A/N: Hello everyone and welcome back to The Berserker! And with me today is our special guest Shinji, my version.
Shinji: How the hell did I get here?
Orion: Don't question that, any comments on the story so far?
Shinji: Well I really don't know what's happening.
Orion: Good, good, now Shinji since you are my favorite character here, would you like to be my permanent special guest?
Shinji: Sure, not like I got much else to do.
Orion: Great! A couple of things first, to my dear readers new and old-ish, feedback on the story is amazing it helps me to improve your reading experience and story quality. Next I learned a few things, mainly writing while listening to music is f-ing fantastic.
Shinji: Duh everything is better with music.
Orion: Don't sound like a smartass, anyway that pretty much wraps this talk up, would you please do the honor Shinji?
Shinji: Author-san does not in any way shape or form own Evangelion
'How can someone drink this much beer?' I ask myself while stepping around multiple piles of beer cans. 'I am gonna have to do some serious cleaning tomorrow,'. I then sit down at the table as Misato fixes our instant dinner. Once everything is ready she sits down and chugs a whole beer in one second.
"AH, that hits the spot!" She exclaims opening another.
"Is that why your driving is terrible?" I ask reliving the drive to NERV.
"Wha- No! Anyway are you not hungry?" She says gesturing to my cup of instant ramen.
"No I am it's just, well this isn't what i'm used to," I say trying not to sound spoiled.
"Well unless you can cook then you better get used to it," She states.
"I do know how to cook, on my files it says that one of my hobbies is cooking," I say having looked over my own file to make sure everything was in order.
"Y-Yeah, I knew that," She says behind her can of beer.
"Well we had better go shopping for actual food tomorrow if you want a real meal," I say eating some of the ramen. I don't know how but it tasted burnt.
"I'm sorry it's not the best in the world, and the place is a mess but it is home, your home too now," Misato says smiling.
I'm a little shocked at first that someone is happy to share a home with me, teacher while he may have taught me many things and let me take martial arts classes. Really just wanted me to leave.
"Now that you said that, i'm not leaving anytime soon," I say grinning.
"Wouldn't have it any other way, now shut up and eat your ramen," Misato says.
I just roll my eyes and choke down the last of the cup and drink the can of whatever it was and leave to my new room to unpack. While this room is smaller than the one I had with teacher, it has a different feeling to it. A sense of belonging. I chuckle to myself at the good feeling and unpack my close into the closet and make the bed for the night. I put the earbuds of my SDAT in my ears and think about the day's events. Just a few days ago if you would have told me that I would A, be living with a hot woman and B, piloting a giant fucking robot I would have called you an idiot. Now that I think about it this is fucking crazy, the entire planet's fate rests in my hands. A 14 year old boy, holds the whole planet in his hands. Everybody on the planet, every kid, adult, grandparent, and everything in between their fate is in my hands. While they might not know it, I will make sure to protect this planet. Like hell i'm gonna let it end, it may have dealt me some shitty cards in the past but I can't just let it end. I guess that's the real reason for me agreeing to pilot Eva. 'Ah this is starting to stress me out, I had better get some sleep,' I think rolling over on my other side and drifting off to sleep.
Next Morning-
I wake up in a tangled mess in she bed sheets, and now I have to find my way out of them. A little under 10 minutes after waking up and a lot of wriggling I am free and had to the bathroom past a snoring Misato. Once I leave the bathroom I trip on a pile of beer cans, 'Alright cleaning now, breakfast later,' I think picking myself up and gathering several garbage bags. I start with the trash first and fill up about 4 bags with beer and the rest with random junk. I then pick up all the dirty clothes lying around and put them in 2 hampers in the launder area. I then work on giving the place a thorough scrubbing. Before I know it, it's noon and Misato wake up.
She yawns, "Good morning Shinji, sleep we- waht happened here?" She asks looking around seeing the place looked just like when she bought it.
"Sorry I can't live in a dirty house," I say not looking up from the spot on the floor i'm scrubbing.
"Geez you make me feel lazy," She says downing a beer and putting it in the trash before starting the dishes.
"Thanks for the help," I say finishing up the floor and making some coffee.
"Well it would just be rude to let you do all the work, beer me," She says drying off the last dish.
The refrigerator was in arm's reach so I opened it and tossed a beer out to her. She catches it and we both just stare at each other amazed at how well that worked out.
"Well we don't have any food for breakfast so shopping is at the top of the to do list today," I say leaving my moment of amazement.
"Yeah NERV gave us today off so we need to get that all done now, tomorrow you have training to get you more accustomed to the Eva, after that you begin school," She says.
"I still have to go to school?" I mock complain.
"Yes, now come on i'm getting hungry," Misato says.
"Sure you are safe to drive?" I ask seeing that this was her third beer of the day in less than an hour.
"Oh yeah, I had like 15 before I picked you up yesterday," She says more of an afterthought.
'Well shit,' I think as I reluctantly follow her. If she was hammered yesterday she sure didn't show it, her alcohol tolerance is probably amazing. We load up into her "Car," if you could still call it that, apparently she just bought/had the thing repaired and paid off last week. Which when you think about it is fucking hilarious.
Hours Later-
"Alright are you sure you got everything you need?" Misato asks annoyed at all the stuff I bought.
"Hey if you want good food you need two things, decent equipment, and quality food, otherwise you might as well eat out," I say storing all the various herbs and spices.
"Well you could have at least warned me that you would be buying a shit ton of stuff," She says placing the knives on the counter top.
"Well, i'm gonna test this stuff out and make lunch," I say taking out the chicken I bought and start making chicken stir fry.
A simple recipe really, some ginger, red pepper, broccoli, carrots, onions, water chestnuts, and of course chicken. Mix, fry for 5 minutes, and eat. Can't really fuck it up. I really didn't feel like making the sauce today so I just bought some from the store, I then prepare the rice which takes no time at all.
"Mmmmm that actually smells good," Misato says.
"Well duh, I can cook," I say annoyed now.
"I know I didn't expect it to be this good though," Misato says sniffing the air.
I roll my eyes and prepare the plates on the dining room table, honestly I never thought I would make food for someone who actually appreciates it. Teacher never did care much about what he ate, it seemed that as long as it was edible he would eat it. We both sit down to eat, me in a more calm polite manner, while Misato ate with the ferocity of a starving bear.
"Geez take the time to taste it at least," I say annoyed that all my work is not being appreciated.
"Oh sorry, it's just so good," Misato says slowing down to my pace.
"Hey Misato would you mind if I took a tour of the school today?" I ask looking up from my plate.
"I don't see why not," She says having finished hers and cracking open another beer.
I finish my plate and wash both mine and Misato's, she may be an incredibly nice woman but she is a bit of a slob. I guess we will need a chore chart soon.
"I'm gonna go change before we leave, I'm tired of this uniform right now," I say heading off to my room.
"Alright I'll be waiting," She responds.
I head into my room and look into the closet, since it is a bright day outside I choose a long sleeve shirt that is grey on the torso and dark steel gray on the sleeve. I then pick out a pair of nice faded jeans and leave my room.
Misato looks over, "Lookin sharp kiddo, Got a date you're not telling me about?" She says.
"Heh no, I just felt like getting out of that uniform," I say shoving my sleeves up my arms.
"Oh well girls are overrated anyway," Misato says grabbing her keys.
"I don't know about that," I say sarcastically following her out.
"And what does that mean?" Misato asks accusingly.
"Oh nothing," I say innocently.
"Sounds like something," Misato says entering the built in hotel garage.
"Could be," I say not giving anything away.
"I don't know maybe it's the reason you spent so long in the bath," She says innocently while getting in the car.
"Maybe you like that idea considering you just threw your 'Delicates' all over the place," I say teasing back.
"I got nothing to hide," She says nonchalantly.
"I could tell," I say relaxing in my seat a bit.
Asuka-
"Hey Asuka I got the film of the angle you wanted," Kaji yells at me from behind my door.
I open the door and give him a hug, "Thank you Kaji! You're the best!" I say before taking the dvd and placing it in my computer.
The first thing I see is the kid stumbling, 'What the hell? They said he was good,'. I watch longer and see that it appears the initial stumble was just a warm up, he soon is dodging attacks left and right before killing it.
"Kids pretty good right?" Kaji asks me.
"Hmph as if, i'm way better than him," I say.
"Haha, you should be, he's never seen an Eva before," Kaji says sitting in a chair.
"Just goes to show how desperate they are to get me there," I say smiling at the chance to fight an angle.
"Well he had a good sych ratio, up in the 30's I believe," Kaji says.
'What the hell? The first time I tried to sync I didn't even reach 1%'
"Just luck," I say.
Kaji just looks at me, "Well we will be leaving in about two weeks," Kaji says leaving.
I hug him one more time, "I know i'm so excited!" I say.
"Be sure to get some sleep," Kaji says leaving.
"Ok," I say.
I glance over his file, 'Shy, timid, craves praise, pathetic,' I think. How did this kid become an eva pilot he obviously has no qualifications. 'Shinji Ikari, my rival, he will never be as good as me,' I think.
Shinji-
"ACHOOO" I sneeze outside of the school.
"Allergies?" Misato asks.
"No i'm fine now," I say glancing up at the windows and seeing a crowd on one of the floors.
"Looks like you'll make friends easy," Misato says.
"Or it was your driving that caught their attention," I say walking inside the facility.
"Whaaat? Noooo," She says.
"I'm surprised the cops didn't pull us over," I say.
"If you don't like my drivin then maybe you should drive," Misato says.
"I can't," I say.
"Then don't complain," She says.
"Whatever," I say exploring the hallways of the high school.
I spot a blue haired girl outside the nurse's office draped in bandages.
"Jesus, what happened to you?" I ask.
She just stares at me.
"That's Rei Ayanami, Pilot of unit 0, she was injured in an activation test thus the reason behind your arrival," Misato says.
"That is correct," Rei says lifelessly.
"Oh, I hope you get better soon I have to finish looking around," I say waving bye.
She says nothing.
"Don't worry too much about that she is socially awkward," Misato says grinning.
"It's a bit unnerving the way she looked at me," I say.
"That's how she looks at everyone," Misato says.
"The pain meds she is on must be a heavy dose for her to look like that," I say to myself.
"I would imagine, anyway she will be better in a couple days due to Nerv's tech," Misato says.
"That's good," I say walking up a staircase.
Misato's phone rings, "Hello? You're kidding me, fine I will be there in an hour," Misato says, "Sorry Shinji I have to go to Nerv and arrange the second child's arrival,"
"I guess I can come with you, I wanna ask some stuff anyway," I say.
We both walk back down the hallway and out the doors of the school. With Misato's angered driving we cut corners, run red lights, scared the shit out of some poor cyclist. But arrived at Nerv nonetheless.
"So who is the second child?" I ask, "I thought I was the second,"
"No you are the third, we couldn't get her here in time because she is stationed in germany," Misato says once again clearly lost.
"So who is she?" I ask.
"Asuka Soryu Langley," She responds.
"I hope we get along, we will be a team either way," I say.
"She is a bit of a loner and has a bad temper," Misato says walking through another door.
"Hmph, do you seriously not know the way to your own office?" I ask.
"Yeah, just got turned around," Misato says, "Aha! We need to take this elevator,"
We both step into the empty elevator and begin the slow rise to the office floors, 'Geez elevator silence is the worst, so awkward,' I think in my head. 'There is absolutely no way to make elevator rides more awkward,'. The elevator opens but not on our floor and on the other side of the door is none other than Gendo Ikari.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The elevator doors close leaving him on the floor.
"Awkward," Misato says.
"Yeah," I say.
Finally we are off the elevator and headed in what I assume is the direction of Misato's office. 'What do you know, she actually got to her office,' I think.
"So how do you decide who the pilots are anyway?" I ask.
"We don't a computer does," Misato says plopping down in front of a huge mountain of paperwork.
"That's… something," I say.
"Yeah I'm not sure how much I trust the thing," Misato says.
"So what's all this paperwork?" I ask grabbing a handful.
"Complaints from civilians mostly, a third of it is the arrangements for Asuka and her Eva to be transferred to our location," Misato says.
"Well let me help with the complaints at least," I say pulling up a chair.
"All you have to do is read them and stamp them with this," Misato says handing me an ink stamping thing.
"Alright," I say.
Ten minutes later i'm about a third of the way through the pile and so far all the complains have been about someone's business or apartment being crushed in the fight. 'You're gonna call me irresponsible? Try dodging attacks in that crowded space,' I think in my head stamping another letter and putting in the ever growing pile. 'Next letter, from Toji Suzuhara, subject… injured little sister, Dear Nerv, that giant robot you had running loose in the city? Yeah crushed my sister in a pile of rubble and you turn a blind eye to it? You all are terrible people and if I ever see the guy driving that thing he is dead, not the first time I have seen that threat today but the sister thing is getting to me I have to do something about it,' I think. I stand up and walk to the doorway letter still in hand.
"Where are you going?" Misato asks.
"To sort something out," I say grinning and leaving.
'Alright if you had a problem at a restaurant who would you talk to….. The boss, fucking hell,' I think realising who I need to talk to. 'Where is he though,' I think, 'Eh might as well start at his office,'
I walk up to the secretary in front of his office, "Hello mam, I need to speak with the commander," I say.
"Sorry, he is not in at the moment, would you like to leave a message for him?" She asks.
"Tell him his son needs to talk to him," I say walking back to Misato's office.
I walk back in Misato's office, "Get it sorted out?" She asks not looking up from a document.
"Not yet," is say sitting back down and pocketing the letter.
"Well what's the problem?" She asks stamping the paper.
"A little girl got injured and I want to put her in Nerv's hospital," I say.
"Shinji, I'm not sure if we can do that," Misato says opening another letter.
"They can if Gendo says so," I say reading more of my hate mail.
She glances up at me, "Are you sure about bringing this to him, he can be heartless," She says.
"Yeah but he has to listen if I make a demand, afterall I am the only active pilot at the moment," I say grinning.
"Clever boy," Misato says grinning back.
"You know this is a lot of threats," I say flipping thru mail.
"Yeah it is," Misato says.
"And security is terrible theres like 5 guards on this 30 room floor," I say.
"Yeah its probably a good idea to hire more and train them better, and maybe even a bodyguard for you I can't be around all the time," Misato says.
"Yeah," I say.
It's roughly a half hour before I'm paged to go to Gendo's office. Huh these door's don't seem so intimidating anymore. I walk in and can feel the weight of my father's presence, staring down at me like he is some god. It makes me angry.
"You had something to talk about so speak," Gendo says.
"I want all injured civilians placed under Nerv's care and for you to use the same healing process that you use on me," I say.
"No," Gendo says.
"Fine you are down a pilot then," I say.
"Rei will suffice," Gendo states in monotone.
"Sure like your dumb enough to sacrifice an Eva and your only other Pilot," I say.
"You will do as you are told," Gendo says.
"No, you will put them under Nerv's care or else you have no pilot," I say back barely stopping myself from shaking with anger.
"..."
"..."
Gendo presses a button on his desk, "Yes mister Ikari?" Asks the person on the other line.
"Have all civilians injured in the angel attack placed under Nerv's care," Gendo says.
"Yes sir anything else?" They ask.
"Nothing is needed," Gendo says ending the call, "Satisfied?"
"Very it was a pleasure doing business with you Father," I say spitting out the last word like is was poison.
Gendo just stays quiet as Shinji leaves the room, "What's the matter Ikari?" Fuyutsuki asks.
"He is acting too much like a younger me," Gendo says putting his fingers on his temples.
"That's to be expected, like father like son they say," Fuyutsuki says.
"Something's not right though, he was not supposed to turn out this way," Gendo says.
"You're right he was supposed to be obedient," Fuyutsuki says, "Although he did change for the better,"
"This could put the senerio in danger," Gendo says.
"Indeed," Fuyutsuki says.
"We will procede as planned until we have to change the plan," Gendo says.
"Understood," Fuyutsuki says leaving the room.
Gendo looks up at the ceiling and closes his eyes, "Soon Yui, soon,"