Shinji Steel 17
Disclaimer; I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion or Max Steel. Wish I did, though.
After everyone's on the ground, they all gather together. Except for Gendo for he felt he'd suffered enough indignity for one day. Rits and Deidre wrap each other in their arms while Shinji, Kat, Berto and Josh catch up on things. Misato finally meeting the 'family' that means so much to Shinji. Rei, on the other hand, is speaking with Fuyutsuki about his past.
"I had never seen this side of you, Vice-Commander."
"It's because when you were born, Rei, I was long past that stage in my life. I simply stepped away from it. With honor and dignity. Even though I'd felt gypped because of the arthritis."
"So I see." Giving the board she was on during her jump a glance, she murmurs, "I think the Commander's displeased with me."
"What makes you say that?"
"He didn't comment on my attempt to be a 'lunatic'. Did I do something wrong?"
"I wouldn't worry about that, Rei. If anything, he's miffed at himself. He popped his chute on the plane without jumping first." Giving her a reassuring smile, Fuyutsuki adds, "Quite frankly, you handled yourself splendidly."
Before Rei can even reply, an excited Kensuke comes racing toward them. An incredulous Touji watching the exchange to come with Hikari slipping away into the background.
"I can't believe it! The legendary 'Kamikaze Kawasaki' has been under my nose the whole time! Literally!" An amused Fuyutsuki can't help but smile at the young man blubbering over him. "What made you decide to get back into the saddle? Are you looking to do a comeback tour?"
"Well, to answer your first question, two reasons. One; to see if I had the 'touch' still. Two; to show you all how I brought the 'pain' in my day." Sighing, he then adds, "As to your second question, I'm afraid not, my boy."
"But you still got it!"
"Only mostly. If it wasn't for this damnable arthritis in my fingers, then I would consider a comeback tour. But, it's not meant to be. Therefore, I'm announcing the permanent retirement of 'Kamikaze Kawasaki' from skydiving." Kensuke's shock is evident and he's about to ask about what he was before when Fuyutsuki resumes. Affectionately patting the motorcycle's fuel tank.
"I was only semi-retired before as I had contacts in the skydiving world. 'Tzu' here has been my trusty steed ever since I bought 'him' from a California Highway Patrol surplus yard twenty-five years ago."
"When was your first jump with 'Tzu', sir?"
"A week after I bought 'him'. I took off the saddlebags and replaced the front and rear shocks. Beefed up the frame using rudimentary knowledge I'd gleaned of motorcycle frames and metals. I then considered painting 'Tzu' a color of flat black. But then decided against it."
"How many jumps did this make for you, sir?"
"Oh I lost count after fifty. Let's call this my last jump and leave it at that."
"You got it, sir!" Tentatively holding his camera up, Kensuke then asks, "Would it be alright if I took a picture of you on 'Tzu', sir? For the archives, I mean."
"It's quite alright as long as you don't submit it until after I'm dead. That is my request. Will you honor it?"
"I will, sir." With that, Kensuke snaps a picture of a smiling Fuyutsuki on his motorcycle. "Now that you've officially retired from skydiving, what do you plan to do next?"
"See if I can get through the rest of the war without getting an ulcer."
Kensuke can't help but let out a chortle. Yet he can't help but feel bad as he chortles. One of the greatest men in the world is before him and he's chortling about his reply. Much to his surprise, Fuyutsuki is gently laughing as well.
"That is pretty funny, isn't it?" Fuyutsuki lets out a shrug and adds, "Oh well."
While Shinji catches up with his 'family', another voice cuts in.
"Have room for two more?" Shinji turns and sees Laura Chen and Pete Costas standing there. Laura grins and says, "The years have been good to you, Josh."
"Right back at you, Laura." Smiling softly at Laura as he looks his ex-girlfriend over, Josh adds, "You haven't changed a bit. You're still a lovely flower if ever one."
"And you're still charming as always, Josh. But you're not why I'm here."
"Oh? What brings the premier lawyer team of Okinawa to Tokyo-3?" Laura can't help but lightly giggle at Josh's question.
"Well, okay, you're partly the reason I'm here, Josh. Pete bushwhacked me into coming here so we can clear the air between us. I, however, am mainly here to speak with Ms and Miss Takamiya."
"Is it regarding the lawsuit?" Deidre's question gets Laura's attention before the latter silently nods. "What news do you have, Ms Chen?"
"Not here. At your home, Ms Takamiya. But I can tell you this much. Mr Lambert found out how your signature wound up on that implant authorization."
"What'd he find?"
"Doctor Tokisona cut the authorization form's signature line and super-imposed the form above the release form for your daughter's medical records. He more or less 'forged' your signature using a photocopy machine." A confused Shinji can't help but cut in.
"Wouldn't something like that leave lines, though?"
"Yes, it would. And it did." Pete's face takes on a grin as he adds, "They were faint, but Mr Lambert found them. A neat rectangle surrounding the signature. Using a specialized microscope, he found the forgery. So now Doctor Tokisona is facing an additional charge of forgery. Maybe multiple counts."
"Huh?" Deidre's confusion is compounded by Rits' own as Rits makes her way to Shinji. "You mean as in more than my Ritsy have suffered?"
"We'll answer it later, Ms Takamiya." Laura's reply carries a hint that it's best this way, getting a reluctant nod from Deidre. "Sorry, but I don't like the idea of discussing unpleasant circumstances in public very much."
"It's understandable. I feel the same way myself. Even if I want to know something right away just to get it out of the way." Blinking, Deidre then asks, "Just where is Mr Lambert at anyway?"
"Mr Lambert felt it best if someone stayed in Okinawa to mind the office while Laura and I were here in Tokyo-3." Winking conspiratorially, Pete adds, "He isn't much for sports anyway. Too much of a lab guy like Berto here."
"Hey! I can't help if I feel more comfortable in a lab!"
"Well, when it comes to comfort, you should stick to it, Mr Martinez." Rachel's voice gets their attention, along with Laura's in particular, as the woman goes on. "Of course, you did quite well in Hawaii during your trip with Josh. Josh even extolled at how well you windsurfed."
"Uh, well, um, that is…" Berto's stammering gets a light chuckle from everyone except Laura. Her eyes 'boring' holes into Rachel. Only Rachel catches it.
"Ms Chen, how nice to see you again."
"I wish I could say the same, Madam Secretary General." Laura's voice has a bite to it as it goes on. "Come to smooch with my ex-boyfriend some more?"
"Oh, so that's why you're 'boring' holes into me." Giving Laura a nod, Rachel looks at the others and says, "If you'll excuse me, I'll be having a conversation with Ms Chen here." Giving Laura a pointed look, she murmurs, "Please come with me."
"Okay."
Not sure what to make of it, Laura walks alongside Rachel. Three minutes later, they're staring each other in the eyes. Somewhat concealed from everyone in the park. Unable to help herself, Laura opens the first round.
"How was Josh's kiss with you?"
"I didn't do it out of affection, Ms Chen. I did it to calm him down."
"Calm him down? What's that supposed to mean?"
"I'm sure you're aware of this, but Josh was orphaned as a little boy when his parents died in an accident at sea."
"Yeah. I know about that already. That doesn't explain his kissing you. Or you kissing him."
"I'm getting to that." Letting out a sigh, Rachel adds, "We were out field-testing a prototype pleasure cruiser in the ocean one day. As an 'N-Tek' representative, I had to be there to supervise Josh as he was the test pilot for it."
"Why was Josh the test pilot?"
"As he was a teenager, he had the mentality of a test pilot. Push everything to its limit and sometimes beyond. Jefferson signed off on it, advising me that Josh may be wild, but he's safe to work with. At first, Jefferson's words were valid. Although Josh was unexpectedly subdued. But when the sea started getting rough, Josh found himself beginning to relish the challenge."
"Sounds like Josh alright." Laura can't help but giggle while nodding. "I'm listening."
"A short time later, we wound up close to where Josh's parents died at sea. He started losing it as he'd apparently seen his parents die as a child. He was screaming in agony at the sheer proximity. In an effort to calm him down to bring him back to rational thought, I kissed him."
"So, Josh's kiss wasn't voluntary?"
"No. I only did what I could in order to calm him down to save both our lives. I regret that, but not why. If he'd kept his course of freaking out, we'd both be dead and both you and Mr Costas would be heartbroken at the loss of someone dear to you both for years."
"I broke up with Josh because he said you two had kissed, but I never asked the reason why." Right then and there, Laura can't help but feel Rachel's holding something back. "What's the other part of it, Rachel?"
"How do you mean, Laura?"
"You're hiding something from me. Something about Josh." Catching Laura's meaning, Rachel can only sigh.
"I can't tell you, Laura, as it's not really my place to say. It's Josh's. Only he can tell you."
"I guess I'll have to ask him at some point in the future then." Curious now about the story, Laura asks, "Why tell me after all these years, though?"
"I had some soul-searching and questioning to do. When Jake and I married in secret fifteen years ago, I told him what'd happened between us. I reassured him it was to help a friend in need. Josh was that friend in need of help." With that, Laura puts it together.
"Help I couldn't provide since I wasn't there." At Rachel's nod, Laura lets out a sigh before grimacing. "We could've been married with children by now. I can't believe I did something so stupid as to break up with him."
"No. Not stupid. You were slighted and hurt when Josh's lips were touched by another's." Catching Laura looking over to where Josh and the others are, Rachel suddenly grins. "There's still love there, I think."
"Yeah." Drilling her right shoe into the ground, Laura murmurs, "You wouldn't believe how many times Pete and even Paul told me to call Josh and patch things up. Every time I'd sigh when they're in range, they'd tell me to patch things up between us. Even if I was reluctant to. One time, Paul even picked up the phone and started to press in Josh's number."
"Ah." The grin becoming a sad smile, Rachel adds, "I'm sorry I screwed things up between you two as you did look like a lovely couple."
"When did you see us together?"
"The day of your brother's wedding. I was in the car that dropped him off at the temple."
"Oh yeah." Laura can't help but begin giggling once again. "Josh's Chinese was painful when he gave the toast for good fortune between my brother and his bride." After a trio more of giggles, she adds, "Of course, that's what attracted me to him to begin with. His willingness to try. No matter how painful it got."
"He mangled it?"
"Oh yeah. It took him six times before I stepped in, telling my brother what Josh was trying to say."
"How'd your brother react?"
"He accepted Josh's repeated attempts even though they were mangled and replied in kind to us both. Doing what Josh did!" With that, Laura and Rachel can't help but burst into laughter. "He'd said, 'Bowai gonalo', 'Bowai gonzola', Bowai ganoila'. The rest I can't say without cracking up!"
Rachel just roars in laughter, clutching her midsection at the thought of Josh and Laura being toasted in a ragged manner.
"I'm so sorry you had to suffer through that!"
"On the contrary, Madam Secretary General! It was the best night of my life!"
With that, the two make their way back to their friends. When they get there, Laura wraps her arms around Josh. Unsure what to make of it, Josh returns the hug.
As he does so, he hears her murmur, "I'm so sorry, Josh."
"Laura?" Next thing he knows, he feels her lips against his right cheek. Returning the favor, he replies, "I missed you."
"Right back at you."
Josh looks over at Pete and sees him grinning, giving them 'two thumbs up'. With Kat and Berto struggling to keep themselves contained. Next thing they know, Josh and Rachel give them a smirk. With Rachel opening up.
"Why haven't you and Berto gone out yet, Kat?"
"WHAT?" Her face going beet red, Kat looks over at Berto and sees he's beet red as well. Smirking suddenly, Kat asks, "What makes you think we haven't, Rachel?"
"HUH?"
Berto's confusion is amusing to everyone as Kat smirks before kissing him on the lips. His eyes suddenly closing, he relishes in the kiss. Right then, however, the kiss ends as suddenly as it started.
"Kat?"
Berto's dazed question gets a deep red blush from Kat before she bolts away. Laughing like a teenage girl. Blinking in confusion, Berto looks around and sees a grinning Josh.
"You animal."
"Did I miss something?" Rachel turns at the voice and smiles happily at seeing Jake. Along with a boy with blond hair just about Shinji's age. "Richie was getting bored with the games and felt he needed more of a thrill."
"Oh. So that's why you split off so suddenly."
"Sorry, Mother. But some of those games looked so interesting, I couldn't help myself."
"Oh, don't worry, Richie. All that time in that Boy's Academy sure did enough to stifle your youthful abandon. But not by much."
"Rachel?" Misato's voice gets Rachel's attention before the latter smiles happily. "Why am I liking that smile on your face?" Instead of Rachel that replies, it's Jake.
"Captain Katsuragi, Shinji Ikari, Josh McGrath, Berto Martinez and ladies Takamiya, I'd like you to meet our son. Richard Joshua Nez." Giving the young man a pat on his shoulders, Jake goes on. "Richie, these are some of the people your Mother and I have had the pleasure of knowing. Even some we've had yet to have met and are able to meet today."
"Hello. It is nice to meet you all."
"It's nice to meet you, Richie." Shinji steps forward and says, "I'm Shinji Ikari, and this is my girlfriend, Ritsuko Takamiya."
"Shinji, Ritsuko." All of a sudden, Richard's eyes go wide at seeing a sight he'd never seen before. "What is going on there?" Shinji and Ritsuko both turn and their jaws drop at the sight of their prim and proper Class Rep riding the ramp like she was a natural.
At the bicycle ramp, Hikari is jumping the ramp on the bicycle when Touji comes to watch her. Kensuke in tow, his ever present camcorder right behind. Giving Touji a fond smile, she decides to finish it. Gathering up her speed, she executes a 540 turn at the top of the ramp before coming down to the ground and coasting to a stop by a flabbergasted Touji. Kensuke, however, is quite excited by it.
"That was great, Class Rep! Wasn't it great, Touji?"
"Uh, yeah. It was." His tone being strangely subdued causes Hikari to giggle.
"Thank you, Aida, Suzuhara." Taking off her helmet, she dismounts the bicycle before saying, "Next rider!" As another rider steps up, she smiles at Kensuke before asking, "How much did you get, Aida?" That smile sends cold chills up and down Kensuke's spine. Prompting his next reply.
"Just enough to catch your finish. That's all." Hikari, not believing him, holds out her hand for his tape. Grudgingly, he does so, griping out, "Censorship!"
"Give it up, 'Suke. Horaki's the kind to want to preserve her reputation. She can't do that if she's revealed to have a knack for bicycle stunts."
"But it's still censorship!"
"Consider it your punishment for your stunt in sneaking out during that Angel attack, Aida! You and Suzuhara are lucky that Evangelion didn't crush you!"
"Well, yeah. But it's because Takamiya kept us from getting crushed." Touji's voice brings Hikari's ire to him before the girl calms down.
"Yes. That is correct. Thinking of, did you two thank her yet?" Touji and Kensuke both look at each other before Kensuke sighs.
"Um, no, we haven't."
"Then do so, Aida and Suzuhara! She's right there! Thank her now!"
"Yes, Class Rep!" Touji and Kensuke both scramble over to an amused Shinji and Rits before bowing to her. "Thank you for saving us, Takamiya!"
"You're welcome, guys." Rits then gives them a scowl before adding, "I just hope you two won't sneak out so close to a combat zone anymore."
"We won't! We won't!" With that, they bolt away so Touji can try his bungee-basketball idea. Kensuke so he could record it. Rits can only giggle as she looks over at Hikari. The giggle gets more intense as the pig-tailed girl giggles as well.
"So how long are you going to hold that footage back, Hikari?"
"Not long, Ritsuko. I figure a day or two, Aida will be reunited with his tape. Albeit it being examined to ensure there's no inappropriate content on it. If need be, edited."
"Good plan."
"Why thank you."
At the bungee site five minutes later, Touji is 500 feet off the ground. Being given the once-over by a Section-2 Agent. One with a metal arm. A familiar-looking metal arm. Naturally, being around the Agent is giving Touji an understandable case of the 'heebie-jeebies'.
"So, did you do as I bid?"
"Yeah. Or at least I tried to. Ikari wouldn't let me hit him." The human-masked Psycho lets out a chuckle as he nods.
"I figured as much." Securing the bungee cord to his ankles, the Agent asks, "Have you started your friendship with him yet?"
"Kinda. I still have yet to figure you out, though. I mean, you threatened my little sister and now you're treating me like we're best buds or something. What gives?"
"Why bother yourself with inconsequential ideas when you've better things to do with your time? Shinji Ikari needs friends like you and your little buddy down there with the camera. Along with his girlfriend and 'family', it'll give him a reason to live and protect. They say the most dangerous opponent is one that has nothing to lose. Not in his case. The most dangerous one is the one that fights with all he's got to protect his friends and those he cares for."
"You sound like you're speaking from experience."
"I kinda am." Once Touji's set up, the Agent nods and says, "Good to go." Tossing a basketball to the youth, he smirks and adds, "The ball's in your court."
"Right."
Touji then takes a deep breath before dropping himself off the lip, screaming his head off. Just as the hoop comes into his sight. Throwing the basketball while upside-down has the result Touji was expecting. The ball going into the net.
"HAHA! Nothing but net!" At that, the bungee cord goes taut, bringing Touji back up. "WAA-HOO!"
Back up on the platform, a jubilant Psycho laughs as he calls out.
"WAY TO GO! HAHA!"
The rest of the day is filled with thrills, chills and bone-shuddering spills. Even Richard tries his hand at bungee-jumping. A wary Rachel watching tentatively. Much to her relief, and consternation, Richard comes through without injury. Although he did wind up having his hair sticking straight up. Resulting in him looking like a teenage 'Vash the Stampede'.
Rachel couldn't help but find it adorable, loudly wondering where she can find a red trenchcoat in Richard's size. Along with orange-tinted shades. Jake's laughter matches up with Josh's while Berto goes to find Kat. Unable to keep from worrying about his friend.
Looking everywhere he could think of, Berto then thinks of one place he's yet to check. The team's old 'Roadcruiser'. Walking to the blue-green RV, he sees the door's wide open and summons up his courage. Stepping into the RV, he closes the door and makes his way to the bedroom area. Sure enough, on her bed, lies Kat. Her eyes wide open as she stares up at the ceiling. Tears falling from her eyes.
"Kat? You okay?" Berto's voice gets Kat to jump in shock before turning toward him.
"Berto! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
"Sorry, but I was getting worried about you. I mean, you just bolted away after…"
"I kissed you. I know." Sighing, she asks, "We've got issues, don't we?"
"Yeah. Even our issues have issues." Kat can't help but giggle and nod in agreement with Berto's assessment. Taking a seat at her bedside, Berto offers her a soft smile. "Remember the night Shinji's life changed forever?"
"After he met Ritsuko or when Psycho flooded him with the new probes?"
"The latter. Though the former would've been plenty for us."
"I hear you on that, Berto."
"Remember what I said at the table that night? That I'd sooner ask you out than Dragonelle?" Kat's blush is all he needs to know to go on. "I meant it."
"Then why didn't you ask me out?"
"I didn't think you'd be interested. I mean, you're a globe-hopper and I'm just a lab guy."
"You're not just a lab guy, Berto. Don't forget, you've been out in the field too. Quite a few times when the A.T.S. for 'N-Tek' was active, in fact." Giving Berto a fond smile, she adds, "The first time I saw you, I gotta admit, I wasn't impressed. I mean, here was this gawky guy going through the jungle with a jock-type guy. But you handled yourself quite well there."
"Thanks. When we first met, I'd never known how you managed to make your way through your missions." Smiling wryly, he adds, "I was starting to think you were like a cat. Nine lives and all. All that you were missing was fur, a tail and cat's ears." Kat can't help but giggle at the imagery of herself as she wraps her arms around Berto. At the feeling of Berto returning serve, Kat can't help but smile.
"Why don't you try asking me out, Berto?"
"Okay." Easing away from the hug, Berto asks, "Would you like to go to a movie tonight?"
"Yes, I would." Suddenly shrieking in glee, Kat wraps her arms back around Berto. With him returning it. As the two are entwined, Kat murmurs, "We'll make it work, Berto."
"Yeah."
That night, Kat and Berto are at the Tokyo-3 Cinema. However, a serious matter is being discussed at the Takamiya house. Laura and Pete giving Deidre and Ritsuko the remaining details.
"To answer your earlier question, if others had suffered, it's yes. A current count is three hundred married couples, solid in their relationships and in their thirties. All childless." Laura gives a shocked Deidre and a stunned Ritsuko a soft nod before going on. "No matter how much they tried, none of them could conceive. When they read about your lawsuit against Doctor Tokisona the other day, they got themselves checked out by Doctors in the towns they were living in."
"They were implanted without knowledge or consent too, weren't they?" Rits' question gets a silent nod from both Laura and Pete. "I understand that me having an implant, even if I didn't know about it, since I'm fifteen. But why them? If anyone deserves to have children, it's them!" Pete gives her a nod before replying.
"I agree, Ritsuko. Because your Family Doctor called your home about the implant, and the resulting lawsuit, your Mother's lawsuit revealed a case of grossly unethical medical malpractice that goes back ten years." Laura nods in agreement with Pete's reply before adding her own.
"In any case, as of now the lawsuit has become a class-action suit. We're working in conjunction with their respective Lawyers. The hearing's in four months."