Chapter 8 – Hidden Agendas
"Here they are! The conquering heroes!" Kensuke crowed as the rest of the class applauded. Shinji blushed and scratched his head awkwardly. He would never get used to the feeling of people lauding his accomplishments in combat, especially considering how much he despised being a soldier. Ayanami, who stood beside him, seemed to find it a bit awkward as well with how she seemed to stiffen next to him.
"Thanks guys," he replied. "But it was nothing really..."
It was the first day he'd been back to school after Operation Yashima and Shinji Ikari was very tired. The palms of his hands still stung from when he'd pulled open the hatch of Ayanami's entry plug and he'd barely managed to get any sleep because of how much adrenaline the whole battle had flooded his system with. There were many thoughts that kept him awake that night and none of them pleasant... well... perhaps there was one. He couldn't get the image of Ayanami's smile to leave his mind. Other than that, all of the other things that ran through his head in the aftermath of the battle had filled him with anxiety and fear.
He'd spend the morning as he usually had, a cup of coffee with breakfast and then left for school. He'd expected to spend the walk alone and so running into Ayanami on the way had been a pleasant surprise. Despite having her as company, they didn't talk much except to confirm that they were both doing okay in the aftermath of the battle. After how things went down Shinji didn't really know what to talk about it with anyone... but being in her presence was pleasant none the less. As they walked in silence, he could sense from the soft smile she wore that she was content as well.
So, there they were, entering their classroom to the cheers of their classmates. Most likely it was Kensuke's doing, he was the type to start such things... He should have expected something like that to happen but it still came as a surprise.
"So what happened in the battle?" Kensuke asked excitedly one everyone had quieted down and gone back to their own groups. "Did the blackout that occurred just before midnight have something to do with it?"
Shinji frowned and looked away. He really wished his friend wasn't so obsessed with all things military. Being a soldier sucks... "I killed the angel with a sniper rifle powered by all the electricity in Japan," he replied, his tone darkening. "But I wouldn't have been successful if it wasn't for Ayanami..."
"What happened?" Touji asked.
Shinji stared at the ground, the image of Unit 00's armor beginning to melt in front of him burned into his memory like the beam that had nearly destroyed it. He really didn't want to be the one to say it. He glanced over at Ayanami who was starting to take on a concerned expression. "You want to tell them?" he asked.
Ayanami regarded him for a moment then nodded. She brought her gaze to bear on Touji and Kensuke. "I defended Unit 01 using a heat resistant shield from the Angel's energy beam," she spoke softly. "I was nearly... killed in doing so."
Shinji watched as his friends faces took on a look of shock. Touji was the first to speak. "Man, you guys never have it easy do you?" he replied.
"No," Ayanami replied, giving a poignant look towards Kensuke. Shinji watched as his friends took in that reply, Kensuke in particular, who dipped his head, adjusted his glasses and shuffled his feet. It was clear that Ayanami got across to him the abhorrent nature of their duties.
"Ah- uh, sorry I asked," Kensuke muttered sheepishly.
Shinji forced a smile. "It's okay, it's just going out and fighting isn't always glorious," He replied before heaving a heavy sigh. "You should know, you were there the time before..."
Kensuke stiffened. "You got a point..." he muttered.
"Well I'm just glad you're both alright, and I'm glad you killed that thing so things can go back to normal." Touji said with a grin, breaking everyone out of the sour mood that had befallen the group.
"Thanks," Shinji replied. Even though it was hard to talk about, it was nice that his friends did care enough to try and talk to him about it. Kensuke still looked a little bummed. He shouldn't have burst his bubble so brutally... "I guess... it is pretty cool that the rifle was powered by the entire energy grid."
"Yeah it is pretty cool..." Kensuke said softly, a hint of his usual grin returning. "It's crazy to think it took that much power just for one Angel... by the way, what happened to your hands?"
Shinji looked down at his hands which were covered by a thin bandage around his palms. He felt his heart starting to beat faster as he remembered how rash he had been... He thought back about how worried he'd been that Ayanami had been killed and the things he'd said. He meant everything he'd told her. Even though he still didn't know what he was fighting for that look of joy she wore when she took his hand certain was an incentive to stick around... "I uh..." he spoke, the explanation unwilling to come forward. Why was it so hard to say?
Then Ayanami spoke up, surprising everyone who was listening greatly including Shinji himself. "After my unit suffered near catastrophic damage, Ikari-kun came to my aid. He pried open the emergency hatch of my entry plug and seared his hands in the process," she stated in that calm and even voice of hers.
Shinji blushed and scratched his head again. "Yeah, what she said..." he murmured. Why did it sound so embarrassing when she said it aloud?
Touji and Kensuke's looks of shock morphed into devilish grins. In an instant the both of them had jetted over to where he stood and Shinji found himself in a headlock from Touji. "Look at you!" he exclaimed. "Look at you being a knight in shining armor, eh? And you say you're not a hero, bah!"
Shinji struggled to get free. "Come on, man, you're embarrassing me..." he whimpered.
"Suzuhara! Just what do you think you're doing?" the voice of Hikari Horaki barked. "All of you get to your seats and quiet down!"
"Aw, come on class rep, we're just having a bit of fun," Touji whined, releasing him from his hold. Shinji couldn't help but be relieved. The topic of conversation was profoundly uncomfortable...
"Can't you see you're making Ikari uncomfortable?" she snapped. "All of you, get to your seats! Class is about to start!"
"Always cracking the whip..." Kensuke muttered under his breath, low enough that the class rep didn't hear him. He and Touji made their way toward their desks.
Shinji heaved a sigh and glanced at Ayanami who seemed to be regarding him with a knowing look. From the look in her eyes he could tell that she understood his embarrassment despite her stoic expression. "I guess we should get to our seats," he said with a wan smile.
She nodded. "It would seem so," she replied.
School truly did bore her, that was a conclusion that Rei Ayanami had definitively come to. It didn't help that every subject that was being discussed she had already sat through once before. That would be enough to bore anyone to tears. However, it was also because of this that she couldn't help but take note of the inefficiency of public schooling. Even though the general education of Japan was among the best in the world, surely there were better ways to learn than listening to a teacher ramble for hours on end. What an interesting thing it was to be able to view things twice over. It allows one to be able to view things a bit more objectively. Extrapolating upon this concept she began to analyze what had happened with the Fifth Angel and were things stood in her plans for divergence from Commander Ikari's ends while she sat staring out the window of the classroom in which she sat...
It was all but certain that Ikari-kun's resolve to continue piloting would not waver and it seemed that his confidence was growing. Before the battle with the Fifth Angel she'd suggested that she pilot Unit 01 out of concern that he may be unwilling and to test if he was changing into a more confident person. That said, he was certainly growing to be more confident and a valuable asset in battle. This was a good thing. It was clear from her observations that Commander Ikari was had a concern for his son. This was also good. It was clear that the commander also had a concern for her, from what she'd garnered from Misato he'd been reluctant to let Unit 00 deploy after the activation test had nearly gone of the rails. This was good as well but it also raised some questions...
The soul of Unit 00... she had always assumed it was a fragment of her own. She'd always felt a... bond with her Eva but had never been able to place what it was. She'd always felt incomplete in some way all the way up to when her Evangelion had been destroyed along with the Eleventh Angel. Perhaps she'd felt incomplete after that, until she'd initiated the Third Impact... In this timeline, she didn't feel that way. She realized that no longer felt like a part of herself was missing... what did it mean?
The soul in her unit appeared to have the consciousness of the first Rei Ayanami, the one that had been strangled to death by Naoko Akagi. If this was the case, then why did she not feel as if a part of her was missing? It raised a great deal of questions. Did not the soul only belong to one being? If she was Rei Ayanami and the soul of Unit 00 also Rei Ayanami, should they not be same soul? Was it... possible that the Rei Ayanami in the Eva was not... her? She had always been led to believe that her soul was not hers, that her mind was not hers but belonging to the giant in Terminal Dogma; Lilith... Now, she no longer felt a pull towards either of those entities. It led her to a profound question...
Was her soul now... hers? Did her essence truly belong to her now?
The words of Dr. Ikari flashed though her mind. "You are Rei Ayanami," she'd said. "You are not me, you are not fake. You are not Gendo's tool, you are not Lillith, you are you."
You. Are. You...
Those words began to take on a whole new level of meaning. It meant that her soul was... unique, hers... Thinking of that filled her with a kind of joy that could not be expressed in words. This thought that her soul was unique and complete and most importantly hers put things into a new perspective. It was no wonder that Unit 00 had... probed her memories.
"You are me and yet I am me," the voice in the Eva had said. If the first Rei Ayanami had been bonded to Unit 00 in this world and her soul was her own... did that mean that... a soul cannot belong to two minds or bodies at once? If that was the case then she truly was... human. She was a unique being belonging to and of herself. She liked that line of thinking.
But... thinking on that also brought her to a dark place. Existential dread began crawling like spiders through the paths of her mind. If her soul was hers and hers alone... what if she were to die? What if her soul could not be transferred to another body. Even with the memory transfers after her previous deaths there was some semblance of continence, images and flashes of memory that popped up now and then. Now... what if there was nothing?
If her spirit was hers and hers alone then if she were to die during the course of the war she was tasked to fight then there would be no resurrection from death...
That brought her to another quandary... What happened to the souls of the dead? Was there an afterlife like in the religions of the west? Was one reincarnated as in Buddhism? Was there... simply... nothing? Was there only... oblivion?
This is the terror of mortality... she thought to herself, gripping at her sleeves to prevent herself from shaking in her seat. The fear of death is a primal fear of humanity... It was a fear that she was more and more coming to understand. It was a part of being... human.
And then an even more horrid realization set in... She still had to fight the Eleventh Angel at some point, if things were the same as before that is. What if... she had to sacrifice herself for him as she had before? The thought filled her with such sadness and fear... No! She wouldn't let that happen, and she wouldn't think on it until the time should come.
She felt a peculiar sensation, the feeling one gets when they feel they're being watched. She turned her gaze from the view out the window and back towards the front of the room. Ikari-kun was looking back over his shoulder at her with a curious expression.
When their eyes met he quickly turned his head back to the front of the room. She smiled softly. Maybe, just maybe, she could enjoy things as they were for now...
Lunch break arrived and everyone began leaving their seats to wander the school and socialize. Shinji was looking forward to it, he'd not had time to eat before leaving for school in the morning. He yawned as he grabbed his bento box out of his bag and scowled when he remembered that Misato was the one who'd prepared it. Her cooking was almost as deadly as the Angels... Oh well, it was better than not eating anything...
Touji plopped himself down in the desk in front of him, straddling the back of the chair and leaning his elbows on his desk. "Shin-man," he said. "Can we talk?"
Shinji blinked, startled by his abrupt entrance "Sure," he replied.
"So... how do you talk to girls so easily?" he asked.
Shinji blushed. Where the hell had that come from? "Wha- what do you mean?" he stammered.
"Come on dude, you're friends with Ayanami," he replied. "You somehow managed to defrost the ice queen of the school. What's your secret?"
Shinji was completely bewildered. Was she really that closed off before he came along? Also, where in the world was all this coming from? "I don't know what you're talking about," he replied. "She's just a friend, man. We're Eva pilots so we just started talking naturally I guess..."
Kensuke sat down in the desk next to him. "He's just trying to figure out how to make a move on the class rep," he said with a huge smirk. "Isn't that right, Touji?"
"Shut up!" Touji snapped. "What the hell is your problem?"
Kensuke snickered. "Did I strike a nerve?" he replied, his smirk only growing.
Touji bared his teeth and clenched his fist. "You wanna eat those glasses of yours?" he spat.
"Come on, man!" Kensuke exclaimed, putting his hands up and recoiling. "I'm just messing with you, man!"
Shinji sighed. This conversation was already getting out of hand. "Come on guys, I had a long night last night, I just want to eat my bento..." he muttered.
"He's got a point though," Kensuke voiced. "You're close with Ayanami now and she was always very closed off to everyone. What's your secret?"
Shinji glared at his friend. The topic of conversation was kind of uncomfortable. Sure she was his friend and she was girl, a pretty girl at that, but what did that matter? He didn't see her as anything other than a friend... "Like I told Touji-kun, we're Eva pilots," he replied. "We just started talking naturally. Can we talk about something else?"
"Fine, be that way..." Kensuke replied. "You know, parent teacher day is coming up... You're dad is the commander of NERV right? You think he'll show up?"
Shinji frowned. He doubted that his father would give him the time of day despite how much he wished he would... "Probably not," he replied. "Most likely my guardian will."
"You live with your commanding officer, Katsuragi-san, right?" Kensuke replied. "I never asked but, why is that?"
Shinji crossed his arms and looked down at his desk. "You could say my relationship with my father is... strained," he replied, a bitter frown contorting his lips.
"Oh..." Touji and Kensuke murmured in unison. Touji spoke up after a moment. "So is that why he sent you to live with Katsuragi-san?"
Shinji's scowl deepened. If it wasn't for Misato then he probably would be living in Ayanami's building surrounded by rust, garbage, and decay... "Actually he was originally gonna have me living alone..." he muttered.
"Damn..." Touji replied. "That's kinda messed up..."
"I would have been fine," Shinji replied with a sigh. He strongly doubted his own words, especially if he really would have been forced to live in Ayanami's complex... "But Misato-san insisted that I move in with her."
Touji's face became one of surprise. "Wait, she offered to take you in? And you're on a first name basis with her?" he replied.
Shinji didn't see what the big deal was. "I mean, we're living together so why wouldn't we be?" he returned, his tone betraying his confusion at the questions Touji had levied.
Kensuke snickered and pushed his glasses up his nose. Touji rested his forehead on his palm. "You really are dense man," he replied. "She might have a temper but Katsuragi is a total babe! How do you get so lucky?"
Shinji's confusion only increased. What luck? With what? Just because Misato was objectively attractive by any definition of beauty that made him lucky to live with her? She was twice his age so there was no chance in even thinking about anything happening. Besides, they had sort of developed a... big sister little brother kind of bond. To top that off, as much he like her, she was a total slob! He still had nightmares about helping her clean out her apartment when he first arrived! He'd found things... growing in old beer cans... These two had no idea what their life together was like... "What do you mean by that?" he replied, his expression darkening a little.
Kensuke laughed. "He's just jealous," he stated with a grin. "You're living with a beautiful woman, and, despite her strange hair and eyes and her stoic personality, you gotta admit Ayanami is pretty cute. He's just jealous because he can't get the courage to say anything to the class rep."
"Would you stop talking about that, dammit?!" Touji snapped.
Shinji couldn't help but smirk, mirroring the look Kensuke wore. "Maybe he has a point," he said. "Why else would you be asking for girl advice?"
"Oh man, not you too..." Touji whined.
Kensuke laughed. "Ha!" he exclaimed. "You see! Shinji sees it too!"
Touji stood up, clenching his fists. "I swear, I should never have watched that anime with you..." he growled.
Kensuke recoiled but his grin grew wider. "But ya did and now we're here," he teased.
Touji was about to lunge at Kensuke. Shinji put his arm around his bento box in anticipation for whatever showdown that was about to happen. Then a familiar authoritative voice rang out in the room. "Suzuhara!" Horaki-san barked. "Why are you always causing problems?"
Touji froze and turned to face her. "What?" he replied, trying his best to look innocent as he shimmied toward his seat. "We're just having a bit of fun!"
"Well do it outside of school!" she snapped and marched to her seat, sitting down in a huff.
Kensuke turned to Shinji. "Well I guess that ends that," he said. "Lunch is over soon anyway." He then got up and moved back to his seat.
Shinji returned to eating his foul tasting lunch and he let the conversation that he had roll off him but for one thing that had been said. As he picked at his food he couldn't help but agree with his glasses wearing friend. Remembering the smile in the entry plug he had to admit that Ayanami was... kinda... cute...
Rei was walking beside Ikari-kun as they left school. By now it was safe to say that it had truly become a routine thing. This fact pleased her. Amid the growing anxieties of her situation and the events in the future yet to happen, walking home with him was a pleasant distraction. She found that recently she wanted to spend any time that she could with her friend. Perhaps she should invite him over for tea sometime so they could talk... The thought brought a soft grin to her face. She was smiling more and more lately now that she thought about it. It probably had something to do with how Ikari-kun made her feel. No matter what was causing it, she did not dislike it... Even though most of their walks together were in silence she didn't mind. It was enough just being close to him.
Ikari-kun stopped and she realized they were in front of the apartment where he lived. She turned to him. "It was enjoyable walking with you as always," she said softly. "I will see you tomorrow."
"Yeah," he replied with a smile and a nod "I'll see you at school tomorrow..."
She nodded back and turned on her heel to continue her lonesome trek back to her apartment. This was the only downside to walking with him. It was always so lonely walking back on her own.
"Wait."
She froze mid step. Ikari-kun had called to her. Why? Had he forgotten something? Was there something he wanted to talk about. She turned just enough to face him. "Yes?" she asked. He shuffled his feet and looked more nervous that he usually did but why? She found herself becoming apprehensive as she waited for him to speak for a reason she could not place...
Their eyes locked. "W- would you like to come in... for a while?" he asked.
Her lips parted and her eyes widened. Did he just... invite her into his home? She'd been to Misato's apartment before but only during the combat preparations for the Seventh Angel. She'd never come to visit him before without it being part of official NERV business nor had he ever invited her over. This was... unprecedented. What did it mean? Why did her cheeks feel so hot? "What?" she murmured softly as she fully turned to face him.
"S- sorry!" Ikari-kun stammered, turning away from her. I d- didn't m- mean to upset you..."
He must have misinterpreted her reaction as negative. "I am not upset," she replied softly. "Just... surprised."
Ikari-kun seemed to calm down after that. "Oh..." he said. "So... would you like to come in... for tea?"
The same feeling of warmth that she'd felt all the times he'd held her hand filled her chest. The edges of his lips inched just a little bit upward. Of course she would enjoy it, it was time with him... More and more she found herself appreciating the little quirks of his personality and how... kind and considerate he could be. She also realized that a part of her found his ability to misinterpret a situation could be... amusing. "I would like that," she replied.
"I'm home!" Shinji called into the hallway as he opened the door to his dwelling. There was no response. No doubt that Misato was still at work, most likely dealing with metric tons of paperwork regarding the disposal of the last Angel's rotting corpse in the middle of the city. He was partially glad that she wasn't home, no doubt that with Ayanami coming in with him she'd tease him relentlessly. He turned to the blue haired girl beside him. "Looks like Misato-san is working late," he stated as they rounded the corner into the kitchen.
Ayanami nodded. "It is understandable," she replied. "As Operations Commander, she has a lot of responsibilities."
Shinji chuckled. "Yeah, that is true," he replied. "Maybe that's why she drinks so much beer..." he added under his breath as be began rummaging through the kitchen cabinets. Ayanami gracefully sat down at the kitchen table.
He set about getting the tea kettle ready all the while playing over his decision to invite Ayanami inside his home. It had been a spur of the moment thing with no prior planning. He just... wanted to spend more time with her. He'd panicked when she'd turned around with surprised look on her face because he realized just how strange it sounded after he said it. Inviting a girl over could be construed as making a move and that was not something on his mind. He just... enjoyed their little conversations, that was all. She probably didn't see him as more than a friend anyway and if she did it could only end disastrously considering how screwed up he was. As... kind and pretty as she was, he wouldn't let himself think of her like that...
"Do you need help preparing the tea?" Ayanami asked from where she sat.
Shinji smiled. "No, it's okay," he replied. "When I went to your place you made it. Now I can return the favor."
"I see..." Ayanami murmured. "You are quite kind."
Shinji shrugged. "I try," he replied. He couldn't help but frown as he set the burner on the stove. How much pain did she have to live with that she believed him to be so kindhearted? He was sneaky and weak and despite his promise to stay and fight with her he still very much wished to run away sometimes... Why did she hold him so highly? It was something he simply didn't understand.
The water finally boiled and Shinji went about the final preparations. In a matter of moments he sat down across the his blue haired friend and watched as she closed her eyes and sipped the drink. "Is it good?" he asked. "I usually like it a bit bitter... hope that's okay."
Ayanami placed the cup down in front of her. The soft grin she wore told him everything even before she spoke. "It is quite pleasant," she replied before lifting the cup to her lips again.
He grinned and took a sip from his own cup. "I'm glad you like it, Ayanami," he replied.
There was a pause after that where neither of the two spoke. Shinji found himself struggling to come up with anything to talk about. He was never really good with small talk and for that matter neither was Ayanami... "So, have they figured out what happened to your Eva during the activation test?" he asked. "I remember there was some cause for alarm the second time."
She shook her head. "It was deemed irrelevant," she replied. "Dr. Akagi and Commander Ikari have written it off as error data."
He frowned. So his father didn't care enough to figure out what was the cause. Combat readiness was more important to him that pilot safety, he should know, after his first deployment... "Oh..." he muttered, his tone becoming dark. "I guess he wouldn't find that important..."
"I'm sorry?" Ayanami spoke, her tone taking on a hair of concern. "Have I upset you?"
Shinji shook his head. "No, no..." he replied, taking a deep breath and then a sip of his tea. "It's just kinda disheartening thinking about how my father doesn't seem to care about safety precautions."
"The survival of mankind is at stake," Ayanami reminded him. "We do not always have the luxury of safety. Had I not deployed in the last battle... you would not have survived."
This struck a chord. She was right. She had a habit of pointing the truth of things out in a concise manner. He very much respected that, despite how hard it was to hear at times. He sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right..."
Then a thought occurred to him, something that he hadn't asked before. He still found it curious how his father was her guardian. She'd told him how he'd taken her in after being selected as the First Child. If that was the case, then... what happened to her parents? "Is it alright if I ask you something?" he spoke.
Ayanami nodded. "You may," she returned, sipping her tea.
"You said my father only took you in because you were selected to pilot the Eva," Shinji continued. "Did your parents accept that or are you..." he couldn't bring himself to say it. Even thinking about it reminded him of his own situation...
Ayanami frowned and looked into her still steaming tea cup. After a short moment she replied to his question. "I am... an orphan," she said. "I was orphaned at a young age..."
Shinji could sense that he'd just opened a deep wound. The way she said it... even though she mostly spoke in her trademark soft and level tone, there were moments where just the slightest pause or inflection could convey immense depth of feeling... "I- I- I'm sorry..." he stammered helplessly. "I- uh, I didn't mean to pry..."
Ayanami shook her head and put up her hand to silence him. "It's alright," she said softly, staring into the teacup. "It is a reasonable question to ask."
Shinji nodded. He wanted to smack himself. How else would she be picked up and raised at NERV? Why did he always find a way to ruin things? He knew all too well what kind of dark memories and feelings that he'd just stirred up in her. It made him hate himself for it... "I understand... My mother passed away when I was young..." he murmured.
Ayanami's brows knit and her growing frown deepened. "I know..." she replied. "I was informed by Commander Ikari."
Shinji bowed his head. "I guess that's another thing we have in common besides being Eva pilots..." he returned, his voice barely above a whisper.
Ayanami said nothing. She took another sip of her tea, clasping the cup in her hands and continuing to stare into it.
The mood was getting far too sour. It would be nice to spend some time with her without talking about Eva or NERV or his father or the fact that they'd both lost a parent or parents. "Sorry I ruined the mood," he said softly.
Ayanami lifted her head and a hint of a forced smile formed on her lips. "It is quite alright, Ikari-kun," she replied calmly. "There is nothing to be ashamed of."
"Still," he said. "I know it's not pleasant to talk about..."
"The trials of living seldom are," she returned. "But we must persevere."
He chuckled softly. "I really admire your strength, you know that?" he replied.
A pink tint appeared on her cheeks and she turned her head away from him slightly, hiding behind her hair just a little. "You... flatter me..." she spoke softly.
Shinji realized how what he'd said had sounded and he knew his own face was turning a bit red. This conversation needed to end and fast! But... he didn't want her to leave just yet. Think Shinji! He shouted internally. Think of something you idiot! "Hey uh... do you want to watch some TV?" he asked. "Maybe catch an episode of One Piece?" It was pretty lame and he knew it, but it was the best thing he could come up with.
She turned back to him, regarding him with a curious look. "One Piece?" she asked, confusion apparent in her voice.
It had certainly been quite an eventful afternoon. Rei Ayanami's mind was swimming with thoughts, not the least of which was her new found appreciation for the medium of television.
She'd enjoyed the tea that Ikari-kun had made and even the conversation that they'd had. It had been hard to lie to him about her origin but she knew that it was still far to early to reveal her... nature. It had put her in a difficult place when he'd asked about her parents. In reality, she had none, due to the way she was created but it seemed like a believable fib to say that her nonexistent parents were dead. Still, it hurt, knowing that she couldn't tell him the truth. It made her sad to know that if Ikari-kun were to find out before he or she were... ready, he would probably push her away. The idea of that... caused her great anguish... On the other hand, she had much enjoyed when he'd complimented her strength of will. Now she was sitting next to Ikari-kun in his guardian's living room watching a television for the first time.
Of course she'd heard of television, had seen others watch television, and she understood the concept of why one would watch television, but she'd never experienced it herself. It was yet another thing that Commander Ikari had denied her. He'd always tried to encourage against entertainment or anything that would distract from her purpose. This all said, she was positively enthralled.
Many of the books she'd read had included illustrations or photos but those were still images Now she was watching pictures move with fluid motion. She'd heard of animation but never had watched an anime before. It had taken Ikari-kun explaining quite a bit about the plot of the show they were watching, something about pirates and treasure and the show running since before Second Impact, but after it all sank in she found she was enjoying it. It was such a... whimsical thing, a fantasy of pirates and devil fruits on the high seas looking for adventure. She smiled as she watched the merry pirates on the screen. She was finally beginning to understand why one could enjoy a bit of mild escapism now and again. It really did do a lot to take her mind off of the problems she faced.
So there she was, sitting beside Ikari-kun, with Misato's pet penguin sitting in her lap. Ikari-kun had found it highly amusing how the bird seemed to have taken a liking to her so quickly and she had to admit it was enjoyable stroking his feathers. Now they were watching the show in near silence and she felt rather content. She could tell by the relaxed expression on Ikari-kun's face that he was content as well.
"So what do you think of the show, Ayanami?" Ikari-kun asked.
"It is enjoyable," she replied softly. At least she could be honest about something such as that. "Though the plot is a bit confusing."
Ikari-kun laughed. "Yeah, it kinda is. I don't think they're ever gonna find that treasure," he said.
Rei was curious as to why he would say such a thing. "Why do you say that?" she asked, her brow furrowing just a little.
Ikari-kun laughed softly. "I mean, the show has been running since before Second Impact, you'd think after the amount of seasons that they'd have wrapped it up by now," he returned with a shrug.
Rei was not sure what he meant by that but she'd take his word for it. The logistics of production logically shouldn't have an effect of a medium's plot progression, but she didn't want to get into a discussion about it. Then again, he might have had a point, she'd heard that life is about the journey and not the destination. It was curious, all of her life or lives had been about the destination... Now she was still striving toward and end but afterward, should she be successful, she surmised that... everything that should come after would just be... a journey. That was quite a liberating thought. The idea that she could go forth after averting Third Impact and just enjoy life was a pleasant notion. "I suppose you're right," she replied, a soft grin spreading across her face.
The pair turned when they heard the outside door snapping open with a mechanical whir. Less than a second later a familiar female voice called down the hallway. "Shin-chan! I'm home!" Misato shouted.
The penguin squawked and jumped from her lap, waddling away in the direction of the captain's voice. Ikari-kun shook his head and sighed. "I wish she wouldn't call me that..." he muttered before calling back. "Welcome home, Misato-san!"
Rei didn't understand why the captain would call Ikari-kun such a diminutive name. "Why does she call you that?" she asked.
Ikari-kun shrugged. "I suppose she thinks it's cute," he grumbled. This did nothing to answer Rei's question but again she chose not to press the matter.
Misato came into the living room. "Sorry I'm a little late. I'll cook dinner to make up for-" She paused for a second, as her expression and tone became one of surprise. "Rei? What are you doing here?"
"Ikari-kun invited me in for tea," she replied flatly.
A cat like grin spread across Misato's face. "Did he now?" she drawled. "Shinji-kun, are you planning to put the moves on Rei?"
Rei stared back at Misato. Put the moves on her? What moves? What did that mean? As much as she'd grown to understand people and their behavior and their various expressions of speech, this was one Rei had not encountered. "Moves?" she murmured softly, tilting her head to the side.
For whatever reason, Ikari-kun turned red as a tomato. "N- no! It's not like that!" he babbled. "I j- just thought it would be nice to spend time together! We're friends, that's all!"
Misato laughed, doubling over as she did. "Oh Shinji-kun, the look on your face!" she said amid guffaws.
Rei was still utterly confused as to what the captain was insinuating but seeing Ikari-kun's reaction to it was simultaneously unpleasant and... amusing. She wasn't sure what the term for that was or if there even was one at all. The urge to speak up and clarify the situation was overpowering but before she could find the words Ikari-kun spoke. "Stop teasing me!" he spat. "I'm allowed to be friends with a girl if I want to!"
His words sent her into deep contemplation. It reminded her of Soryu and how close he had been to her... Was that not a common thing? Was it uncommon for a boy to have a friend who was a girl? If that was so then it would explain the captain's reaction. It made her just a little jealous to think of the relationship he'd had with Soryu in the previous timeline that way. But then again, she was quite close with him now so why was she envious of someone who hadn't even met him yet in this timeline?
But soon she would be here... It was a thought that filled Rei with much anxiety.
She'd never cared much for the Second Child and Soryu certainly did not care for her. She'd been abrasive and rude and mean, but she'd been close to Ikari-kun. Would she be close to him this time as well? She had been so jealous of her and how Ikari-kun paid attention to her, even going as far to admit it to that damned Angel that had killed her... Rei pushed the notion out of her mind, they didn't know each other yet, none of that had to happen...
Perhaps there could be a fresh start...
Soryu, she realized, could make a valuable ally potentially, should her cold war against the commander's plans turn hot. To that end, perhaps... she could alter their relationship. It was possible that she could engineer events so she was on friendlier terms with the fiery girl. After all, Soryu didn't know her yet, and her resentment of her stemmed from her rejection of her offer of friendship. Perhaps... she wouldn't reject her this time...
"Relax, I believe you," Misato said, calming down but retaining her playful grin. "I'm just teasing you, you know that."
Ikari-kun sighed. "I wish you wouldn't..."
Rei watched as Misato turned her attention to her. "Rei, would you like to stay for dinner?" she asked.
Rei looked outside and noted that it was starting to get dark. She didn't want to walk back in the dark but... a meal would be nice. She nodded. "That would be pleasant," she replied.
"Great!" Misato exclaimed. "I think I have enough curry for the three of us!" With that she darted back into the kitchen.
"Oh no..." Ikari-kun murmured.
"What is it?" Rei asked, the soft grin she wore erasing from her features. Did he not what her to stay for dinner?
"Misato's cooking..." he mumbled, looking at her with a pained look. "You have no idea what you signed on for..."
It was the truth, a very bitter truth. She continued conversing with Ikari-kun until the food arrived, mostly about school and the anime they were watching. Rei had felt it best not to potentially upset him further or cause him discomfort by asking about what Misato meant in her teasing. That could wait until another time. One thing she did ask to clarify was why Ikari-kun was so reluctant to eat the captain's cooking. The way he described it was an object of cosmic horror... Misato's cooking couldn't be that unpleasant, could it?
It was...
When it had come time to eat the food she'd been served had looked alright and even smelled edible but when she took her first spoonful she'd nearly gagged. Misato, upon seeing her reaction, had then complained that no one appreciated her cooking which started an argument between her and Ikari-kun. When asked by the captain about the quality of her cooking, Rei couldn't help but be honest, which made the woman pout like a small child who'd been denied something. Still, at the end of the day, a meal was a meal... With the help of copious amounts of water she'd managed to stomach her portion, though she knew she was going to suffer for it the next day...
After dinner she helped Ikari-kun clean up. Misato, who was already partially inebriated, had left them alone after dinner and was currently watching some form of competition on the television. Rei was glad for it as it allowed her to spend more time alone with Ikari-kun. Washing the dishes beside him brought back pleasant memories. It reminded her of the time she first made tea at her apartment when she'd burned her hand. As they scrubbed the plates standing side by side at the sink she couldn't help but smile.
"So..." Ikari-kun spoke. "You see why I said what I did about Misato's cooking?" he asked.
Rei nodded. "Indeed..." she replied, which elicited a grin from him.
He placed a dish on the drying rack . "As bad as Misato-san's cooking can be, it was still really nice that you stayed," he said. "It's nice... having company."
She felt her cheeks getting warm once again. "Th- thank you," she replied, placing her own dish on the drying rack. Why was she stammering over her words? This was happening more and more... "For inviting me in."
They finished the remainder of the dishes in silence. It was then that the fatigue started setting in and Rei realized that it was getting rather late. "I should probably head home," she said after drying her hands. She then began walking toward the door.
Ikari-kun followed after her until they stood at the front door. "Alright," he said. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."
Rei opened the door and as she did yet another curious thought flashed across her consciousness. She remembered how in the previous life that Ikari-kun had been accompanied to school by Aida and Suzuhara. In this timeline that didn't seem to be happening. Following this line of thought... perhaps she could accompany him to and from school. She turned around to face Ikari-kun before departing. "Ikari-kun..." she spoke but for some reason it felt... embarrassing to say. "May I accompany you on the walk to school tomorrow?"
He looked surprised for a moment but eventually his face fell into a warm smile. "Sure," he replied. "I don't mind."
She mirrored his happy look, feeling relieved that he said yes. "See you tomorrow then," she replied.
He nodded. "See you tomorrow."
After that Rei turned and began her walk back to her dingy apartment. She felt not too unlike how she had when he'd pulled her from the entry plug after her most recent time fighting the Fifth Angel. She almost felt lighter than air. For a reason she couldn't place, the soft grin on her face just wouldn't go away...
Gendo sat in his office, the receiver of the land line telephone that he kept in his desk pressed against his ear. Considering the questionable or illegal nature of some of things that NERV was involved in, it was becoming a regular event that he'd have to call in favors, mostly due to budgetary issues. However, occasionally some government somewhere in the world would get too nosy or get too demanding of his organization and he'd have to find a creative way to squash the situation. Thankfully he had his ways of keeping the secrets of NERV safe from prying eyes. Currently, he was speaking to one of his agents who was trying to stonewall the Japanese government. Apparently word had gotten out about Unit 01 going berserk. He still had to find the source of the leak but this would come in time. Right now, he had to play damage control as to keep the funding coming in and keep the nature of the Evangelions a secret. Thankfully his contact was doing a good job in succeeding to that end. Should all things go correctly all the questioning would die down and the JSSDF's toy would be shelved.
"So, I owe you once again..." Gendo murmured softly.
"You're not going to pay me back anyway are you?" his contact rebuffed. "Speaking of which, regarding the material that they demanded under the Freedom Of Information Act, I handled it by giving them some falsified data. The government is proceeding with legal action but that will be blocked any day now. So should I do something about that as well?"
"No, judging by the material you've sent me, there appears to be no need," Gendo replied.
"Then I'll proceed with the plan," his contact replied.
"Good," Gendo replied and hung up.
The plan was set and the pieces were in place. In just a few more days they'd be ready to execute and one of the final obstacles to his end would be removed from his path. However, he could not afford to rest. The linchpin of his schemes was still missing, tucked away in Germany by the old men at SEELE. He smirked to himself. His contact there would be bringing it to him soon. The key to all his plans would soon be his, as soon as the old men cleared for the transfer of Unit 02...
It had been around a week and a half since the last Angel attack. This allowed for some semblance of return to normalcy, if such a thing even existed in Tokyo 3. In the days since the last battle, Shinji had at least fallen into a routine in the mornings. He would wake early, fix a breakfast of toast, feed Pen-pen some fish, and make coffee. It was a simple routine that was a rather productive way to start that day. The same could not be said for his guardian in terms of productivity...
Misato's mornings began late. She would stumble out of her bedroom barely awake with horrendous bedhead and shamble to the fridge where she'd grab a large can of beer, sit down at the kitchen table across from him, and chug the whole damn thing. Such was the morning where she was supposed to go to his school for parent teacher day.
"Oh yeah!" Misato shouted as she finished chugging her morning beer. "This is the best way to start the morning!"
Shinji held his coffee in his hand, looking at his guardian with an expression that conveyed his genuine disapproval. "I don't see what's wrong with coffee," he grumbled.
Misato scowled. "You got a problem with tradition?" she huffed. "A traditional Japanese breakfast is usually rice, miso, and sake you know!"
Shinji raised an eyebrow. "Maybe your tradition," he countered.
"Excuse me?" Misato grumbled.
Shinji knew he was getting under her skin. It was so sweet, revenge for all the teasing he'd stomached from her since he moved in. "And incidentally, who's turn was it to cook today?" he spoke, taking a sip of his bitter black coffee.
"Dammit..." Misato hissed.
Shinji decided to add insult to injury. "Now I know why a woman your age is still single," he stated calmly. "You're gonna end up an old maid, Misato-san."
Misato was positively glaring daggers at him. If the last Angel's energy beam had been as potent as her glare, he certainly would have been six feet under. "Are you insinuating that I'm lazy?" she growled menacingly.
Shinji took another sip of his coffee. "And sloppy too," he added.
Misato slammed her beer can down on the table and crossed her arms. "Oh, just leave me alone..." she grumbled.
Shinji clapped his hands together before standing from the table. "Well, I'm finished," he muttered. "I made sure to make extra toast for you. It should be ready soon."
Seconds later the toaster popped and the aforementioned singed slices of bread were revealed. Misato wasted no time in jumping up to butter them and scarf them down. Shinji set about washing the dishes while Misato gleefully munched on one of the slices of toast. His thoughts drifted to what was going to happen at school. As much as he tried not to show it, he was a bit upset that his father wasn't going to show up for parent teacher day. Rationally, he knew his father was a busy person but it still hurt... He was also a bit apprehensive about Misato going in his stead as she could be... unpredictable to say the least. "So are you coming for the parent teacher meeting at school today?" he asked.
"Of course I am!" Misato exclaimed cheerily with a mouthful of toast. "We've been over this, why would I miss it?"
"But you're so busy," Shinji pointed out.
"Oh, it's no problem," Misato replied. "It's part of my job anyway."
"Just part of your job, huh?" Shinji countered. It wouldn't surprise him if that was all she felt about him, even if he really was starting to enjoy living with her. They weren't family after all...
"You know it's not like that..." Misato murmured.
Shinji sighed. "If you say so..." he muttered under his breath.
The doorbell rang and Misato got up to speak on the intercom. He had a good feeling as to who it was. It was all part of the morning routine. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he overheard her end of the conversation. "Yes, he's getting ready now," Misato said. "And stop calling me captain when we're not on duty!" she hung up the phone. "Shin-chan, Rei is here to see you."
He grabbed his backpack and sighed. It was just another day's morning routine... "Alright," he replied. "I'm leaving now."
He strode to the door and opened it. On the other side was his blue haired coworker and friend, Rei Ayanami... "Hey, sorry if I kept you waiting," he greeted with a smile.
She shook her head. "I was not waiting long," she replied. "Shall we depart?"
He smiled. "Yeah, let's go..."
Rei sat down in her seat in class. She'd very much enjoyed walking to school with Ikari-kun and was quite happy that it was now a routine. It was in reflecting on moments like that when she could really appreciate how much she'd changed and how much she was changing the course of events.
In the previous life, Ikari-kun had usually walked to school with Aida and Suzuhara. In this timeline, the pair were still close with him but not to the same degree. Now she was the one that walked beside him and held idle conversation with him on the way to school instead. Knowing that she was growing so much closer to him made her feel joy. If she wasn't fully committed to her new purpose, having a chance to truly get to know Ikari-kun solidified it. There was a time where she didn't understand the bonds that tie people together but now she did. It was a realization she treasured and wouldn't sacrifice for anything.
Suddenly all the boys in the classroom crowded around the windows. "Wow!" she overheard one of them exclaim. "That's Ikari's guardian! Look at her! Holy shit she's hot!"
Hot? What did the captain's appearance have to do with temperature? She'd heard that expression before but it was one she did not understand.
"Just look at those idiots..." she overheard Class Representative Horaki mutter. "Drooling over her like that... have they no shame?"
Drooling over? What did that mean? No one was dripping saliva from their mouths so was that some sort of expression that people used? Her curiosity got the better of her and she turned to the class representative. "What are you talking about?" she asked.
The class representative looked at her with a look that mirrored her own confusion. "What do you mean?" she replied. "They're acting like idiots, lusting over an older woman like that!"
Lust... that was a term that she'd heard before. It was a sexual attraction to something or someone. It was something she didn't fully understand but in the context of what was being said she understood enough. Wasn't one supposed to be sexually attracted to someone their own age upon reaching puberty? If so, why was the male student body fawning over the captain? Upon seeing the class representative's point of view she felt a bit queasy... She looked over at Ikari-kun who was standing away from the window with a disproving look on his face. At least he wasn't given to such depravity... Witnessing that he wasn't instilled a pleasant feeling...
The parent teacher meeting at school had gone smoothly. Apparently Shinji was doing well in school and Misato was proud. The boy had so much asked of him so him doing well in school was a small victory on her part considering she was his guardian in his father's stead...
After school she'd driven Shinji to a synchronization test that Ritsuko had ordered. The results had been good, he'd raised his ratio by .7 percent so that was a stride in the right direction. Now she was standing on a lift with the entire head bridge crew, minus Aoba who was busy back up at his station. Shinji was with them as well, his nose in one of the many NERV manuals. The conversation was turning toward budget and logistics, something she cared little for. The only thing she cared about regarding NERV was killing the Angels.
Well, that wasn't entirely true. Sure she'd grown to care quite a bit about Shinji, genuinely she'd grown to like the boy... At this point she really considered him very much like family, but all of that was still secondary to defeating the Angels. As much as she truly and genuinely enjoyed Shinji's company, all of that was secondary to defeating her enemy. Only then could she be satisfied and move on from what happened during Second Impact...
"What's the status of Unit 00's bio chest components?" Ritsuko asked.
"It was seriously damaged so we'll have to make an entirely new one, even though it's pretty close to our ancillary budget's limits," Lt. Ibuki replied.
"Will our job get any easier once we get Unit 02 from Germany?" Ritsuko inquired rhetorically.
"It could go just the other way," Hyuga replied, doubt evident in his tone. "Disposing of those dead angels cost a bundle..."
Misato scowled. Such was the power of bureaucracy... "Yeah, this place is ridiculously under financed," she grumbled. "Especially considering mankind's future rests on our shoulders."
"It can't be helped," Ritsuko replied. "Man cannot live by Eva alone. All the survivors need money to survive too."
Misato couldn't help but feel that was a stupid thing to worry about while the war was still going on. "Money, money, money..." she said dismissively before changing the topic. "Hey, isn't Commander Ikari off to another conference?"
Ritsuko nodded. "Yes," she replied. "He should be in route now."
"Thank God for a little peace and quiet..." Lt. Ibuki muttered.
Just as the lift reached its destination. The pair of bridge technicians went their own ways while Misato, Ritsuko and Shinji moved on theirs. Right as they stepped onto one of the many motorized walkways that snaked through NERV central, Shinji spoke up. "Uh, Ritsuko, there's a question I'd really like to ask," he nervously stated.
"What is it, Shinji-kun?" Ritsuko replied.
Shinji dropped the manual he had been reading to his side. "Well... It's just been bothering me, all this talk about the fate of the world. I get that we're fighting these Angel monsters but what does it have to do with the future of mankind? What does Eva have to do with it?" he asked.
Misato's frown deepened. She knew full well what the answer was and that day was still hard for her to think about. After all, she'd been there... right at the center of everything.
Ritsuko chuckled. "I'm surprised no one's told you yet..." she murmured.
"Told me what?" Shinji asked, the burning curiosity evident in his tone of voice.
"The truth about second impact," Ritsuko replied, glancing in her direction. Misato looked away. She probably should have told him, but the memory was still so painful...
"What do you mean?" Shinji asked.
Ritsuko sighed. "Well, the truth is that NERV, the Evas, the Angels, they're all tied to Second Impact. In fact, the Angels are what caused Second Impact," she stated bluntly.
"You mean... everything I learned about Second Impact is wrong?" Shinji returned with a voice full of shock. Misato scowled. More wrong that you could believe... she thought to herself. The amount of lies that were disseminated in the aftermath of that event were staggering.
"Yes," Ritsuko replied. "The history books say it was caused by a meteorite but the truth has been censored. The meteor story is an international government cover-up. Fifteen years ago in Antarctica, mankind discovered the being known as the First Angel frozen in the ice. In the middle of the investigation, the Angel exploded for unknown reasons. That is the real truth about Second Impact."
Misato closed her eyes for a moment and breathed deeply to steady herself. She could still remember that say so vividly, from the desperate running as everything exploded around her to the giant of light rampaging as her father placed her in the pod... She remembered floating on the sea clutching at her stomach while bleeding in the aftermath, looking back at the giant wings extending miles high in the air... She opened her eyes and grit her teeth, forcing those memories out of her mind. Dwelling on it would get her nowhere, she could only move forward and fight...
"So... what NERV is doing is..." Shinji murmured.
"Working to prevent a probable Third Impact," Ritsuko stated bluntly. After that Shinji fell silent. It was clear that he understood the gravity of what had been said. Ritsuko then turned directly towards her. "Oh, Misato, the event will occur tomorrow as scheduled.
Oh that was right... the Jet Alone test was going to be taking place in Old Tokyo. Because they were a competitor for funding and priority against fighting the Angels it was pertinent that NERV show a presence at the test. It was so stupid, the fact that the government was even considering that thing when they should know full well that only NERV could save them. How annoying... "I understand," she replied.
Gendo sat with his arms crossed, staring out the window of the supersonic transport plane that he was riding in. He was on his way to the United States for an inspection of the NERV facility in Nevada. The location had once been known as Groom Late Air Force Base, otherwise known commonly by the Americans as Area 51. In the time before Second Impact it was a common folk legend that aliens were kept there along with flying saucers. It was humorous, though he was not one to laugh. If only the public knew of the things that NERV was working on in its many locations...
He'd transferred from his initial flight in Melbourne and he would transfer again in Buenos Aires. Indeed it was a long way to go out of his way when traveling to the United States but it served a purpose... It allowed him to view the remnants of Antarctica from the air and the sea of death that remained. It was a monument to mankind's folly, his fall, and his rise from the ashes. It was yet another reminder of why he was working toward his ultimate goal...
The mechanical doors separating first class from coach whirred open. He paid it no mind as a man walked up beside him. The screening of all passengers had been thorough before takeoff, not to mention the only people on any of the flights he took were tied one way or another to NERV and by extension him. The man stopped at his row. "Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here?" he asked.
Gendo glanced at him, recognizing him as one of his Chinese contacts whom he'd never bothered to learn the name of. He wasn't important enough for him to remember it anyway. "Go ahead," he replied.
His contact sat down beside him and levied an inquiry. "The revised budget for the sample collection passed quite easily didn't it?"
Indeed the budget had passed easily, it had only taken a minor amount of cajoling on his part in order for him to get his way. He didn't even need to use his position to issue threats to boot. When confronted with the ugliness of the situation regarding the Angels the board had swiftly approved the amount of money he'd requested. "The committee's main concern is for their own survival," Gendo replied disparagingly. "They won't be so budget conscious when their own necks are on the line."
"Yes," the agent replied. "They used to think there were no more Angels, and I have more good news... All the permanent members of the security council except the United States have approved the budget for Eva Unit 06. It's just a matter of time until the U.S. approves it as well. The American's seem to be allergic to unemployment, but they'll learn..."
Indeed that was the case, hence why he was on his way there at the moment. He would make them learn, just like he would bend every other nation to his whims. "And your country?" Gendo asked after a short pause.
"We will participate in the construction starting with Unit 08. The plans for the second installation project are still viable, however a pilot has not been found," the agent returned.
"The Angels have returned," Gendo reminded him. "We have no other choice but to defeat them."
"My people do not want a repeat of the Second Impact either," the agent replied. "You understand that?"
Indeed he did, but none of that mattered. Third Impact was inevitable regardless of who or what started it and afterwards any petty problems like the ones he now faced would be meaningless. Whether it be the doing of the Angels or mankind itself, humanity's time was running thin... The thought simply motivated him to continue pursuing his goal. If he were to succeed, then his version of Third Impact would be the best of all possible outcomes for everyone... "Yes," he replied flatly.
Shinji began his morning just as he had the day before. He woke early, fixed himself a breakfast of toast, made his morning coffee, and fed Pen-Pen. It was shaping up to be just another routine morning. He fully expected for Misato to emerge in a haggard state as she usually did. When she did emerge, he was quite surprised by how she appeared.
She emerged from her bedroom wearing what he could only assume to be a NERV dress uniform. She'd done her hair and put on makeup, all without shambling out of her room to drink a beer. The look on her face was level and straight, holding a seriousness that Shinji was not used to seeing off of the battlefield. Apparently this wasn't a side of her that Pen-Pen saw very much either, as he dropped his fish and gaped at her, mirroring his own expression. Sometimes Shinji could swear that that bird was smarter than he let on... "Morning," Misato greeted.
"G- good morning," he stammered in response. Seriously, seeing Misato so put together this early in the morning was a shock to the system!
She pushed past him, not even bothering to grab the toast that he'd prepared for her. He followed her down the hallway, his coffee cup in hand. She put a fancy pair of heels and stood tall. "I'm going to Old Tokyo on business," she stated coolly. "I'll probably be back late tonight so get something delivered for dinner. Bye."
Shinji blinked. "Okay, uh, Bye..." he murmured in reply. With that Misato exited the apartment, leaving him completely confused.
That was very strange. It must be important business if she had sacrificed her usual morning routine to leave so quickly. Even when she had to report to NERV early in the morning she wouldn't miss her morning beer... What could be so important? He returned to the kitchen where Pen-Pen was eyeing him with a look that showed he was quite puzzled as well. The bird must really be smarter than he let on. If only he could talk like a parrot or something... "Don't look at me," Shinji said. "I'm just as confused as you are."
The bird seemed to understand and turned back around to continue gulping down the fish that Shinji had served him.
He went about finishing breakfast and the other usual aspects of his morning. It was strange not having Misato there with him. The silence in the apartment was deafening... It reminded him of how alone he'd felt when he was living with his teacher... He tried to push those thoughts out of his mind while he did the dishes. Moment after he'd finished that task the doorbell rang. Shinji walked to the entrance, pulled his shoes on, and grabbed his backpack. At least Ayanami meeting him at his door was part of his usual morning routine...
Rei rang the doorbell to Misato Katsuragi's apartment and waited for Ikari-kun to greet her. Meeting him in the mornings had very much become a favorite activity for her. In addition to having more time together with him it also helped in alleviating the dread of having to sit in class and face the boredom therein.
The door snapped open and Ikari-kun was there. "Good morning," she greeted him with a soft smile.
"Good morning..." he replied.
It was strange. He wasn't smiling. Usually he was in an upbeat mood when she arrived at his door. Had something upset him? It certainly seemed as if he had something on his mind. "Are you alright?" she asked.
This question seemed to snap him out of his funk. He let out a little laugh and smiled though she could it was forced. "I'm alright," he said. "Just... had a quiet morning."
This would not do. She could tell he was concealing what was really going on. She... knew him well enough to know when he was upset and not wanting to show it. He was closing up and she did not want him to close up. "If something is bothering you, you do not need to conceal it from me," she replied. "I will listen."
Ikari-kun sighed. "I'm that transparent, huh?" he replied with a wry grin.
Rei nodded. "It is easy to see that you have something on your mind," she stated.
Ikari-kun stepped out of the apartment and closed the door behind himself. "Misato-san left early in the morning. She said it was some sort of business trip to Old Tokyo. Going about my day by myself just reminded me of... how things were before I came to Tokyo 3..." he returned, a scowl taking form on his features.
Her heart suddenly felt a bit heavy. Rei knew little about Ikari-kun's background but enough to know that his life before coming to pilot the Eva had been lonely, just like how her existence had been before he'd come to the city... "I understand," she replied softly.
Ikari-kun smiled. "Well... I guess it doesn't matter," he said softly. "It's a nice day out today, let's try to enjoy it on the way to school, huh?"
Every time he smiled brought her back to that warm feeling he gave her and every time it made the corners of her mouth curve upward ever so slightly. "That sounds pleasant," she replied.
She fell in step beside him and they began their trek across town to Tokyo 3 Municipal Junior High. Their conversation remained cheerful from then on out but for a reason she couldn't place, Rei kept thinking back to what he'd said about the captain... He'd mentioned that she had gone to Old Tokyo on business and as far as she remembered, she had not done so in the previous timeline. Why had Misato gone there? It was a burning question that she knew Ikari-kun could not answer.
Ritsuko sat beside Misato in the rear of a NERV VTOL aircraft. They were set to take off in less than five minutes. She'd not gotten much sleep the night before, having spent quite a bit of time finishing the preparations for the conference and the test. As much as she liked Gendo, he certainly did overwork her at times...
Her friend appeared no better than she did. Misato let out a yawn and crossed her arms. "This is so stupid..." she muttered. "I don't understand why the government is giving these clowns a chance, we're the only ones who can create an A.T. Field after all."
Ritsuko shrugged. "I suppose it has to do with budget as most things do," she replied. "It's funny to think that a walking fission reactor is more cost effective than the Evas. Not to mention, the government would prefer to fund the JSSDF than a branch of the U.N. Anyway. It goes against national interest."
Misato scowled. "Figures as much," she grumbled. "I understand that we're making the military look bad but they should know from their performance against the Angels when they first returned to just back off!"
Ritsuko laughed wryly. "You underestimate their tenacity," she replied.
"You mean their stupidity," Misato countered in a rather gruff tone.
Ritsuko sighed. "Don't worry," she said. "I have it all worked out. We'll make our case and by the end of it they'll see that NERV is their only option to combat the threat."
"I hope you're right..." Misato murmured.
Oh indeed she was right. Gendo had worked everything out. Even after she would embarrass them at the press event before the test, they would still go on ahead with the demonstration of their little toy. During that their plan would go into action. The code that she'd helped write the night before was flawless and undetectable. One of NERV's many agents had most likely already uploaded it into the Jet Alone's systems. It would only be a matter of time until nothing would stand in the way of NERV and her position beside the commander would be strengthened.
She scowled. She was becoming more and more like her mother and she knew it. As much as she hated her mother at times she recently felt like she understood her a little better. It was ironic, developing feelings for the same man that she did. It was highly unlikely, but maybe he could one day come to feel the same way for her. The part of her as a scientist knew that was next to impossible but the side of her as a woman held on to hope...
The whine of the VTOL's idling turbines grew into a roar. Moments later it took off and began heading toward the city of Old Tokyo...
Author's Notes
This chapter certainly ended up being quite a bit different from what I initially conceived it as. I initially wanted to expand upon the events before and after the Jet Alone test in a single chapter but very quickly realized that it was going to balloon into a colossal update that would have had far to much going on. This said, I decided to split it into two parts. Please forgive me for doing so...
If I'm being honest, this was one of my favorite ones to write so far. Controversial opinion here, but Episode 7: A Human Work is one of my favorite episodes of the entire series. Now before you label me as insane (though you may be right in doing so), that episode has so much lore and world building going on in it and it's done so subtly that it goes over one's head on first watch. The episode is incredibly dense and I like that, what can I say.
As always, read and review. Special shout out to Samael527 for pointing out some of the bugs in Chapter 6. I have gone back and tried my best to edit them.
-further edit: thank you Bigou for pointing out the JSDF JSSDF issue. I have sifted through and fixed that canon terminology error.
Regards,
A.F.