Chapter 17: Asuka's Lament
"Oh Brandyn!" "Welcome back man." "It's good to see that you're well." were some of the reactions when I met up with Misato, Kensuke, Touji, Rei, and Mari right outside of the Nerv pyramid. "Ha, you didn't think some dumb angel would be the one to get me, did you?" I say putting up a false facade of bravado.
"Anyway, Misato I'm sure you were informed ahead of time but for everyone else meet our new pilot Kaworu, he's-" I stop and clench my fists just now remembering that I had been replaced. "I'm the new pilot of unit 06." Kaworu finishes. Everyone but Rei shoots me a bit of a sorry look, "Hey, hey don't feel bad for me, instead be happy for the new addition. Besides this is about getting the job done, not pride." I say in a sort of half lie. I genuinely don't want to do this job for pride or ego anymore, but for obvious reasons I don't want Kaworu to be piloting either. "Speaking of pride where's Asuka?" I add.
Deeper in Nerv HQ
"That idiot, he charges into battle, almost get's himself killed, and they throw him a party when he comes back alive." I hear a voice echo throughout the Eva hangar. Misato had told me that Asuka had some sort of freak out when she heard that I had not only temporarily passed her Synch ratio during my assualt inside of Leliel but I had also come back perfectly fine. No doubt that was a major blow to her pride, a rookie with no formal training surpassing her synch ratio for the second time. Not only that but it turns out that Misato had informed everyone ahead of time about my replacement, so know she also knows that pilots are disposable.
I continue along the catwalk to Asuka passing Units 00 and 01 along the way, I try not to look at them. Seele's attempt to create god, souls trapped against their will, and of course the children who pilot them. Just the mere thought of an evangelion brings up a whole lot of uncomfortable topics.
Up ahead I see my target Asuka, yelling at Unit 02. "Listen up! I'm your master and I am not going to be replaced because you decide not to function properly, got it?!" I take a few steps towards her, she hears my foot steps and spins around to face me.
"What do you want?" she spits venemously. "I just wanted to check on you. Misato told me I would find you down here." I reply. "I didn't ask you to check on me." she mutters back. 'Something needs to give, being cryptic and helping from the sidelines hasn't seemed to help anyone. Maybe I should try being more direct' I mentally decide.
"Look Asuka, I know about your past." I begin. "What?!" she practically yells. "Misato had let it slip the night before our trip to the Over the rainbow." I lie out of my ass. I'll probably be questioned about that later, hopefully Mari or Kaji will be able to bail me out. But it'll do for now. "I know how you feel but you have people who care about you now. Misato, Shinji, me, and hell even Toji though he doesn't show it. You don't need to rely on the Eva anymore." I finish my speech.
Asuka takes a few steps towards me, I can't read her at all. Before I can react my right cheek is stinging and the sound of a slap echoes throughout the hangar. "I already told that I didn't ask for your help, and I'm certainly not going to be lectured by a failure of an eva pilot." she hisses while glaring at me, her blue eyes serving as a contrast to the fiery rage she was showing.
After that she storms past me. I just stand there rubbing my cheek, not knowing what else to do. It almost mirrored our first meeting on the Over the Rainbow, only this time Asuka's attitude was no laughing matter.
Back at Misato's house
I sigh as I approach the newly repaired house, it was slightly damaged during the Matarael attack. I had just left Asuka alone after our little "incident" in the Eva hangar. I don't even know where she went, I cringe at the thought of getting chewed out by Misato.
I see moving vans, 'What the hell?' I think to myself. I run inside the house to see what's up, I see boxes with descriptions in a language I couldn't read. I did recgonize one word though, Asuka. Was she so offended by my comments that she decided to move out, looks like that whole being blunt idea didn't work out all that well.
"Hey move out of the way kid." one of the movers orders. I oblige him and bump into Mari of all people. "Hey, what the hell happened with you and Asuka? She looks like she's ready to kill." she whispers to me. "I'll tell you later, where's she even going anyway?" I ask. "I heard that she decided to move into one of the Nerv bunkers so that she can train with her Eva more." she responds. "And we've got bigger issues, Unit 04 is being flown in from America. Kensuke will be the pilot." Mari adds.
An evangelion unit being flown in from america, this sounds just like- "Oh god, Kensuke." I blurt out.
Yeah it's another short one, but much like the previous chapter it's still important for the plot. The next chapter should be longer though because of Unit 04's arrival.