Standard Disclaimer
So yeah work finally has kicked in for taking my time. Stinks cause I really do want to write but just don't get the time for it. Sorry for the delays but I have to spread it over all 3 stories
X-X
With Nothing Else
Standing by the window, overlooking the school quad, Shinji watched the sun makes its lazy way across the sky. Kensuke and he had cleaning duty, first time they got to talk alone since the call two weeks ago, and they had made quick work of the minimal work they needed to do. Two weeks, two confusing and bitter weeks of slowly dwindling emails from Sakura. Just as Shinji expected, the girl tried to keep up with the efforts, but over the past few days he'd received no correspondence from the girl. Asuka had sequestered herself from the world despite Shinji's hopes. The only solace he'd gotten lately was Maya and Ritsuko.
"Well that went easier than normal. With fewer kids in our class I guess it's only obvious," Kensuke strolled up to the window. A towel over his shoulder, dirty from the chalkboard, the geek leaned against the window frame. Sighing heavily, he pressed his forehead against the pain and left a greasy stain thanks to puberty. "Touji never came to school today. I heard they're doing some sort of test of Unit-03 today. You know anything?" he twirled his head just a little to look at Shinji.
Unit-03? Shinji hadn't even thought of another Eva unit let alone a pilot for it. "Misato-san had left for a test this morning dressed to the nines. Maybe that is what's going on. Ritsuko-san has been very quiet lately too," Shinji's shoulders sank. He hadn't spoken to Touji really since that time at the hospital, he didn't know what to say to him. It got worse once Rei confirmed his fears about Touji. Doing his best to not come off as bitter, "I haven't really had a chance to talk to Touji lately. Was he doing alright?"
Spinning around, now putting the back of his head to the window, Kensuke just shrugged. A small laugh, with no real humor in it, "I haven't too much time to talk to him either. Chidori's been taking up most of my time lately. If she's not dragging me out someplace she's over at mine. I only heard about Unit-03 from a hacker friend of mine. I should feel bitter, he's likely going to be the pilot and I want to be one. So what is your excuse?" He pushed off the window and made for the door.
"For not talking to Touji?" Shinji just had to ask the obvious question. Putting his rag away in the bucket, Shinji just looked at it. Once a long time ago he'd seen Rei cleaning with that bucket, the memory was alive and fresh in his head. A burning nail of emotions that seared all the way to his fragile emotional core. When Kensuke nodded, they grabbed their satchels and left the room, a few other class cleaners were leaving to. Now he couldn't keep the animosity out of his voice, "He slept with Ayanami-san. I thought he might have the last time I talked to him. He was all allusive and he doesn't do that often. But I ran…ran into her a few weeks ago and she confessed."
Wincing loudly, sucking in air and slapping his forehead, Kensuke just cringed. "I can see why you'd not talk to him. But it isn't like you two are an item anymore. That girl just sort of snapped," Kensuke was ever the considerate friend. Walking in silence to the quad, they didn't even look at one another. What could they say in the shadow of that little tidbit. Once they cleared the school gate, "Want to come over my place for a bit? Hang out a little more. Chidori has practice today so she won't be around."
"Think I want to try talking to Asuka again. She's been keeping to herself at the apartment. Something's been bothering her, trying to get her to open up about it," Shinji just kicked his shoe on harder. Chidori would show up eventually, and that just made Shinji remember Sakura. Twice bitten, thrice shy one might say. Chidori would ask how Sakura was doing, try to make Shinji commit more to the girl that was already missing. He just wanted to fester in his own despair for now. Relationships just weren't worth it. So much pain, so much betrayal, he was done with it. Best to keep things easy and light from now on.
Lightly smacking Shinji's back with his satchel, Kensuke adjusted his glasses. For a moment, hesitation and confusion marred the smaller boy's features. Whatever he was debating it resulted in, "Yeah she has been off lately. Snapping at everybody, and Chidori isn't helping. Those two are at each other's throats the moment they see the other. Think Chidori is worried Asuka is going to make a play for you while Tachibana is gone."
"Not a lot of chance of that. She's just been…" Shinji shrugged as he didn't know. All he heard from Sakura was how she missed him, and was thinking about him, and then nothing. Bored already or moved on, whatever it was Shinji doubted he heard from the girl again. Asuka was not making life easier for Shinji either. Snapping at everybody she could, brash and abrasive in ways she never used to be. Her fuse was always lit and it didn't take long for it to go off. Misato and Asuka had taken to not staying in the same room anymore. Scratching the back of his head awkwardly, "I'll let you know what I learn about that test, if it's really going on."
Nodding with no real conviction or trust, Kensuke waved and turned, "I'll see what I can find too. And tell Asuka I said 'hi' if you do get to talk to her. And I'm…sorry for what Chidori's been causing. Damn it, you must hate her, but she's not all bad, not if you knew her like I do." But it was hard to defend a girl you were sleeping with to somebody who had literally gotten fucked over by said girl.
Patting ways, Shinji tried to feel something other than the emptiness that had taken hold and for a moment did feel a blip. Life wasn't all bad, sure it was on the downward spiral right now but their still was a few lights. Misato was still there, a little off from all the working but still around on occasion. One of the brighter lights was the newfound duo of Maya and Ritsuko…those two were growing on him in leaps and bounds. Oh they'd been friendly in the past, nice acquaintances and he wouldn't lie and say he didn't have some secret feelings for Ritsuko. A beautiful woman that shared a life much like his, used and abused. She was just to far out of his league to ever think of it older, a genius, and so aloof. Maya also had been much friendly and open to! But Maya loved Ritsuko, and Shinji liked that thought.
As he made his way back to the apartment, fears of Asuka lashing out at him dampened his will to try talking to her. "Maybe if I just give her more time she'll come around to talk to me," fat chance of that though. A ring from his pocket disrupted Shinji's self-denial, Asuka needed somebody that tried to help her. Well maybe she didn't 'need' help, but she could use some support or at least know somebody was there for her. Pulling his phone out, seeing Maya's name emblazoned on it, he couldn't help but smile. "What do you need Maya-san?" maybe they'd have another little movie night!
"Shinji-kun!" Maya's frantic yell instantly doused any hope for a polite social call, "You have to get to the base immediately! There has been an accident at the test site! We can't get in contact with the base and we have a pattern blue approaching the city. Get here as fast as you can." The line went dead immediately afterward.
Misato was at that base wasn't she? If they couldn't get in contact with it, did that mean…was Misato? Shinji's legs refused to work for a few moments of sheer panic. Not just Misato but anybody else at the test site could be…if Touji was the pilot like Kensuke speculated would he be? "Not like this…I don't want it to end like this!" Shinji's legs finally unthawed and he was running. He wanted Touji to be alive, he wanted his friend back! So what if Ayanami and he did sleep together, that girl just looked like Rei that was all!
His lungs ached, legs turned to jelly, and his heart was thundering so hard it felt it might leap out of his chest, but Shinji got to Nerv in record time. Getting suited up, he couldn't help but notice Unit-02 and 00 were already deployed as he approached the base. He was last to get there, maybe he was the only one not there when the attack happened! Climbing into his entry plug, Maya's worried face graced him with the duality of cute and concerned. "W-what do we know Ibuki-san?" they were on base, it was formality time.
"We don't know for sure, Ikari-kun. Unit-00 has been deployed first and is approaching the target soon. Unit-02 is moving to back-up. You're going to remain close to base until we learn more," Maya bit her lip hard enough to draw a trickle of blood. "We've received no word from the test-site. Akagi and Katsuragi were running the test along with Aoba. So the commanders will be overseeing this mission," her eyes were pinkish. Fear for a loved one, a love not yet actualized, was one hell of a reason to be frantic.
Flexing and releasing his hand, Shinji was fighting to remain in control of his own panic. Misato and Ritsuko were unaccounted for? Both of them? That wasn't fair! "What about the pilot of the new unit, are they safe?" Maya had to know who the pilot was. They pair had hinting around things with Shinji before, both having some knowledge that when they looked at him just ate away at them.
"Unknown, pilot. It isn't your concern right now. Just get into position and await orders," the commander's voice cut through the chatter.
Clenching his teeth, Shinji reigned in his anger at the man. He could hate his father more later, but right now the bastard was right, it was time to focus on the mission. Synchronizing with Unit-01 came easier than normal, and he was quickly launched up to the surface. The buildings were all retracting, leaving nothing but a vast expanse of flat between him and the others. "Asuka, are you doing alright? See anything?" he saw she had an open audio channel as well as Ayanami.
"Fine, was on base trying to rise my sync ratio," Asuka was quick and to the point. No emotion, no passion, just her newfound banality.
Rei's image popped up into life, her smile was distressing with its wideness and fervor. "I see the target. Unit-03 appears to be approaching," her camera feed was provided to everybody else to see. A mighty obsidian monstrosity was walking towards them with a shambling gait of something uncertain how to walk as a biped. The smile got larger as Rei moved to engage, "Moving in to attack vector now."
"Wait! Ayanami-san what about the pilot? Can you tell if they ejected?" Shinji called out but it was worthless. Rei just rushed into combat with a wild and unpredictable pattern. Her knife cut deeply into the unit's arm only to have its hands grabbed violently. Shinji heard Maya's panic reports of contamination and infiltration. That's when the order to sever the arm was given taking Rei out of the fight with one mangled scream of pain. Even if it wasn't his Rei, even if it was just a ghost given flesh, Shinji's heart steeled over from hearing that familiar voice in pain.
Next came Asuka's turn to try her mettle against the new target. "I got this fucker! I got this! You just sit back and watch Shinji. How a battle really should be!" Asuka's confidence was almost back. Without the camera feed though, Asuka refusing orders to turn them back on, all they could do was listen to her screaming. Obscenities were rattled off first with joy but then came the anger and pain. "Not again! Not again! Work you piece of…" the sound went out after a loud crash.
"Maya-san is she alright? What is the status of Unit-03?" Shinji begged for intel. Was Asuka able to end the issue, or was it on him again? He didn't want to be the last line of defense, he didn't want to fight alone! He didn't want to be here at all! Panting hard, he grabbed his blade harder, he could feel the weight in his hand as he got his own answer. Unit-03 walked into view, dragging Unit-02 with it, "Is she alright?"
Maya didn't answer Shinji, Gendo did, "Plug ejection confirmed. Unit-03 designated angel, engage and destroy it, pilot."
"What about the pilot of unit-03!" Shinji couldn't say the name that was on the tip of his tongue. Touji, it had to be Touji right? He inched closer to the battle he knew he had to engage in. Unit-03 started running at him, and its arms seemed to stretch out like rubber closing the distance even faster. Diving to the side, the arms flying over his head, Shinji scrambled to get back to his feet. Seeing the entry plug stuck in the base of Unit-03's neck, "I can see it! He's still there? What can I do to save him?"
Unit-03 whirled back around and its elastic arms rocketed out at him again. Shinji was able to use his knife to send the missile off its course. "What can we do?" Shinji asked again frantically. Rushing inward, he slapped the incoming hands off him as he approached. Doing nothing wouldn't stop anything, but if he could somehow disable Unit-03 maybe somebody could do something! Doing anything beat rolling over and dying, Rei had taught him that.
"You destroy the target, that is what you do, Pilot. The life of Unit-03's pilot is irrelevant. You are to engage and destroy it now, that is an order," Gendo again cut off Maya before she could say anything. Other voices were frantically yelling and threatening to drown out the older man's voice. Fear and panic was rampant, only Unit-01 was left to stop the threat. An N2 mine at this range would destroy the base, and that wasn't allowed.
Anger, something foreign and alien to Shinji, welled up inside him and coiled his heart. "Fuck your orders!" Shinji rebelled. Driving atop Unit-03, pinning the arms down, his hands on its wrists, Shinji tried to keep his legs on Unit-03's chest. Straddling the bucking monster, Shinji forced it to the ground, and saw it up close. Its mouth opened and snapped shut like a vicious animal trying to stop him. A moment of divine inspiration struck him, and when the beast opened his mouth, Shinji dove his head towards it. Unit-01's horn pierced through the monsters mouth and through its head. Maybe without the head Unit-03 would calm down.
It didn't, pinned or now, skull embedded with Unit-01's horn, Unit-03 flailed about madly. "You are to destroy your target NOW do you understand pilot! Do as you're ordered to now!" finally some emotion was in the commander's voice, anger.
"To hell with you! Somebody get out here and get the entry plug out while I hold it down! I won't let him die like this!" Shinji felt his hold loosening. Slippery as the eels he cut while cooking, wild and bucking as Rei and Sakura used to as they shared a moment, Shinji found that funny. How close this violent act of self-defense was to his old moments of passion? "Hurry and do something!" Shinji yelled…and something did happen.
The plug went dark, a soft red light replaced the normal yellow glow he was used to. He could still feel Unit-01's body, but he couldn't control it anymore. Spinning around in his seat he saw words that didn't make sense to him. Dummy System, Rei's name…what was going on here? Grabbing the stirrups again, "What are you doing here? I've got everything under control! Stop it!" Shinji yelled out but to no avail.
Unit-01 proceeded to work against his wishes and tore Unit-03 to tiny pieces. Blow after blow, Shinji felt each punch, each tear, and finally when he had the entry plug in his hand, that tiny metallic tube, Shinji cried out, "Stop it please! Don't make me do this! Please! Maya-san don't make me do this please!" But a moment later Shinji felt his hand clench, it was like crushing a soda can in his hand. And when it opened…when he saw the inside of the plug…it was just as he knew yet feared, Touji's mangled body was pulled out, and Shinji screamed. For a moment, for one blinding manic second he considered turning on the base. Tearing it to tiny shreds, but that would hurt those that weren't involved.
Didn't matter though, as he screamed louder and louder, demanding Gendo meet him at the plug when he got out…the cowards had him knocked out. When Shinji finally did wake up, he was in a cell without lights.
X-X
Walking down a hallway that stretched forever, Ritsuko chased after a mini-unit-01 that was running from her. How she got here she didn't know, but for some reason Ritsuko knew the antidote was in Unit-01's hand! Running as fast as her legs would carry her, Ritsuko blew past numerous other workers. Somehow that tiny version of the Eva was always faster, how could it run that fast! "Stop! I need that!" she called out to no avail. When Unit-01 ran around a corner Ritsuko slammed into the wall at the end of the corridor, birds flew around her head as she got her bearings.
"You'll never catch it like that you know," Misato said approaching Ritsuko from down the corridor Unit-01 ran. She had a different Eva in her hand, it was a little bigger and it had smoke pouring out of it. Fixing a collar around the things neck, she dropped it and it fell down on its back. "You have to have a leash for it first. If you don't put your ownership on it, the stupid thing will just hunt after every other unit it can," she gave her leash a tug.
Watching as Misato's Eva was literally humping a tech's leg, that little smidge of a girl that she saw with Gendo, Ritsuko giggled. Misato's Eva hung its head and walked back. "Well I don't know about yours, but the one I'm chasing as the cure in it!" the cure for what Ritsuko just couldn't remember. The tiny Eva at Misato's feet sank to its feet and pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. "Well I better get running or I'll lose it," with a wave Ritsuko was off and running again. Before she knew it, how she even got there was odd, she was outside running in the GeoFront's forest.
Pen-Pen waddled past her chasing after Maya's ferret, Ritsuko vaulted over it and collided with another person. Rolling to the ground, Ritsuko was stunned when her clothing ripped off leaving her in that stupid bunny girl outfit she bought for Gendo ages ago. Stupid want to entice the man, make him interested again. Thing didn't last long…didn't she throw it out after that night? Wait…who did she hit? "I'm sorry I didn't mean to hit you, I'm chasing after a mini Unit-01! It has the cure to what I…Gendo!?" Ritsuko gasped.
Standing in nothing but his shorts and glasses, Gendo adjusted his spectacle's, "You're late Akagi. The Dummy Plug needs to be trained or they'll not be ready for the test. Now get on your knees and get started!" Gendo bore down on her, the sky behind him darkened and crackled with lightning.
"But I didn't bring the learning aids! And without the real Rei it's pointless!" Ritsuko tugged on her floppy rabbit ears. The new Rei's needed a body to learn and she was fresh out. "If I could bring Shinji over to meet them they'll be able to…to…" Ritsuko was tackled by a throng of young Ayanami Rei's. They were all tugging on her arms and legs, giggling and laughing as they did. They were going to tear her apart, each would take a limb and run away with it. "Sir you have to help me! I'll help you, but you have to get them off me!" it was revenge for what she had done to their progenerator!
Grabbing her hand and yanking her free of the evil little girls, Maya was clad in armor adorned with hearts. "Don't give in to them sempai! It's all a trick," Maya swung Ritsuko up on her black horse. Galloping into the sunset, Ritsuko snuggled into the back of her savior. "Oh thank the gods for you Sir Maya, can you help me catch up to Unit-01 it has the cure I need!" again she didn't know what the cure would have fixed.
"You mean this little fella? I found him on my way to get you, but I don't think I want to part with him. Though we could share," Maya held out the Eva to Ritsuko. It was soft and plush, not metallic at all. Squeaking when Maya hugged it, it had a soft light about it.
Taking the Eva from Maya, Ritsuko remembered now what the cure was, it was for her heart! Her heart had poison in it and the Eva could leech it out of her. "Sure we can share Maya! This is exactly what I wanted…" but as she hugged the Eva it started to darken. The light vanished, a dark oily mess ebbed out of Ritsuko's hands and into the purple turning it all black. Just as the limbs started to fall off, Ritsuko screamed and rocked up out of her bed. Panting hard, "A dream? Oh god does my head…" It didn't hurt but it spun around and around.
"Stay still sempai, don't sit up so fast," Maya was instantly at Ritsuko's side. Gently but firmly pushing the doctor back to lying down. Letting the adjustable bed do the work, Maya poured a glass of water and handed it over. Retaking her seat, her casual clothing stood out drastically in the drab hospital room. "You've been out since they brought you in yesterday. They've kept you sedated so they could examine you. How you feeling?" Maya fidgeted with the hem of her cream colored dress.
Ok, the drugs in her system had to be top notch because Ritsuko was floating and everything was so vibrant. "I know why those kids failed out of college for doing all those odd pills. I'm feeling all sorts of off right now," trying to grab the glass of water she found she couldn't. "Maya did I lose my arm in the accident?" her dream still remained so vibrant in her mind. What was all that about? Looking down, thankfully she saw she just had a cast and wasn't missing an appendage.
"Sorry about that, I should have put it on the other side. I'm a little tired," Maya grabbed the glass and handed it over. For a moment Ritsuko almost didn't take it, but finally did and just looked at the water for a moment. "Is something wrong? You have a slight fracture of your forearm and a head injury," her head dipped down low. Maya was always so easy to read, the exact opposite of herself Ritsuko knew. Something else was wrong, maybe not with her personally but something bad happened.
Drinking the cool water, it felt like paradise on her throat, Ritsuko took down the whole glass. "I don't remember much Maya, but I remember some. I remember that Suzuhara boy eying Misato like he wanted to crawl inside her, I remember the test starting, and I remember it roaring before going berserk. What happened after that?" Ritsuko could speculate. Her mind was already working overtime, but the drugs were causing such strange paths of thought it was making it hard. A headache already forming, she rubbed at her temples.
"Well, it turns out somehow Unit-03 got corrupted by an angel," Maya sniffed hard and refilled Ritsuko's glass. Getting out of the chair, she paced the small confines of the private room unable to look Ritsuko in the eye. Broken and rich with regret Maya forced out, "It took down Unit-00 and 02 quickly. Unit-00 lost an arm and Ayanami is next door having her nerves tested. 02 was just outright defeated. But…but…Unit-01 pinned it down and had it trapped. But…but the commander…"
Of course it was the commander, Ritsuko let her hands drift to her sheets and clenched them tight. A ripping sound signaled she needed to relax a little. Nothing doing, "Go on Maya, what did the commander have you do?" Gendo expected Unit-03 to be destroyed somehow and somewhere, did he know it'd happen that fast? Was this the first attempt on her life then? Now that he had no use for her, was Gendo trying to kill her?
"Shinji-kun couldn't have saved that boy, not alone. We didn't recover Soryu until an hour after what happened to Shinj-kun," Maya was walking faster now. Her hands were flailing about in tiny angry fists. Not sad but angry now, and growing in anger by the moment. "He, the commander I mean, had me turn on the Dummy System," Maya had rudimentary knowledge of the system, "and even after Unit-03 was disabled he wouldn't let me turn it off." Now Maya's eyes sprinkled over with tears, yet when Ritsuko saw her the girl was furious, "That poor Suzuhara boy, we still don't know if he's going to live. And he had Shinji-kun thrown in solitary for threatening to beat the commander down."
Despite herself, Ritsuko found herself laughing at the absurdity of it. "And I bet he could too," Ritsuko covered her mouth as the laughter just peeled out of her. Maybe it was the drugs circulating in her brain, or just the image of young Shinji standing over the beaten and bloody form of Gendo, but Ritsuko just couldn't stop laughing. Maya was appalled, holding a hand out, "Not laughing at you, or the situation. Just thinking of Shinji punching those glasses into that smug bastard's face!"
Her fury boiled off as Maya stopped and started laughing too, "He deserves it to! For disobeying orders and threatening a superior is not reason enough for multiple days in solitary." Maya dabbed her eyes and slowly approached Ritsuko's bed. Hovering over the woman for a moment, Maya smiled softly and kissed Ritsuko's forehead. "Sleep well Sempai. And when you get out I'm making Shinji-kun and you spend the whole day with me. We need to distress after this. That is if Shinji-kun wants to be in the same room with me after what I've done," Maya tried to take a step back.
"He forgave me, Maya," Ritsuko's hand was faster than Maya's escape trick. Latching on hard, her vision swam as she sat up and she instantly regretted the motion. Squeezing her eyes shut through the pain, "It wasn't your fault Maya. And maybe that boy will survive. The apple fell far from the tree with him, he's forgiving and able to rationalize. But not to be rude, I think I need to lay down. My head is swimming." Letting the timid flower go, funny to see that furious Valkyrie switch to handmaiden with a simple touch. Damn Ritsuko envied Maya for that.
A glorious smile on her face, Maya nodded, "He is to forgiving for his own good. But after this, it might finally be the straw that broke the camel's back. Sleep well Sempai, and know we'll take care of everything until you get ready for duty." With a wave, Maya left the room, pausing at the door to just look back in before leaving.
Reclining her bed again to lay evenly, Ritsuko let sleep take over her again. No dreams this time thankfully, she still couldn't get that last one to go away. When she woke again she got to eat her tasteless supper, she was never more wanting of one of Shinji's lunches. Misato made a quick visit, and boy was she livid at a certain incarceration. The same luck that had Misato live through Second Impact mostly unscathed was back again as she was hardly even scratched. Four other technicians however hadn't been and lost their lives, and the whole test base was destroyed. Needing to vent, Misato went on to say how Asuka was spending all her free time in the test chambers and 'being a bitch'. Ritsuko didn't mind being Misato's sounding board, it let her feel like she was doing something good.
Two mind eating days of bed rest complete, Ritsuko deemed herself good enough to leave despite the other doctor's recommendation. "I'm not spending another day here when I have things to do," she muttered as she put her shoes on. The cast wouldn't be off for another day or so, so it made dressing hard, but she managed. It was time to start putting HER scenario into effect. Gendo had likely known that Unit-03 was corrupt and put her there to die, well she wasn't going to just lie down and take it! She knew enough to throw a big enough monkey wrench into the plans to ruin everything!
"Where are you going?" a voice called out softly as Ritsuko left her room. Jumping from white floor tile to the next white one, ignoring the green ones, Rei had her own arm in a sling. With one arm outstretched to balance, "I want into the solitary wing of the brig, you have access right?"
It was Rei! Ritsuko sucked in breath through her nose and held it as that odd dream came back. This little monster, what did it want? "You know I can't let you in there Ayanami. It's against orders, unless you get authority from the commander or vice commander," Ritsuko didn't want to know what Rei would do. Shinji wasn't the only person in the brig, Gendo put a lot of potentially useful people turned threat into the brig. Maybe a visit to see Shinji wouldn't be bad though. If he was still in solitary it would be cruel and unusual punishment to a minor! If only she could get Asuka or one of Shinji's friends in there…help he cope.
Walking through the halls, Ritsuko flashed her badge at the guards at the security wing. Once she was clear of the guards, she stopped and rubbed her head, "Wait, why am I here again?" She wanted to start getting information leaked to Kaji, the not so unknown spy, maybe set something up to destroy the Dummy System. Now she was standing in the solitary wing. Well she might as well check in on Shinji, last she remembered was Rei asking about something and then…what? Rei , what did that girl do to her this time! Spinning about looking for the albino freak, Ritsuko knew the girl had to have done something again!
"Wonder if she's done this to anybody else," Ritsuko felt a chill go down her spine. An abomination, she helped create a true abomination, the original Rei's were saints compared to this new thing. But she was here, and if she added more security Rei wouldn't be able to get in, she knocked on Shinji's door. Using her badge to open the door she stole in quickly, "How you doing Shinji?"
Whatever she was expecting, Ritsuko didn't get it as she felt arms wrap around her stomach and a head crush against her bust. "Ritsuko-san you're alive!" he wasn't crying but damned if he wasn't close. Days in sensory deprivation, it broke everybody in the end and Shinji was close. He was quite stronger than most gave him credit for as he continued to squeeze, "What's happened since I was put in here? Nobody tells me anything, I still thought you were…what about Misato-san?"
"She's fine, better than me even," Ritsuko rubbed his head with her good hand. His head was rubbing against nipple and it was becoming hard, gods it had been so long since she felt the touch of a man that wasn't pain. And the dream…she pulled her hand away. "Everything will be fine, Shinji-kun, just relax. I'll get you out of here as soon as possible," she lead him to the lone bench in the room and they sat on it.
It creaked out in protest for having two bodies on it but it held. Rich and pure hatred poured out of Ritsuko's heart, this was wrong! Why was Shinji being punished for coming up with a sound plan? Because it wasn't what Gendo wanted! Everything had to be that man's way or this happened. Well it was time for that to change, and she'd be the tool of his undoing!
For an hour she sat and talked with Shinji, told him of what happened and tried to give him hope. "When you get out of here, Shinji-kun, Maya wants a little date for us again. And…well if you want I think Maya has a little plan for the three of us," Ritsuko would help those two. She was to soiled and dirty for salvation, but Maya and Shinji her friends she'd see what she could do. It hurt, more so than she expected, to leave him in that room…in that darkness, but she had to. At the security station she doubled the guards and gave strict instructions to keep Rei out. Work needed doing!
X-X
Kodama told her not to come, to not get her hopes up that Touji was fine, but Hikari was apprehensively walking through the hospital. The secretary at the aid station had pointed her in the right direction, yet as she neared the room Hikari found her speed diminishing. What if Touji wouldn't make it, what if he was in a coma or something? She had been so ready to break out of her self-imposed shell and make a play for his heart too. The lunch she made for him the other day was even stashed in her satchel right not to give to him if he was hungry. "But what if, I don't know," she knew so little.
"Maybe he doesn't want to even see me," Hikari did have her glut of esteem issues. An elderly man walked with the aid of a cane and a male orderly past her and gave her a warm smile. Guess youth or uninjured were a rarity at this hospital. With the city getting attacked more often, it wasn't that big of a surprise. Her father hinted at moving Hikari and her sisters to live with an aunt if things got worse. Leaning against the wall by the door to Touji's room, Hikari blew her hair out of her face, "Why didn't that jerk tell me he was going to be a pilot."
Pilot, that word filled Hikari with a mixture of fear and bitterness. That word ate the best part of those that had it forced upon their heads. Asuka was becoming a husk of her previous self, just with the passion replaced with bitterness. While she didn't know Rei very well, Hikari could tell that girl now had something horribly wrong with her. And she had wanted to be better friends with Shinji, but between Asuka and Chidori's war over his love life, all she knew was he smiled less. And for a boy who smiled once in a blue moon, to lose even that was telling. And now Touji was in their number, what did he lose?
"So do they know how long you'll be in here?" Kensuke's voice wafted out of the room. The door was open a crack, likely to let some fresh air into the tiny dwelling. Hikari's voice caught in her throat, she wasn't the only one to be visiting!
It was a strain for Hikari to hear, she had to inch closer to that crack and try her best to not herself be found out. "Don't know. They're still doing tests to see how my insides are," a voice so weak it didn't fit Touji's boisterous nature at all. Next came a wet and raspy cough, a dangerous and bothersome rattling. After hacking something up, Touji at least was louder, "Not that it matters considering what's left of me. And hey, you see Shinji since the accident?"
Bending at the knees, Hikari licked her lips and peeked through the crack. Damn, her angle was to low to see anything other than the back of Kensuke's head and the side of Touji's head. What was wrong with him, he looked fine. But then again, she didn't know what exactly happened during the attack. Only thing Nerv released was that Touji's unit was attacked and had to be destroyed.
"I saw him the day the attack happened, we both guessed you were the pilot but we didn't know," Kensuke admitted. He turned and in a moment of fear Hikari nearly fell over to avoid being seen by him. Plastic bounced loudly on linoleum as Kensuke dropped a chair next to Touji's bed and sat on it. "He said something happened between you two and he was worried about talking to you. But I haven't seen him since the attack, haven't seen the kraut either," Kensuke had a smidge of conspiracy in his tone.
Touji laughed bitterly and Hikari saw the jock's hand fly up and smack his head. Odd, the shadows were wrong from her angle, that was strange. "So he knows for sure then now doesn't he? You know too don't you," it hadn't been a question. Another laugh rattled out of him, a coin dropped in a nearly empty can of soda, "I don't even know why I did it really. Guess I just wanted to know what it was like. She was attractive, never really liked her…wasn't worth it."
Standing up, Hikari's hand glided up the wall as she stood, what was he talking about. It was pretty damning on its own, Hikari wasn't stupid. A girl Touji didn't like, one he was attracted to, a girl related to Shinji in some way…Touji had sex with Asuka. How should she take that, Touji was having relations with people. He wasn't dating Asuka, but what did that mean for her though? "Does it really matter…" she didn't want it to mean anything but still she felt a hole grow in her chest.
"Hokari, what are you doing?" Chidori poked the dower girl on the shoulder. The chain reaction was Hikari let out quite the girly squeal and drew attention from others in the hallway and from inside Touji's room. Since the jig was up, Chidori opened the door, "Kensuke you almost done, we need to be going. And Hokari is here to see him anyway."
Sitting up on the bed, Touji's pale face looked even more haggard, "Class rep is here? Is everybody here to gape at the freak?" Flopping back down, Touji covered his eyes with his hand and something Hikari never thought she'd hear before escaped his lips a bitter croak of a cry. Thick and emotional, "Great you heard what I just told Ken didn't you, that I slept with Ayanami? It-it didn't mean anything to me, not that it matters now."
"Ayanami, you mean it wasn't Asuka?" Hikari stepped into the room with her hands at her chest. Why did that make everything better that it was one girl over another? It shouldn't change a thing, but it did. Ayanami had become so synonymous with 'easy' and Hikari wasn't friends with the girl…so somehow it made it easier for her. But what if Shinji, he had dated Rei and…oh…oh. Shaking her head clear of her confusions and fears, she approached the bed ready for the worst, and what she saw forced a gasp out of her, "What happened to you?"
Touji didn't talk but he used his only remaining harm to bat at Kensuke, his own eyes squeezed shut. Kensuke, taking the hint to answer, got out of his seat, "Touji was in the Eva when it was attacked. Footage I have of the fight shows…well it doesn't make a lot of sense. Shinji pinned him and was holding him down as Touji's tied to k-kill him. Then Unit-01 just sort of snapped and destroyed Unit-03 and T-Touji's entry plug." They all just stood there in silence after that, let it all sink in. Shinji did this to Touji, but they didn't know why.
"D-did he do it on purpose, or did he know?" Hikari couldn't take her eyes off those shallows. The unnatural ending of Touji's leg just above the knee and how it hung close to his chest where his arm should be. A cripple, Touji was crippled for life now…did that change anything? She'd have to tend to him, care for him, and they'd not be able to do all those things couples did, well not as easily.
Staring blankly at the ceiling, Touji settled down for the long haul of emptiness. "I can't remember much, but I know that I nearly killed Ayanami and Soryu. That thing, when it took over, it made me destroy that base. I've seen…felt myself crush a few people. Shinji…he did me a favor in stopping me. I remember alien voices in my head, I remember wanting to…I would have killed them all. I don't want him to feel bad about this. Ken if you see him…"
"He's in solitary confinement because he didn't want to hurt you," Asuka said at the door. She just stood there looking in, with mild interest. Leaning in she peaked in the corners, and scowled at finding something or not seeing something. "You haven't seen Ayanami around have you?" she kicked her foot against the ground pensively.
Standing between Chidori and Asuka, Kensuke bravely held his hand out in defense of his girlfriend. "Solitary? But the battle was four days ago! Isn't that a bit cruel for trying to…but if he didn't want to hurt him then why did he?" Kensuke's fire was low and his face scrunched up in confusion.
"They activated some sort of automated system, it took over when he couldn't do it," Asuka spat out. Who was she angry at though, Shinji for not attacking Touji or Touji for requiring it. Crossing her arms, she again asked, "So none of you saw Wonder-whore around here?"
A crash interrupted anything Hikari wanted to say or ask, Touji had thrown a glass at the wall and it shattered and left a nice mess on the ground. "So he would have let me just…It would have gotten free eventually! Why doesn't he hate me? You said he knows what I did with his ex, and he still tried to save me? Great…everybody get out of here! Get out!" Touji screamed at the assorted group of students.
"Touji but I…" Hikari's wishes died once she looked into his eyes. They were so full of sorrow, and anger, that Hikari wilted. Taking the lunch out she set it on Touji's bed, "In case you g-get hung-AH!" Hikari nearly feel over as Touji grabbed the lunch and hurled it at the broken glass. Sign given, sign received. Touji didn't want anybody looking down on him or even around him, not now. Biting back her tears, Hikari found Kensuke gently grabbing her wrist, "I'll be back later, when you're feeling better." He was just emotional right now, he'd get better and she'd be there.
When Chidori went to speak, Kensuke shook his head, "Look man, I'll talk to him once I get the chance. You just concentrate on feeling better man. I'm sure Nerv can do something about…" They all unintentionally looked at where Touji should be, and found the depression mounting. Kensuke lead the duo of girls out into the hallway where Asuka was still sneering at them. "Sorry Soryu, we haven't seen Ayanami. Is she supposed to be here?"
"I don't know, Frau Akagi sent me here to check for her. Her physical therapist is here, and Ayanami missed her sync test today," Asuka took a few steps away from the group. "If she's not here, guess I'll just…" Asuka headed for the door only to be stopped when a mistake was made.
Stepping past Kensuke and Hikari, Chidori grabbed Asuka's arm and spun her around, "Just what, off to fuck a few more guys? Look I'm not Suzuhara's friend, but where do you come off accusing him in there? I mean what was that in there, it was like you blamed him for the accident!" Chidori kept her hand on Asuka's bicep and more people started watching her. That was until Asuka's hand lashed out insanely fast.
"Asuka stop!" Hikari gasped out. What was going on here, Asuka was never so quick to lash out at people. Oh of course Hikari knew of the rumors about Asuka, knew they were false, but nobody listened to her. If only she knew who started those blasted things, tried to help Asuka cope with them, but with Asuka it was hard to know if something sunk in or not. "Let her go, Asuka, please?" Hikari hated fights, and this had the makings of a nasty one. Why did she have to be so powerless! All she did was talk to people, try to be there emotionally for them, but in the end it just seemed so petty.
With one quick hand motion, Chidori grabbed at Asuka's hand but was only gagging. "I took your throat out of place, bitch. I'm tired of messing with me. Now you'll listen to me or I'll just leave you like this," Asuka didn't even sound to be enjoying her torment, just bored. Sinking with Chidori to the ground as the woman started drooling, "You don't talk to me anymore, you stay out of my way. Nod your head if you agree."
"Asuka, what is wrong with you," Hikari asked herself as Asuka clearly wasn't listening. Vicious and uncaring, this wasn't the girl whose hair Hikari braided on occasion and painted toenails with. Rushing over to Kensuke, "We have to stop her, Kensuke, we-we can't just let this happen." But what could they do, Asuka was holding all the cards, and she didn't seem to have a full deck of them to play with.
When Chidori finally nodded and Asuka's hand moved again, the girl started gagging and taking in deep breaths. "Hikari, let's go. Leave these two to themselves," Asuka stood up and pointed her thumb at the door. Despite the showing of utter power, Asuka just come across as so fragile. Kensuke quickly went to help Chidori off of the ground, glaring balefully at Asuka.
"Sure Asuka, sure," Hikari didn't dare say no at that point. Asuka needed somebody, even if just to talk to right now. Falling in line with Asuka, Hikari opened the door and just waited for Asuka to walk through it. A little fight is one thing, a punch here and a hair pull there was one thing, but what Asuka did was almost murder! Slowly walking down the stairs, the curiosity got the better of her, "You wouldn't have let her…it was just to scare her right?'
Not bothering to fix her hair, Asuka just left it disheveled as they left the hospital. "What good would it have done? They'd be able to save her if I left her like that here. But now she'll get the point, messing with me is a stupid thing to do. Let's go to your place, I don't want to see Katsuragi right now," Asuka still just sounded hallow. It was then Hikari noticed Asuka's clothing were a little dirty and wrinkled, just what was Asuka doing?
"Sure thing, I guess I can tell Kodama she was a little right about Suzuhara. Sis told me not to get my hopes up about him. That it was stupid of me," Hikari looked back over her shoulder at the hospital. Touji didn't mean it, it was just the accident and the news…too much too soon for him.
Grabbing Hikari's hand, Asuka laced her fingers with hers and quickly held them up, "Don't Hikari. Don't let Touji get his claws in you now. He'll try, once he realizes his life is over now. One legged and with only one arm, he'll need somebody to wait on him hand and foot. He's not strong enough to take care of himself. He'll drag you down with him, claim he's loved you forever and bind you to him. You deserve better that to be a nurse maid for the rest of your life." Utter sincerity, Asuka was so brash and blunt it was startling. But it also held sincerity, so much that Hikari felt tears in her eyes.
"He-he deserves somebody to care for him even if he's hurt," Hikari wanted to think it was her. But she was already having doubts, that wasn't the future she envisioned for them! Was it wrong to feel this way, to feel reservations about agreeing to effectively giving up on a large portion of her hopes and dreams to care for a crush? "Asuka, what happened, what really happened when he piloted that thing," she couldn't ask what happened to Asuka though. Asuka was changing by the day, and Hikari didn't know what to do.
Asuka recounted what she knew of the fight and the cause. An angel somehow infested the unit, it took over, and Touji proceeded to be its unwitting hostage until Shinji maimed him. Sitting down in Hikari's room, video game controller in hand, Asuka leaned softly against Hikari's side. "You're my friend…t-thank you for letting me be here today. Everything is all wrong right now. But I'll get better, my score will get better. I'll make it up to both of you, I will," Asuka sniffed hard once and then it was gone as if nothing happened.
"Sure Asuka, it's never a problem, you're always welcome here," Hikari meant it, every word. It was good to know Asuka did trust her and count on her, Asuka needed people even if she acted like she didn't. Shinji must have been the other one Asuka meant. Asuka stayed the night, her sisters chose to be nice and they all ate supper together. When her father came back, he didn't even argue about a sleep over during the week. Hikari would help where she could, and maybe after Touji's mind recovered she'd know how she felt about the prospect.
X-X
This was impossible just impossible! Kaji licked his lips as he found himself deeper than he'd ever been into the secrets of Nerv. In a dirty vent, Kaji was cramped and sweating profusely but he couldn't leave! Shifting his legs to have him more laying than crouching he let out a groan of pleasure, stupid vents were NOT like they were in movies. Bugs, dirt, dust, bits of nail and screws all over, and Kaji was in the middle of one with a computer soldered into the network. "I can't believe this, maybe it's not a lie after all," Kaji had been dubious before he started his little mission.
A 'friend' in the upper council of Nerv and Seele, color Kaji suspicious of the untraceable email that stated such a fact. But the username and password he had been provided were either the most elaborate ruse over, or it was legitimate. Copying as many files as he could, he was a kid in a candy store, having a hard time picking which of the files to read while the others copied over. "Feel extra sorry for Ikari-kun now," Kaji had a soft spot for that boy, just like he did Asuka. Just thinking about that little girl though, Kaji had to slam his head against the side of the vent. It echoed loudly and Kaji found himself holding his breath.
"Stupid, don't get caught now that you've almost enough to bring this whole thing to light!" Kaji admonished himself. The security of Nerv wasn't anything to sneeze at, and loud sounds in 'empty' vents draws attention. Laughing to himself as he opened the next document, "But when has Asuka and logical thinking ever been together?" That girl was just too full of passion, and directed at the wrong person. It was a shame Shinji had been with Ayanami before she…died!? Sound be damned, Kaji moved frantically to get a better view of the document complete with attached video. "That sick fuck," Kaji couldn't believe what he was seeing.
His phone vibrated again, another reminder that he was far late in leaving the safety of his location. Fine, he had a lot more to go over anyway, and a few security measures to start setting up. "To think the commander could do that to that girl," Kaji had been in Asuka's mental shoes and thought Gendo cared about Rei. Well that was a lie, just like everything Gendo perpetuated. Closing up his computer, he carefully set the wires back as they had been before he cut into them. Making his way as silently as possible to his escape point, his mind was plagued though. Climbing out of the vent and putting the grate back in place, "Who gave me this though, who?"
The listing of possible leaks was small, and Kaji didn't know who to think it could have been. Gendo was right out, that man was loyal to himself and only himself. Those close to the man though had potential, Ritsuko had been his woman for a long time and was almost the mother of his child so she was out. Maybe it was Fuyutski finally coming to his senses and wanting to come clean. The leak could be out of Seele itself too. "Does it really matter who gave this to me?" he patted his computer and knew the answer. No, it didn't matter who gave him his windfall just the fact that they did. "Now who do I trust with this in case I do get pegged," Kaji didn't even need to ask himself that.
Cleaning himself in the small utility closet he made his escape into, Kaji found his deodorant was missing. Great, he was going to smell like a pig. "If only Asuka could smell me like this, would make her realize I'm not the great man she envisioned," he bit back intensely. She just had to push and push him, and for one moment, one horrifying and ego shattering moment, he considered it. Asuka was exquisitely beautiful and would only blossom from that form into something mind shattering. But she was just to young. Running his hand though his sweat soaked hair, a few strands clung to it, "Katsuragi…you're breaking my balls here. Going to trust you with this, but still you." He trailed off, damn he loved Misato but she just made it hard. Not that he didn't do the same for her, he was not innocent.
"Now how to get this to her," Kaji mused as he peeked through the doorway to the hall. Wonderful, it was empty, so he stole out into it. Thankful for the wider corridors, helped mask the smell, he had to get out of the building soon, or to the showers. Longer he was on base with his computer the larger the chance of getting caught. Things just kept getting worse, and Kaji was starting to think maybe he wasn't going to make it. Unit-03 was corrupted and now gone, its pilot may or may not survive. Asuka was slipping down the rungs of sanity, Ayanami replaced with a monster, and Shinji still in solitary days after the battle.
Getting into the locker room, Kaji quickly shed his smelly rags and grabbed a towel. Panic didn't help anything, going slow and steady was the best way. "And if it is a trap, I won't get out alive and I'd rather go without smelling bad," Kaji chuckled. What could he do to help things, what did he have to keep going for. Misato and Asuka, those were his big two and he was causing both of them nothing but trouble.
"Oh you coming on or getting off for the day?" Shigeru asked lazily. Standing in a shower stall as Kaji entered, the long haired man just let the water fall over him. Rubbing some shampoo out of his eye, "What time is it? I spaced out there for a little bit." Tired and trodden, the tech just wobbled on unsteady legs.
Feeling that familiar sense of his heart rate spiking, Kaji just waved and took the stall two down from Shigeru. "I'm on my way out, been going over all the salvage reports of Unit-03," not a lie just not his full purpose for the day. Had Shigeru been on staff that morning or was the man coming on shift now, damn Kaji couldn't remember. Flinching his head towards the wall clock, "And it's getting a bit late, almost five." He had to meet with his contact in under thirty minutes to get the data passed over.
"Great I'm going to be late, just can't get myself to care lately. You know?" Shigeru reached out for the water valves but just held them. Water cascaded down his head making his longer hair slide over and cover his face. Growling low and gutturally, "I mean things are just…Unit-00's arm hasn't even been worked on yet and we totally lost Unit-03! Things are getting harder and yet we're weaker than ever!"
Hanging his towel over the door of the stall, Kaji wasn't sure if he liked Nerv's small shower stalls. They was only enough divider to mask the waist, and he was turgid. Stupid fear making him like this, he wanted to fire one off and get out of here. Now he was playing therapist, "We still have the others, and even with one arm an Eva can do some terrible things. Hell, maybe we'll have more computer angels and Akagi can take them all out." They both laughed at that, crazy woman Akagi saving the day. What had happened to that woman, Kaji didn't know. Rumors of her being Gendo's right hand woman, and others saying she was sniffing around Shinji at Gendo's orders to keep the boy under thumb. Far from the woman he knew in college.
"I'd rather we have Maya on that if something like that happens again. Akagi-san has been getting stranger if you ask me," Shigeru let out a low and long sigh. Finally turning off the water he started drying off. "Speaking of Maya, Makoto is trying to set up another evening out for all of us. Think he just wants to keep that girlfriend of his distracted. If anybody could be a succubus I think Aoi might be one," now they both laughed again.
Going out drinking, relaxing, oh how Kaji wanted to do that. "I'll see if I can find time. Was hoping to do something with Ikari-kun and Soryu-kun somewhere along the way to. Those kids have it worse than we do. We act like they're adults, but treat them like kids," because they were kids. Kaji had to remind himself of that, even if it wasn't illegal, it was against his own morals. Turning the water on pure hot, it stung against his skin with pure scalding joy. Hissing back through clenched teeth, "And I have to agree with you on Aoi. Any woman that can turn the old Makoto into the one we have today…she must be insatiable."
"Well if what Ibuki has been saying lately, she might like for Ikari-kun to come with us out drinking. And the more I think about it, the more I think both those kids should. Soryu's been slipping on her scores, maybe a good drink might get the funk out of her," Shigeru left his stall with his towel around his waist. Some guys didn't mind if others saw their nethers', Shigeru was not one of those men. With a wave, "Once this mess with Unit-03's removal is over, expect a call."
"Don't work too hard," Kaji joked as the man left him alone finally. In his defense, Kaji waited a full minute after Shigeru left before memories of Misato flooded Kaji's mind and he made quick work of himself. Damn he missed that woman, missed her smell, her touch, her laugh…her. "Maybe with this though," his new source, "I might make it out live." And if he did, he would propose to that woman, he was close so many times before. But again and again, whenever it was best to just say 'I love you' he stopped. If he said it, and died, it'd break her heart and he wouldn't do that.
After he finished off, the smell always did make him wretch a little, he cleaned up quick and got out of the shower. No washing his hair, getting it back in the ponytail was a real mess. Grabbing his extra set of clothing, he quickly changed and tossed his old in the trash. "Thank the stars they burn this stuff," Kaji was ever joyful for Nerv's security at times. Stepping out of the changing room, Kaji stopped a foot away from a woman walking out of their side, "Katsuragi." He put his mask back on.
"Kaji, you leaving already?" Misato asked. Taking a step back from the man, Misato was in her standard defensive stance. Arms crossed and tapping her foot, she didn't look upset or angry just tired.
Stuffing his hands in his pocket, Kaji felt himself already react to her. Not her beauty, which was what got his attention back in college, but that air of authority and control she had. This was a woman that didn't mess around, if she saw something she wanted she just grabbed it. Damn he missed women like that, those he interacted with in other circles were just so easy to coerce and lead. "Yeah I'm heading out. Unit-03 is scrapped, totally. The remains are being liquidated and destroyed," straight to business. Misato was NOT looking like she was in the mood to play right now.
"The commanders give the order to let Shinji-kun out of solitary yet?" Misato nodded and her face became less tight. Kaji played the right card and the woman relaxed, not get more defensive. Walking past Kaji, giving him a very subtle look over, she gave him a wide berth. That righteous anger, turning her into a glorious Valkyrie, "If he's not out yet I'm ordering those goons to let him go. This has gone beyond disciple to being petty and hurtful."
Oh she'd do it to, and if those guards didn't agree with her she'd just break in and let him go. "You've changed Katsuragi, you're not the same girl I knew back in college. I'm…I'm glad," Kaji admitted. The party girl was fading and a warrior was taking her place, a warrior mother it seemed. Shinji was her boy now, and her boy was in danger and she was not letting it happen. Did he feel that way for Asuka, or was it…no it wasn't anywhere near Misato's level. Asuka was a friend, dear friend yes, but Kaji didn't see her as daughter. Flashing her the thumbs up and his best smile, "You need my help in breaking him out, give me a call." He'd do it to, for Misato and Asuka's sake, those two relied on Shinji to various degree.
Misato's head jerked back and face eschewed with sudden shock then a brilliant smile. Her grin split and her teeth spilled out, "You mean that don't you. You've lied to me before, I know that and you know that. But I believe you, and I might actually put you to task for that." For one confusing moment, Misato leaned closer to Kaji leaving him to think maybe she might go for a hug. She didn't, she stood back up tall again and gave a solid nod, "And thanks about your little compliment. I have changed, and maybe you have too." She walked off after that, and Kaji just watched her go and felt that pang of longing rise exponentially.
Leaning against the wall as Misato vanished from view, Kaji felt his tiny computer push into his side. Oh yeah, that needed to be dealt with. Shaking his dower spirits away, today was a good day after all, Kaji made his way out of the base and into the greenery of the Geo-Front. Picking up his stashed watering bucket, he filled it, and headed to the meeting site. Today is the day things would change and start going towards the future he wanted. Take down the conspiracy, depose those who didn't have mankind's interest at hearts, and maybe he could live with himself again. It had been a long time since he looked in the mirror and didn't see something in it that upset him.
Finding his watermelon patch, his lovely children, Kaji started to tend to them. "Who would have thought I'd be good at something like this," he asked himself.
"Not me that's for sure. You're not a giver you're a taker," a man in a suit said as he stepped out from behind a tree. His face dribbling with red juice, Kaji saw one of his smaller melons was gone. Spitting out a seed, the JSSDF operative approached Kaji with hands out, the sign of openness. "Got your next update?" he kept his hand out with the palm up.
Dropping the computer in the man's hand, Kaji didn't know this ones name, "Got that one right, but we can all change. Maybe next time you'll even change and pay me for what you took." He doubted it, and the man just laughed at him as he turned and left with the computer. Great, just great, hopefully Kaji didn't learn that he just handed off his windfall to a plant. He had backups just in case, and he'd find a way to get it to Misato. If something happened to him, she'd take up the torch, he knew she would. With nothing else to do, Kaji tended his garden for a while.
"Huh…what am I doing here…where am I?" a voice Kaji instantly recognized as belonging to one Ikari Shinji asked out in surprise.
Broken out of his watering, Kaji found Shinji shambling barefoot and in tattered clothing standing dirty and wide-eyed by his melon patch. Rushing to the boy, Kaji learned nothing from Shinji. The boy didn't know how he got out of the cell, how he got to where he was, or much of anything. The only thing Shinji remembered was the door to his cell opening and then…nothing. Finding the half of melon the agent left behind, Kaji just let Shinji sit and calm down while he ate. Maybe he'd remember something, but seeing some of the marks on Shinji's arms, Kaji thought maybe it would be best if Shinji never remembered.
X-X
This simply was not her day, week, or possibly month was it? Misato just stared at the monitor that showed a rather mind blurring sight. Another angel already, not two weeks since the events of Unit-03 and another invader was already present. Something about looking at this one though just caused her head to hurt, all the angels did with their impossibility. Ritsuko one-time said it was due to their nature of breaking common physics. True or not, it still hurt and this one looked even odder. It had thin metal like arms attached to a pillow like body as it floated towards them, its core right in the middle.
"Please tell me the pilots are all good to go this time, I'm in no mood for this right now," Misato's body still ached. The injuries she received weren't nearly as bad as others, especially the few that didn't make it, and she just had to look to Ritsuko so see her friend nearly didn't as well. Didn't mean she couldn't bitch in her mind about the pain. Wondering if Kaji was on his way back already or not, "What are the statuses of the Eva's as well. I want them all ready to go the instant their pilot is loaded."
A blurry eyed Shigeru cringed away from Misato's advance, "We have Ayanami being loaded and word is Soryu is changing. But Unit-00 is missing an arm, Major, what can we do with that?" Everybody looked at Misato as the angel continued to advance towards the base, slow and steady.
"We arm her with an N2-mine and hope we don't have to send her after it," Ritsuko was as emotionless as ever. One had to become that way it seemed, sending children off to war without any real hope of winning. The species won out over the life of a lone child, it just made sense. With her good arm she pointed at the screen, "We don't know it's capabilities other than its AT-Field is the strongest we've ever encountered. We'll need all we can to take it down thanks to our defenses being compromised by Unit-03."
Damn she hated it when Ritsuko was right about things like this. She wasn't a fan of the changed Rei, but Misato didn't want to kamikaze the girl! "Do it," she told Makoto who wouldn't act until the formal word was given, good man. He nodded and started ordering around the tech's to make it happen. "What is word on Shinji-kun, don't give me any shit about him being in solitary as an excuse for him not being part of the battle," Misato glared up at the commanders box. They were there and watching, saying and doing nothing, typical. Her plans for ordering them today to let Shinji go was ruined, but at least Shinji got out.
"Ma'am…the guards at the security ward…they can't find him," Maya stuttered in her own disbelief. Holding the phone out to Misato the woman was losing her color by the moment.
Snatching the receiver violently from Maya's hand, Misato was already seeing red. "What the fuck do you mean you can't find him! It's a single cell! Do you think he's hiding in there or something! What is going on down their!" Misato screamed into the receiver. They had three pilots and three Eva's remaining and one of the pilots was magically missing from a closed cell block? She was often thought to be stupid just because of her attitude and appearance, but she was not!
"M-Ma'am, we can't explain it. The door is open and the cell is empty. We don't remember anybody coming in or anybody leaving…we don't….we just don't know," the man panicked clearly not expecting the fury he was receiving.
Misato would have retorted to the insanity she was hearing, but she was knocked off her feet. A shockwave rippled through the base sending everybody into a frenzy. Eyes went to those at monitors for details, it was Shigeru that found the cause first, "The angel blasted through almost all the armor plating in one shit! Energy levels rising up for another one!"
Shaking the pain out, the meds she was on helped with that, Misato got back up. "Looks like we're fighting in the Geo-Front then. Get Asuka situated near the blast site, give her as many weapons as possible. And get Rei armed with that mine, and somebody find where the hell Shinji-kun is! Snap to it people we've trained for this!" Misato was in rare form. She had to make the decisions as everybody else was too busy having breakdowns.
Must be nice to just shut down or let somebody else make the choices for you, Misato never had that option. The lives of everybody on the planet was resting on her shoulders, her ability to plan and keep focused. But what she wouldn't have done to be back at the apartment with a beer and one of Shinji's meals.
"Ayanami you can't refuse orders! You've been told your part in this mission and you'll do it!" Ritsuko slammed her palm against a console not far from Misato. The woman hovered over the machine, her cast hung limply and swung with her animated motions. Turning to Misato, Ritsuko flinched her head, "Misato, you talk sense into her, Ayanami is refusing to take up the mine!"
She didn't have time for this, Misato stormed over. Thankfully she heard Maya talking to Asuka about where to where weapons cache was, one out of three was ready at least. Tapping Ritsuko on the shoulder, she didn't want to add any pain to the woman, Misato took her place. "Ayanami, you've never disobeyed orders before, why start now? The angel will be in the Geo-Front in moments and we need all of you working together!" Misato had to do a double take when she saw Rei though.
"I finally found it, what I've been looking for," Rei's smile was impossibly big and her eyes glazed over. At least she was in her entry plug and on the launching pad, yet she refused to pick up the mine at her feet. Her voice as soft, almost impossible to hear, but it came off simply enough, "I will not let you order me to my death after I finally received it."
Another vibration rocked the base, this time Misato braced herself against at chair and held Ritsuko up. The two women shared a small exchange and smiled, things were getting better between them. Makoto broke the pair from their moment of bonding, "Angel has entered the Geo-Front and Unit-02 has engaged the target!" Time for bonding would have to come after the fight.
"Commander you give her the order!" Misato used her trump card on Ayanami. But something about that look on the girl's face was unsettling, like looking at the angel. And what the hell did she mean 'she found it', the only thing Rei had been doing lately was have… Turning to Shigeru, "Have we found Shinji-kun yet?" Oh gods in heaven please don't let what she was thinking be true, Rei got her claws into Shinji? Something for later, if there was a later. All the lies and secrets at Nerv, Asuka's attitude shift, Shinji's withdrawing…all of it meant nothing unless they beat the angel!
For a change the commander actually was helpful, he towered over all of the simple folk and pawns at his thrall and gave the order. "Ayanami you will participate as Major Katsuragi orders. Your AT-Field will be enough to protect you from the blast if needed," Gendo's frustration was evident as a rare showing of emotions was in his voice. Rei, she listened and picked up the mine and waited for deployment.
"Thank the heavens for small favors right?" Misato took a moment of brevity to joke with Ritsuko. That poor woman, life just was on hard mode for her wasn't it? While she got out with scratches and bumps, Ritsuko got a fractured arm and maybe some internal injuries. But time was a rare commodity right now, so Misato didn't wait for the frazzled doctor to respond, "Shigeru what is the status of the…"
Asuka's scream of rage and pain caused everybody to pause. They watched the screens, transfixed on what was happening, and tried not to wet themselves in fear. Those impossibly thin planks of metal had stretched out on both sides of Unit-02's torso and liberated it of the arms. In one fell swoop it cut off Unit-02's arms! Misato tried not to think of the pain going through Asuka's mind, "Asuka fall back to a better position, get out of there. You can't do anything else."
"Fuck you whore!" Asuka raged at the command. Forcing Unit-02 to move through the pain and the bloodshed, it wobbled at the shift in weight but didn't fall. "I won't lose again! I won't lose again! I can't! I CAN'T!" Unit-02 started charging towards the angel.
Watching those retractable arms aim up at a Unit-02's head, Misato gave the order that she knew Asuka would hate her for. "Cut all synchronization between the pilot and Unit-02, shut it down now!" Asuka would never forgive her for this, but Misato wanted her alive. Her little family, her dream of a simpler and better life, she was tearing it apart. The order hit just in time, Misato heard one German word, likely a swear, before the thin metallic strip decapitated Unit-02. "Ayanami go now!" Misato felt the coldness surround her.
"If this works, it works…if it doesn't," Ritsuko shuffled over to the Major. Grasping Misato's bicep to steady herself, Ritsuko's eyes were sunken and dark, a combination of medication and fatigue. "We did our best…we did our best didn't we?" Ritsuko pleaded as she groped for Misato's hand.
Had they done their best to survive? Misato wanted to think so, but she knew personally she could have done more, could have been a better person to those that mattered. Better guardian to Shinji, better friend to many, and just…just… "We're not dying here, we're going to live through this," Misato pointed at the screen where Rei charged at the angel. Unit-00 dodged past the metal strips and slammed the mine right at the core and it detonated.
For a moment all the screens flickered and went out, all readings from the combatants vanished in the shockwave. Did it work or did it not, was Rei fine or was she blessedly gone from them finally? "Target…target still active, Unit-00 is down but readings are strong," Maya could be heard crying. The angel continued its advance, crashing its way right into the command deck.
This was it, they had failed. Misato took Ritsuko's hand and held it, "I'm sorry I haven't been there for you as much as I should have. You were just doing…" Misato just swallowed, she had been judgmental and blinded by emotions at the time. Ritsuko was only doing what she could, just like she had when she ordered Rei out with the mine. Watching the angel draw close, its eyes started to shine, Misato readied herself. She didn't shut her eyes, but she did feel her bladder go as the wet and warm torrent cascaded down her leg, "I'm sorry." To who and for what Misato didn't even know, but it felt fitting.
The whole bridge crew cringed as yet another crash startled all of them, Unit-01 burst through the wall and knocked the angel away from them. A reprieve from the reaper! Unit-01…the mighty defender of Tokyo-3 had saved them all again. Smashing the angel through the wall and to one of the launching pads, Shinji's voice cut through the dreamlike fog, "Misato-san elevator three!"
"I've got you!" Ritsuko reacted faster than Misato could, and she launched the grappling titans. Misato watched the angel's face get ground against the wall as they were launched up. Out of sight now, Misato ran to get a better view, others followed. The damage to the base made it easy to see them, but it took time. By the time they got up to see Shinji and the angel fighting, Shinji was trying to pull the angel's face off. "Where was he…what happened?" Misato asked those that were transfixed on the battle.
Panting and out of breath, Kaji hunched over at Misato's side. "Found him…dazed…confused…in the Geo-Front. Brought him after Asuka deployed," he tried to regain his breath.
"Oh no, he's out of power!" Ritsuko stepped forward, Maya rushing to her side. Misato wondered what was up there, both of them were really close, was that little rumor true. Shinji, Ritsuko, and Maya had been hanging out a lot up until the Unit-03 accident. The crowd watching held its collective breath as the mighty purple behemoth slumped forward and was pushed back. The angel capitalized on its downed prey and quickly tore open the chest cavity and started to pound on its core.
She was going to watch, she was going to be forced to watch Shinji die. "No…no I don't," Misato started to babble. Never did she want to see this moment, even if she had nightmares about it before. Couldn't the angel have killed her first so she didn't have to see this. Kaji grabbed hold of her as she tried to run over to them, as if her love could somehow spark a miracle and save him. Anything was better than just stand there and watch as…as…
"Unit-01 is reactivating!" Makoto cheered and a rousing jubilation joined in with him. That's when the retribution came down. Unit-01 tore into the monster, tearing off parts and using those chunks to heal its broken and missing parts. Just when they all thought it was over, Unit-01 started to feed…its mouth opened and…and…Misato threw up on her shoes and Kaji's. Unit-01 dined on its fallen foe and bellowed a warcry of victory. A costly victory, and when Misato found out just what caused that victory she just felt as if her heart was carved out and she was hallow. Worse, this was far worse than watching him die. At least before it would have ended quickly with her own demise, this was…this was far worse. He was liquefied…lost inside Unit-01. Ritsuko said she could get him back, but Misato just hugged Kaji and stared dry eyed at the suspended plug.
X-X
Authors Notes
Two angels in one chapter? Yup this is moving along at a fairly decent pace towards the conclusion. Have to admit its veered from my original idea a lot but that's what happens when you write I guess. Oh well, hope you're enjoying the story even if it wasn't what I originally intended
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Ja mata
Zentrodie