remains, I'm inclined to allow you to live." His face darkened, his power swelling just enough to make itself known. "I am no more fond of the concept of Original Sin than you are, and have no interest in pursuing complete purification of the afflicted world. Test me, and I will personally intervene. Nothing, not even Adam himself, will prevent my wrath. Humanity will survive, or not, on its own merits. Should someone else intervene, I will address the situation as appropriate." Both Reis swallowed, their typical tranquility burned to the ground by the ominous statement. With a gesture, Shinji awoke as if nothing had happened and Mister Star continued, "As you can see, you benefit from the lack, or the presence, of my gift. Shinji, are you concerned regarding what I'm asking you to do?"
"No," the Third Child shook his head, "I plan on taking care of everyone, and I'm not going to run away again. This fight will follow me wherever I go, I can't escape it, so I might as well go down fighting." He looked over at the Syndicate, and noted their pensive expressions, "Don't worry, he's been perfectly fair with us so far. With your support, I'm sure we'll win."
"Well said, Shinji." The look on the blonde man's face was passive, calm. "I have no doubts as to your dear ladies' desire to provide you with their best. Who knows, once the threat has been eliminated, perhaps I can assist you in retrieving the spirit of the Child that resides inside Unit-00. Three ladies of their caliber would provide an overwhelming advantage in a post-war world." A bandage to cover the gaping wound he laid bare. While there were no conflicted loyalties with the two sisters, they now had a greater appreciation for the intent of the enigmatic Star. "Unless you have any further questions, I'll return you to the start of the day. The changes will take effect, so I would advise letting the people you communicate with do the talking first. Feel them out, before you commit a faux pas."
+++++ 3rd Angel + 10. Monday, Day 41.
Shinji opened his eyes, and again saw Rei's face. Or, more correctly, faces. The contract that he had agreed to, trusting his fellow pilot, apparently meant that he had gained another physical version of Rei Ayanami to have as a friend and comrade-in-arms. The thought of two Rei, of them hugging him as one, of them….
"C'mon, lover. Let's get you out of the tub. I'll wake up Maya once we're in towels." Rei I lifted the lid, and helped him step out safely. Rei II handed each of them long, fluffy towels that conferred modesty while soaking up the LCL that he had been floating in and now adorned Rei I's arms and hands.
"Allow me to assist," Rei II gently wrapped Shinji up in the broad towel, giving him a chance to hold his arms inside the towel. "Sister, if you would awaken Maya?" She kept her arms around Shinji, holding him tightly as Maya slowly came to. "Good morning, Maya. Are you feeling better after some sleep?"
"Oh my goodness!" Maya sat bolt upright and clapped her face with both hands several times. "I must have dozed off. Shinji, are you feeling better? Did Reiko and Rei manage to get your A. T. Field stable?" She began typing away at the console before her. "Oh, oh great! I see you finally stabilized this morning. Thank you for getting him out ladies, I shouldn't have fallen asleep. I'm such a horrible girlfriend." She turned and fussed with her hands looking at the three Children before her.
"No," Rei I, now Reiko, tried, "you're overworked. I mean, the three of us can be quite the handful, and with all of us having the occasional hiccup with our A. T. Fields, I can only imagine how hard you have to work." She slid into the hug that Rei II and Shinji were enjoying before continuing, "Would it be ok if we went and got clean, though? I'd love to shower this gunk off before we head home to the Den."
"Yes, absolutely!" Maya stood up and made shooing motions to Shinji and the Syndicate, "I'll wait here while you hit the showers. Flush the tank out, get everything set to rights. Now that Shinji is stable, we shouldn't be needing it for a while, but I don't want to leave it in a state that it can't be used again quickly. I'm so glad this all worked out, I was so worried!"
Testing, testing, you both hear me? Reiko sounded clearly in Shinji's head.
I do. Rei's voice sounded equally distinct in Shinji's head, the typical cold detachment creating a different tone than Reiko's more animated voice.
So do I, neat. Shinji smiled as he held the door for the bluenettes. Now we can talk just amongst ourselves, so I can ask for advice whenever I need it instead of waiting for us to be alone.
Reiko pressed a kiss to Shinji's lips as she passed. It's a lot easier now that you're manifesting your A. T. Field, lover. Rei and I often chat, without you. If we continue to do so, are you going to be ok with that?
Of course! Shinji felt a swat on his ass as he went into the male shower area, blushing as he adjusted his own sensibilities to the reality that Reiko was a far more physically demonstrative creature. I'm not included in every conversation that people have out loud, I'm not entitled to your private thoughts either. The water quickly warmed, and Shinji was grateful for the high-pressure plumbing inside NERV as it sloughed off the tacky LCL feeling he had grown immensely tired of over the past month of resets.
Thank you. Rei's voice held concern, I am worried, though. You broadcast your thoughts so loudly to us, we cannot help but overhear what you are thinking as you think it. We try to give you the same privacy you offer, without much success.
I'm not worried. Not at all. I trust the two of you, you've been through hell with me and you're still telling me I'm somehow worth something. You also don't tend to share what I think with everyone around me, so it isn't like you've abused the power you've got. We're a team, and even better we're all able to physically connect with one another so that…why did you choose Reiko?
'Cause I hate everything about the Rei I had been, Reiko snorted derisively. Weak. Fragile. Killed off and shoved into that monster. That's not what Rei-Rei feels about the name, though. Rei is who she is. It's who she has been. Better that I start over and she continue being what she's made of the name, that way we're not swapping baggage around.
A gesture which I appreciate greatly, Rei added softly. We have…a concern, however. One we wish to bring up to you without judgement.
Which means you need to not wrap yourself around the axle about it, ok? Answer from that big stupid heart of yours, and not from that pile of neuroses you call a mind.
Shinji hesitated, thought of the past month they'd spent dying together, and chuckled out loud at how silly he had been being. I'll do my best. What can I do?
Do you feel it was wise to trust this 'Luna'? She was physically impressive, according to your memories of the event, but we do not quite understand why you were so quick to accept what may have been a poison apple? Rei paused briefly, clearly conferring with her sister. We must take great care to not allow random women to beg you to marry them. It will only lead to heartache for you.
…I'm worried about what it will do to all of you! Scrubbing harshly at a stubborn bit of LCL, he scowled. I…I accepted her bargain because I have to learn how to control the time resets. She can teach me, Mister Star won't…or can't. I already want nothing to do with my father, and will do everything I can to show people I'm not him. I have no idea where this rose is that I'm going to have to save, but I get the feeling I'll know it when I see it. The stuff about the heart, the soul, all that…again, I'm sure we'll stumble across it at some point. She wasn't asking me to murder anyone, or steal from anyone, or…I don't know, kick kittens. He sighed. I guess I just figured that nobody wanted to be with me anyway, so what did it matter?
Reiko's tone became a bit snippy, Learned your lesson pretty quick there, didn't ya?
He did, Rei interjected calmly. Though we do not know the type of woman she is yet, so we should reserve judgement until we have such information. That she will be legally wed to him is of no matter…he is ours in his very soul.
Damn right he is.
+++++ 3rd Angel + 10. Monday, Day 41.
There was a strange nostalgia on seeing his new home again, after more than a month away from it from his perspective. Shinji saw the strange amount of activity in Section Two staff, a bevy of agents moving around the outside of the house discussing various issues and making sweeping gestures to the ground, sky, or building, but wrote it off as an expected outcome of his misadventure with the Suzuhara family. It had been a school day, another in the ever-increasing list of days he had missed for Evangelion-related reasons, and so the streets around the Den were largely devoid of any traffic at all with people either learning or working.
Climbing out of the vehicle, which still served as an exercise in discovery considering his far different body mass, prompted Maya to declare, "I've put in a request for a larger car, just so you know. That unexpected growth spurt has just completely changed our needs as a family."
"Thanks, dear," Reiko teased, hugging Maya from the side and squeezing her tight. "It's so nice to know our gal Friday is on top of everything."
Blushing, but outwardly happy, Maya returned the embrace. "It's going to take me a bit to get used to having someone so affectionate around. It seems like we've just met each other, sometimes…others it feels like we've all known each other for years."
"She has ever been the more demonstrative sister," Rei deadpanned. "Hopefully you are not upset that we would seek to include you in our happiness?"
"It's new, it's different, but it is not unwelcome." She held out one arm, offering for Rei to join in the cuddle. "Life came at us all really fast this past week, but I don't regret it a bit."
Contentment flared in Shinji's chest, this time. He could feel, through the overlapping A.T. Fields, how Rei and Reiko included him in the love they were offering to Maya. He wasn't separate from the affection, they were respecting how uncomfortable he felt about affection in public forums. They, and Maya, were letting him grow comfortable with it rather than just tossing him in the deep end and telling him to accept what they thought was right. I'm…sorry. I don't know if I'll feel jealous like that again, I can't say I won't if the situation strikes me wrong, but I was silly to doubt you.
Reiko winked at him, a playful grin adorning her flawless features. You can make it up to me later. For now, let's get inside and get something to eat. I want your cooking without having to share everything I'm eating with the bottomless pit, here.
I require significant nutrients to maintain my energy, it is simply effective to eat everything our love provides us with. Rei took Reiko's hand and pulled her away from Maya to start moving up to the house. "I am hungry, let us go find lunch."
Partway up the drive, Yuuko flagged Shinji and Maya down. "Blue Team, go on inside. Need to chat at Gigantor for a minute about some changes to the day-to-day."
…Shinji? Reiko was disinterested in listening to someone else's dismissal, wanting to make sure her lover felt safe before anything else.
It's ok. I trust Yuuko-san. He stopped where he was, placing his hands in his pockets. Besides, it's not like I can't just think of you now. "I'm sorry about how complicated things have become, Yuuko-san. It's been…a lot. I'm sure that I haven't made your job any easier."
Smirking, Yuuko watched the Syndicate head inside before speaking in a more hushed tone, "I received new orders, kid. Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki watched your little scrap with Suzuhara and decided that you needed…an outlet. His exact words were 'the last thing we need is someone with his father's ability to brawl and his mother's temper'." Rubbing the back of her neck, she then looked at Maya. "There's also been a bit of a change at the top of my Section. Matsuhiro was canned. 'Gross negligence'."
"Gross…how?" Maya gestured out towards the house. "He can't help that Reiko had a panic attack, he can't help that Rei ran out of the house unguarded to try and help stop her from hurting anyone, and he certainly couldn't have helped Shinji pilot Unit-01 to put an end to her rampage. How was he supposed to stop Shinji from being jumped by Suzuhara? Demand that he never go anywhere without three agents hanging off his back?"
"Check your mail." Leaving it at that, she turned back to a discomfited Shinji. "I'd like to introduce you to two people, before you go inside. The first one insisted on being here today to meet you in person. Megumi Murata, the new head of Section Two-" Stopping herself when she saw Maya's head snap up, she motioned with an open palm asking that Maya keep her concern to herself. "The second…well, I'll admit I pulled a few strings after listening to the arguments over who in Section Two would take responsibility for helping you develop an outlet for your…excess anger."
Approaching the small group like a falling boulder, Megumi Murata introduced herself with the type of aggressive presence that had made her successful in her occupation and crippled her social life, "Agent Tanaka, I believe I made my expectations clear?" Coming to a halt just inside Shinji's 'comfort bubble', she looked him up and down with a frown. "Have you managed to get your shit together, pilot?"
Maya, now feeling even more protective of Shinji, stepped over to stand next to Shinji to draw fire off of him. "Murata-san, I-"
"Captain, I don't remember speaking to you," the new woman cut off her junior officer sharply. "Well, pilot?"
The part of Shinji Ikari that held a special brand of terror for hyperaggressive people was complicated by the newly discovered part that held no love for being suddenly attacked. Instead of cowering inward, as he might have once, the way that Maya had been disrespected in front of their home caused him to swell in size until he was glaring death down at this impertinent bitch that thought she was in charge. "Would you like a demonstration of exactly how well I have managed to 'get my shit together', ma'am?" The area around him began to darken, the light no longer daring to enter the area his soul controlled. "Or can we leave it alone, and remember that we're all on the same team?"
Stone faced and unmoved, Megumi leaned further in. "I am attaching a contingent of guards to you, Ikari. Where you go, they go. Despite my recommendation, Sub-Commander Fuyutsuki has declared that Agent Tanaka and her partner will remain in charge of your day-to-day security. You will adhere to her commands, and you will obey my team's instructions. Security is not a game, and you will stop treating it as such."
This was his home. These were his friends and family. "I'll take your position under advisement. Get off my lawn." Holding an unblinking glower on the smaller woman, he refused to flinch first and was eventually rewarded with her snorting derisively and walking away to another group of agents nearby. Keeping his eyes on her until she was far enough away that he could speak privately with Yuuko and Maya, he muttered, "I don't like her."
"That, and I realize that this might shock you to your very core," Yuuko chuckled dryly, "is not an uncommon sentiment."
"Did you just bark at someone?" Maya was both shocked and inwardly pleased to see him stand up for himself. "You?"
Shifting his shoulders uncomfortably, Shinji looked back down to his feet. "Nobody talks to someone I…I care about that way." He paused, trying to regain some of the calm he'd felt coming home. "I won't let her talk to you or Yuuko that way. I trust you, both of you…I don't trust her."
"As nice as that is to hear, kid," Yuuko reached up and lifted his chin so that he looked at her, "she's the best we've got at this game. I don't like her, nobody does, but she could keep a chicken safe in a room full to bursting with foxes." She grinned, tickling under his chin to get him to lighten up some. "She's also my boss, so let's do what you said and try to remember that we're all on the same team." Stepping to his other side to flank him with Maya, she patted him on the back. "C'mon. We built something out back. I'll introduce you to someone much nicer than Murata-san. Time to learn some self-defense." She winked up at him with an almost feral grin. "The combat style of my homeland."
"Homeland?" Shinji tried to think about where she might be from, as she looked incredibly 'Japanese' for an ostensible foreigner. "Where are you from, Yuuko-San?"
"Well, big guy, I'm from Thailand. My mother was an expat, my father was a nak muay that thought she was a blessing from Buddha." Her smile grew sad. "So long as she was in the audience, he never lost a match. She cheered so hard for him in the first match where they met, because she had bet the last of her money on him, that he sought her out after the bout. They were married two days later, and I came along about ten months afterwards. When she died, he gave up boxing. He started training others, still does." She punched his shoulder in a friendly manner. "And so, since you remind me a lot of him, we're teaching you how to ruin lives."
"I'd rather talk people down, Yuuko-San."
"And as your kru, it's my job to make you ready for when they'd rather not listen." She raised her eyebrow at him, already prepared to handle what she knew would be his pacifistic tendencies. "You're absolutely right that you should try the words first."
"But the fists need to be ready to back up your words, child." Standing next to a combat sports ring was an older man, unbowed despite his age. "Good hearts are a rarity in this life, and so they must be twice ready to fight. For others who cannot, and for themselves when they must." His face cracked as he smiled at Yuuko, spreading his arms in a welcoming gesture. "Daughter."
"Hey dad," Yuuko skipped over girlishly, "how was your flight?"
"Tolerable." His arms, corded muscle over corded muscle, lifted the larger woman off the ground. "You've put on weight. I'm glad to see you're still practicing."
"Well," she blushed, "after Joe cheated on me, I needed a healthier outlet." Once her father placed her back on her feet, she gestured with a small bit of pride to her family's new student. "Shinji here is that outlet."
The old man placed his hands together, pressing his thumb and fingertips to his nose and forehead as he ducked his shoulders in a small bow. "Thank you, child, for defending us all. Thank you for being a man my daughter is proud to defend."
Shinji bowed instinctively, already seeing why Yuuko believed he would much prefer this new presence in his life. "No, please, sir. I am only doing what anyone in my position would."
The old man nodded once in agreement before motioning to the ring. "Then let us prepare you to do it well."
+++++ 3rd Angel + 10. Monday, Day 41.
Inside the house, both watching as Shinji was worked ragged and helping Tsubame prepare a meal that would give their hero what he would need to grow the muscle that he would be packing on if such workouts continued, Rei and Reiko mentally encouraged Shinji to keep pushing himself harder. Push-ups, sit-ups, burpees, mountain climbers. Lifting Yuuko off the ground and over his head, then holding her out in front of him, then squatting to set her down, then doing it all over again. All of this, and more, before he'd even been shown the basic stances of Muay Thai. For hours the old man pounded the fundamental principles of balance, speed, and strength into Shinji's head; it was only ten minutes before school would have let out for the day that the exercise was called to a halt. All told, it had been over five hours of concentrated agony.
Tsubame began the final touches on what they'd be shoving down Shinji's throat, watching as Shinji was carried towards the Den's rear entrance by Yuuko and Maya. "Ladies, before we begin our part of this necessary chain of events, I wish to thank you for not acting like Hikari or Sakura will once they get home." She hadn't once felt like she was being forced out of the way while monitoring Shinji and had often found Reiko pressing into her side in a loose embrace. "Let's make sure our prince eats before one of us drags him into the showers to clean up."
"You are a part of this household, Tsubame-san," Rei declared quietly. "You understand, better than many, what he will face inside of the Evangelion. Remain a champion for his health, we will forever be grateful for your company."
"I am actually sorry about the whole…you know, 'incident'," Reiko semi-apologized. "Mental health care isn't exactly at the top of the old priority chain at NERV, as you know all too well."
Hugging both younger ladies close, Tsubame hummed happily. "We'll grow this family together, as a team."
Oh I'm gonna do things to her that are illegal in nineteen countries, Reiko purred silently.
Rei's response held just a hint of chiding, Do not push her. We must allow the mood to ripen before we seek to indulge in such acts.
Entering the house from the front as Shinji was hauled bodily through the back, Yasuji hurried over and took over for the two smaller women. Scooping Shinji up into a bridal carry, he brought the greatly tired young man over and sat him down at the kitchen's bar where Rei directed him to. "I had heard that Uncle came here personally," the Shirakami Boss glanced back over his shoulder to Yuuko, "is he well enough for this?"
"Bah, dad's got at least another hundred years in him still," Yuuko laughed off the concern. "He just didn't like having to sit still in the airplane for six and a half hours."
Yasuji lifted one eyebrow. "I had meant Ikari-san."
"He received a clean bill of health before we came back from NERV," Maya clarified. "The MAGI are still debating how he acquired the ability to manipulate his A.T. Field, but they all agreed that he has it well under control now, thanks to the twins."
The big man looked to Rei and Reiko, who were arranging things so that they could feed Shinji. "Then I owe both of you a debt of gratitude."
"And Pocky," Reiko bartered with a playful grin.
A laugh escaped him as he reached across the bar and tousled her hair. "Pocky it is, then. I shall count myself fortunate that my favorite female pilots do not have more expensive tastes."
"I am simply happy they have good oral hygiene practices," Tsubame joked, coming around the bar and moving under Shinji's arm to help him sit upright as he quietly took the bites that the Syndicate were placing in his mouth in turns. "How are you feeling, big guy?"
His voice was as drained as his body was exhausted, but Shinji managed to remain ever dismissive of things that might bother him, "I'll be fine in a bit. Maybe after a shower."
"I'm going to go help dad find a good hotel," Yuuko announced, moving towards the back door again and waving farewell to everyone.
"I will accompany you," Yasuji 'offered'. "There are a few nearby where I can…ensure that nobody does anything tragically idiotic. Like challenging him."
Once the non-residents were out of the house, and the door was closed, Maya came over to the bar, climbed up onto a stool, then sat atop the bar itself so that she was facing as many of the others as physically possible. "That was, and I am not prone to exaggeration on such things, an incredibly dangerous workout. I appreciate a good routine, I am happy that the Sub-Commander has authorized an expert to help Shinji grow into his new size, but there were several times that he was pushing him past the redline."
Too tired to exercise proper manners, Shinji spoke out of the corner of his mouth as he chewed another piece of steak. "I'll be fine. We don't have time to waste if I'm going to be ready to handle piloting. Being launched to the surface hurt. Nobody warned me that I'd almost lose consciousness, or that if I'd been in better shape I wouldn't have felt like I was being crushed flat. If a few days of soreness is the price, I'll pay it." Accepting some vegetables from Rei, he added mentally, The next chance I get to work with him, I want to use the reset to move past this. It will suck, but if I'm going to retain physical changes we can at least get me to a point where I'm not constantly out of breath.
We cannot move too fast, Rei cautioned. Unexplained muscle growth will only increase the oversight we receive.
The front door, once more, opened. This time Hikari and Sakura walked in, at once physically together and emotionally apart from one another. As one, they both gasped Shinji's name. They then, in tandem, turned their heads to face each other and glared daggers.
Shinji's head lolled over in their direction, and despite his mind trying to comprehend how Sakura was up and walking again he only managed to quietly ask, "How…did you heal so fast?" He blinked, trying to remember the events of a month ago through the fog of the lessons in dying without death. "Weren't you…wasn't your spine…?"
Sakura moved forward more slowly than Hikari, keeping his eyes on her by taking her time to draw the attention out. "You healed me, good sir. The specialist, Morrigan, that you sent to help me asked that I extend her congratulations on our upcoming wedding. She repaired my spine, and my love for you allowed me to cope with the slight pain I feel from the bruises I accrued."
Morrigan's statement, that she would change one other matter as well, now made sense in Shinji's mind. If they are going to intervene in our lives…we are going to lose any hope of keeping the time travel a secret. He felt the pulse of agreement from Rei and Reiko, prompting him to sigh and return to his meal. "I'm sorry I don't sound as happy as I am. I just got done being pummeled by an old man for a few hours, and it's really only the pain that's keeping me awake."
Tsubame ceded her place under Shinji's arm to Hikari with a wink to her daughter, giving her an advantage in closeness as he was already listing in that direction. "I'm going to go grab some painkillers," she said by way of excusing herself from her spot. "If I am remembering his chart right, he doesn't have any specific allergies?"
Well aware of what Tsubame had done, but supportive of the end goal all things considered, Maya nodded in agreement. "Nope. So far as I can tell, the only thing he's allergic to is praise."
"We shall strive to overcome such issues through exposure to it, then," Sakura declared. Picking up the utensils Rei had left behind when the bluenette went to draw Shinji more water, she placed some food in his mouth with a glowing smile meant for him alone. "My future husband is a praiseworthy man, it will simply not do to have him defer his due once his name and face become widely known."
"Rather be anonymous," Shinji grumbled as he chewed. "People are…frustrating."
"Unfortunately," Hikari interjected, happily running her hand along the small of his back, "there's no way we're going to be able to keep people from noticing you. You stood out before you grew taller, after all. Don't worry, you have a support system here in our home that will help you learn to survive society."
"Damn straight," Reiko declared with a grin for her preferred non-Syndicate female. "After all, he's going to represent us! How are we supposed to walk with our heads high and our shoulders back if our man is skulking around like a leper?"
That, Shinji realized, was something he hadn't thought of. How he looked, how he acted, what he did, it all would impact the people that chose to be around him. Furrowing his eyebrows, he looked down at the bar as his mind wandered through this new information. People would look at him, then look at who he loved. They would seek to see what he valued, how he treated those by his side, how he treated those he dealt with. It was just like people seeing his father whenever they looked at him, except now he occupied the position his father held in the household. "Love…is complicated."
"It is," Maya agreed. "But you're not doing this alone, like Reiko said. You have a family growing around you, growing with you."
Issuing a weak chuckle, Shinji let himself slump forward so that his upper torso was laying atop the bar. "I'm too tired to argue that, all of you deserve so much more…it's…." He let his eyes slide shut, working his mind to get the words in the right order. "For as long as any of you are willing to put up with me, I will do everything I can to be worthy of your presence…but I need you to understand that deep down in my heart, I am terrified that I am hurting all of you."
"Then it's a good thing that all of us are going to do whatever we can to make it easier on you," Tsubame declared as she returned with some packets containing analgesic powder. "Including, but not limited to, stopping stupid petty fights over who gets to do what on any particular day with you." Handing one packet to Maya to open, she tore her own slowly in half and poured the contents into Shinji's drink. "If we are going to enjoy the benefits of adulthood, then we are going to act like adults." Her eyes landed squarely on her own daughter and Sakura. "Aren't we."
That it was not a question, but a very firm declaration of unyielding truth, did not escape Hikari who rapidly joined her mother's side of the issue. "Yes ma'am."
Maya added her packet to Shinji's drink, then pushed it over to Rei. "Ok, Shinji, sit up and knock this back. Once it's down, you and I are going to go get you cleaned up and ready for bed. I think you need a nap, if not just to sleep straight through to tomorrow."
Lending her support to preventing a battle with an eye towards the greater war, Tsubame agreed, "Maya is a fully trained CCRN, which is something I did not know until a few days ago." Lending a hand in helping her coworker down from the bar, she gave her a nod of respect. "Our budding polymath is perfectly qualified to make certain that a certain accident-prone member of this household, who shall remain Shinji, does not damage himself in the shower or drown himself in the tub." Sensing the disappointment in her daughter and Sakura, and seeing it writ plain on Reiko's face, she held up her hands to her shoulders. "This is not a time for lovey-dovey teen pregnancies, ladies. Shinji has obligations to meet, and the two of us here that have medical training are going to ensure that he is healthy enough to meet them."
"The other avenue, per the Sub-Commander, is that he finds a different situation for Shinji that doesn't lead to quite so many accidents." Maya caught the small frown grow on Rei's face, agreeing with the sentiment. "Tsubame, would you please help me get him upstairs? The sooner he's clean, the sooner he can sleep this last week off."
+++++ 3rd Angel + 10. Monday, Day 41.
Sitting naked on a stool near the shower nozzle, Shinji began to wonder if the month he'd spent without any clothing had somehow just cured him of giving a shit about someone seeing him without clothing. Slumped forward, as he'd spent the past half hour downstairs, he had his head resting against the cool tiles of the wall hosting the shower system. His voice had grown deeper, commensurate with his size, and sounded distorted in his head in the confined space of the bathroom as he asked, "Maya…can I ask you something?"
Down to the chemise she wore in place of the bra she didn't need and her good sturdy pair of cotton panties, Maya tested the water temperature before exposing her boyfriend to it. "Anything you want to," she announced with warm cheer. "I encourage you to speak your mind, and I promise you that I won't hold anything you phrase poorly against you. I know how hard it can be to get the right words in the right places."
Feeling the warm water begin to massage his back as Maya hosed him down, he smirked in contentment. How long have I wanted to hear those words? "Is it…ok, I guess, to have things you're just not ready to talk about? Problems, or issues, or topics, that just don't…. Things that I would have to explain twelve different other things to even begin to have make sense, you know?"
"Hmm, I think I get what you're saying." Beginning the soaping, she felt the tiny spark of inner joy at being able to be so tactile with someone grow into a much larger flame. "Like, if you don't want to talk about calculus, to use a silly example, because you'd have to discuss all of the mathematical principles that go into math of that level. You feel that whoever asked you about something would need a primer on arithmetic, then algebraic principles, then geometry, then special cases, then trigonometry, and so on, and so on. You don't have the energy to go through all that yet, and you want to know if you can beg them to be patient?"
He rocked his head in a mockery of a nod. "Yeah."
"Unless lives are on the line, and I mean that in the literal sense, there's no good reason for you to talk about something you're not ready to talk about." Working her hands around to his front, hugging him from behind and washing him down, she began to understand better why Tsubame had a hard time not giving Shinji a nudge towards greater adventures. "Take the time you need to grow comfortable with them, move at your pace when you start. If they're pushing you, consider including someone you trust in the discussions. There's nothing wrong with an impartial third party mediating between you and whoever, and it can often lead to better outcomes for patients with a history of abuse to have that person there. Trust, and the way it functions, can be easily broken. Fixing it takes time, care, and patience." She paused when he lifted one of his hands up and held her much smaller paw atop his chest just over his heart. She could feel her blush overwhelming her face, just as she knew that he wanted her to simply hold him for a few moments.
"I…wish I had known you earlier in my life." It wasn't a lie, but as usual of late it wasn't the whole truth. "I really could have used the…the sunshine you bring into everything I do around you."
Feeling him take a deep, shuddering, breath she quickly packed her own hormonal urges into the closet where they would wait. Before the third tear fell, she was sitting in his lap holding him just as tight as he was holding her as he cried into her hair. "It's ok," she murmured softly. "It's always ok to let your emotions out when you need to. I know people make such a huge deal out of being stoic and never letting yourself show supposed weakness, but it's really ok to just let it out when you need to." When he began to rock her side to side, finding comfort in the motion as his tears turned to sobs, she let a sad smile grow on her own lips. "I wish I had known you earlier too, you know? I mean, it would have been a bit awkward, since I'm six years older than you, but…I have to have faith that it would have worked out for the best. I would have been able to help you grow, you would have been able to help me not feel so ugly, we-"
"You are not ugly," he snarled, tightening his hold on her as if to force the words through her skin by brute strength. "You are just as beautiful as Tsubame, as Hikari, as anyone else in this…this…terrifying house. Everything you are is just what it should be, and I would never dream of changing the smallest hair on your head."
He's so…ferocious when he starts feeling protective. Maya noticed that the crying had slowed down once more, replaced by a flat determination to not allow her to feel bad about herself. "It's how I feel about myself, though. Just like you feel that you're worthless, I feel like I'm just…you know, unattractive."
"…Then we'll work on it, just like Sakura says we need to work on praise." Sliding her out enough so that he could sit up and look down on her, he lifted his chin and declared, "I think you are beautiful. I think anyone who looked at you and chased after some painted face is going to come to regret not noticing what you had offered. I think…I think that if you really are offering to stay by my side, that I am the luckiest man on earth."
I think I want you to shove me against a wall and get started with growing our little family, Maya thought, her jaw clenched tight to stop herself from spitting that thought out loud and ruining the moment. "I don't understand it much myself, Shinji…I'm not normally the type to fall head over heels. All I know is that when I sit here, in your arms, I feel like the universe is smiling down on us. I feel like, for once, I belong. Maybe you're right, maybe there is some sort of magic at work." She saw him grow worried, and gave him her best smile. "But if more people had that kind of magic in their lives, we'd never have wars again."
+++++ Author's Notes:
Yeah, I didn't really like it myself. I was fiddling around with various ways to annotate the characters, as had been requested, but since the only votes are 'no' I'll try something different.
This Amethyst is where the YANC Amethyst was first written out. I liked the idea of a Brooklyn-accented little imp being an advisor to Shinji too much to not include her in YANC as the ship's doctor. This Amy has much greater control over her accent, however, and it's only going to show when she gets frazzled.
Oh, there's going to be a time reset. It's already written down and everything. 81,858 words from now, give or take. It's going to be...memorable.