Chapter 11: Limitbreaker
This world is… such a downer.
Don't get me wrong, living in it, especially on the Wunder with my darling husband, isn't all that bad. But to see versions of us go through this… to see Shinji go through this… it hurts. It makes me want to punch several people in the face, consequences be damned. 'Captain' Misato certainly could use a wake-up call, I'm sure.
But we're working to save the world. And with my Shinji by my side, we'll save this world too. At least, we'll help this world's Shinji save it. Because together, we win. Simple and easy.
Now if only Shikinami realized that too…
- From the personal journal of Captain Asuka Ikari-Soryu, currently Anna Sanders
AAA Wunder, March 4th, 2028
Daniel walked down the hall toward the reinforced examination rooms, the two patients that he'd promised would return with him at his sides. He looked over at Rei for a moment, thoroughly unsurprised by the level expression that she had as she looked back at him. He was also not surprised by the apprehension that swirled in Shinji's expression.
As they neared the door to the rooms, Daniel slowed to a stop and turned to face Shinji, who looked up at him quizzically. "What is it, Daniel?"
"I'm guessing you're somewhat anxious," Daniel replied.
Shinji nodded slowly. "Well, yeah. I mean… who knows what kind of test we're about to go into? What's going to happen if they find something wrong with us only now?"
Daniel nodded slowly as he put a hand on Shinji's shoulder. "I can understand why you're scared. But I've talked to Captain Ibuki to see what might be in store for you two. It's just a synch test, plain and simple. Nothing you haven't done before, I'm sure."
Shinji blinked. "Why? I thought that both of us didn't have any sort of synch score. Unless…"
"Perhaps your physical performances, or what went with them, have given them a reason to reconsider," Rei said, drawing their attention to her. Shinji was still getting used to the shoulder-length hair she now sported. "And I am sure that there are still some questions that they have concerning my rather unique makeup." she continued.
"Maybe so," Shinji said, scratching the back of his head before he sighed and shook it. "Even still…"
"I trust that we will both be able to endure whatever comes afterward," Rei said. , an unusual conviction to her words. "You were brave enough to retrieve me from the 10th Angel. I trust that bravery to carry you through the test ahead."
Shinji looked over at Rei with no small amount of amazement. "Thank you, Rei," he said somewhat numbly as he nodded slightly.
Rei smiled, a slight thing. "You are welcome, Shinji."
Daniel nodded. "Alright. Let's not keep the good doctor waiting, shall we?"
They entered the room, Doctor Akagi and Captain Ibuki turning to regard them. "Ah. Good." Akagi said. "You're even a little earlier than expected."
Daniel arched his brow. "For a synch test? I recall that those were relatively easy to set up nowadays."
"The parameters of the test are rather different. Thus, we're currently adjusting the sensors to be able to accurately reflect such parameters. It's taking a little more time than we expected." Akagi looked at Shinji and Rei, then back at Daniel. "We'll take it from here. You're free to go."
Daniel hesitated only for a moment, then nodded. "Very well, ma'am. I leave them in your care for the moment. I trust you'll inform me when they need to be picked up?"
"Ibuki will see to that. I will see you when the test is complete."
Daniel looked over at Shinji and Rei, smiling slightly. "Well kids, good luck."
With that, he left the room, walking down the hallway and wondering what exactly the 'parameters' of the test were going to be. Had they found out somehow that Shinji and Rei hadn't 'bumped their heads' during the recent battle? It was unlikely, but still possible. Katara was trustworthy, he remembered that much. Perhaps Sakura? She was concerned, obviously. Enough to go to the XO or Ibuki?
He shook his head, trying to almost physically throw off the paranoia that had come to grip him since that damn text had come.
They know. They're coming. But what had kept them for so long? Surely, the battle and the work that had come after wouldn't hold them up for much longer. And how would they attack them on a ship as packed and public as this without attracting undue attention to themselves?
They'd been on the lookout for the past few days. He'd been watching Takeshi, in particular, as best he could, whenever she managed to cross over to Unit-02. But they hadn't given anything away thus far.
Daniel shook his head slightly as he chuckled. 'Hell of a way to start an off-shift day.' he mused.
. . .
As Doctor Akagi watched the door close behind Mr. Theisman, she turned her gaze back to the Children. "Go ahead and get yourself situated in the pods, and we'll begin the test."
The Children nodded, and she watched them enter the examination room, situating themselves in the two coffin-like pods, the lids shutting on top of them with a hissing click. Young Mr. Ikari would be familiar with the whole process, seeing as he'd woken up to it before they'd lifted off. Ayanami, while not as familiar, was still likely to be rather docile when it came to such things.
"Are the sensors ready?" she asked Ibuki.
"Yes, ma'am," Ibuki replied as she stepped over to her side. "The last of the limiters have been shut off. Whatever readings they'll give us, the Achiral system will process."
Akagi nodded. "Good. Begin the test now."
She continued to regard the pods as Ibuki tapped on her tablet. "Test starting… now."
They stood there in silence as a minute passed. Then another. Then another. Finally, Akagi's brow arched. "The test is running, right?" she asked as she looked over at Ibuki.
Ibuki's bow furrowed as she scanned the table's screen. "It is, Senpai. It's just… taking a while."
She paused for a moment as she queried the system further. "The Achiral system is estimating a finish time of…" her brow rose as she paused again. "35 minutes."
Akagi's brow rose in turn. "That long? I'd expect that of a test we'd do a decade and a half ago."
Ibuki looked back at her. "If that's so, how much data is the system processing?"
The question hung in the air unanswered for several moments before Akagi shook her head. "Either way, we'll want to stick around for when the test results come in."
Ibuki nodded, and the two took a seat, Akagi sitting on the chair that was in front of the console while Ibuki leaned on the table the console was on.
They sat this way, listening quietly to the subtle thrum of the ship at work before Maya looked over at Ritsuko. "Senpai," she said quietly, "How is the Captain doing?"
Ritsuko sighed quietly. "She's managing as best she can, Kouhai. We're still figuring out how this ship is supposed to work on the fly and puzzle out whatever secrets it still has. That weighs on just about anyone in that sort of situation."
Maya nodded, looking over at the two pods. "I see. I'd hoped having Shinji back would make things better. But…"
"His presence wasn't going to make things better," Ritsuko said. "Even still, I wonder why he returned. Perhaps he realized the weight of his mistake and has come back to atone for it."
Ritsuko found herself taken aback somewhat as Maya sighed and shook her head. "Have you already forgotten what Daniel said on the bridge after we took off? I certainly didn't forget what you told Misato when Near-Third Impact happened. Or the fact that you could have warned Shinji somehow."
Ritsuko looked down at the table for a moment. "Of course, I haven't forgotten any of that. But it was more complicated then. We had no idea of the lengths that Shinji would go to save Rei. And the Commander…"
She trailed off, unpleasant memories returning to her of a brief, but passionate tryst that had been broken off for the sake of professionalism. Among other things.
Maya nodded. "I see," she said quietly. "That doesn't absolve us, though. If he's come back to atone for his sins, as it were… then we're atoning right along with him."
Ritsuko nodded slightly. "Perhaps we are."
After a moment of silence, Ritsuko's hand found Maya's, and they waited patiently for the test to be completed.
. . .
Daniel relaxed as best he could, leaning back in the folding chair that he sat in as he regarded the table in front of him. It was cards for now, though his Ur-Dragon deck was supplanted by regular playing cards this time around, a game of poker between himself, Eleanor, and his Shinji, Asuka, Rei, and Kaworu.
Asuka had picked up the rules like a champ in the years before they'd left their Echo, leaving Shigeru, their Shigeru at least, rather impressed after a particularly breathtaking reversal. Shinji had picked it up decently as well, and Rei and Kaworu took a rather bemused, if detached, interest in playing while they were watching.
As the play progressed, and they picked at the snacks and sipped at drinks, Daniel still couldn't shake the unease that he felt. He'd heard from Katara that several crew members had been admitted into her care recently that had seemed to fall into a coma, with no medical history surrounding such an event. Crew members that, no matter what ministrations she gave them, were not waking up.
He shook his head slightly. It wouldn't help matters to be paranoid. Only to be prepared. 'But what's the difference, I wonder…'
Eleanor silently reached over and grabbed Daniel's free hand, squeezing it gently as she looked over at him somewhat pointedly. "I get it. No worrying on your day off though, dear."
Daniel smiled slightly as he briefly removed his hand to toss in a few chips. "I wish it worked that way, Ellie. But whatever's coming…"
"Which is why I have my eye on the door. To say nothing of Asuka and Kaworu."
Eleanor reassured.
Before she could continue, she hesitated, and he saw her eyes narrowing. "Which is how I can see we'll have company in a moment."
True to Eleanor's word, a knock came at the door, drawing all eyes to it. "Well, then," Asuka said slowly. "Who could be looking for us now? Something wrong with the Arm Bar, maybe?"
Daniel flicked on his Sight, looking at the half-dozen bundles of Frames that waited outside the door, watching as the person in front of it knocked yet again, a little more insistently. They looked… off somehow.
"Maybe so," Daniel said as he stood, his senses sharpening as he pushed them towards the Second Peak. "But either way… be ready. I'll get the door."
He heard the chairs scraping behind him as he walked over to the door, thankful that the walls here were not as transparent as they were on the Wunder of the movies as he opened the door, revealing a group of… technicians.
He blinked in no small amount of surprise as he nodded, looking at the man. "Hello. Can I help you?" he said somewhat hesitantly.
It was a moment before the man in front of him spoke, as if he were trying to recall how to do it. "We… would like to… come in."
Daniel stepped back, and at the moment he did, the man charged into him, bowling him over as his companions rushed in.
His back hit the floor, driving the air out of him as he grappled with the man, trying to guide a grasping arm away as the others rushed forward, someone shutting the door behind the group and trapping them in the bunk room. He wondered for the briefest of moments whether or not that was smart.
Then, his eyes went wide as the man's arm became… slimy, the man's forearm becoming a transparent blob of a thing before where the hand used to be forming a point as it hardened into a blade that slid towards his shoulder.
It was in fact smart to close the door, Daniel decided, as a small shield of crystal swirled into existence, the tip of the blade slamming into it as Daniel kicked what he was sure was some sort of Spirit off of him, the room ballooning in size as he stood and linked his soul to the others. As he did, a seam of crystal flowed over the door's edge sealing it shut.
"Alright everyone, let loose!" he said as his Grip flashed into his hand once again, humming almost in excitement as a punching blade of deep black and brilliant red crystal flowed into existence and began to glow. "Shinji, make sure we're not heard, or this is going to make for an awkward explanation."
He charged into the Spirit as it dropped its human form, becoming a shambling humanoid composed of slime as it tried to block his attack.
The slashes were at least clean cuts through whatever the slimes were composed of, however, as Daniel stabbed at the core of the Spirit.
He tsked as the core and its Frames danced to the side, his blade narrowly missing. 'Smart and flexible.' he thought as he danced back from the surprisingly quick reprisal from arms that had congealed back together, the attacks reminding him somewhat of the Revenants that had attacked them before. 'Tough to kill, too. At least they have the good manners not to screw with our minds.'
As he blocked and parried, slowly beginning to press forward and worm his way through the defenses, he felt a bloom of heat from behind the Spirit, a brilliant red-orange light flaring into sight as his opponent turned and recoiled, ignoring the stabs that Daniel made before it pushed past him.
He looked over to see Shinji, his brow furrowed as he spread his arms wide, a band of fire wrapping around the Spirits as they stumbled back. "These things seem to really hate fire more than most things do," Shinji said as he tightened the ring, the flames passing through Daniel with a warm feeling. "Do you want to see if a star works too, Daniel?"
"It can't hurt to try," Daniel said as he stretched his hand out, a flicker of light swelling into a sphere of brilliant plasma that he sent floating towards the huddled group, their forms beginning to bake and crack from the heat that radiated impossibly toward them.
'There's no way it's this easy. Is there?' Daniel wondered as the ring of fire inched closer to the slimes.
Then, in an act of desperation, two of them stepped toward the ring, flailing out at him and Shinji. Daniel blinked, and somehow, the world, or at least his head, was swallowed by a mass of slime.
'The hell?' was the only legible thought he could get out as the slime, seemingly a living creature of its own, attempted to force his mouth open, and he stumbled back as he felt the Expression he'd made dissipate.
His hands went to his face, trying to claw the stuff off as his mouth cracked open just enough for the slime to begin flowing in, tasting nothing as it resisted his efforts to pull it off.
He heard muffled shouts around him as he felt what was likely this thing's body slamming into him, stabbing him several times before someone shoved it off. The blade stuck in his gut broke off, and his torso began to burn as the slime buried in it found a mind of its own and began to move deeper.
Daniel's heart pounded in his chest as he struggled to breathe, feeling Nynrya begin to assist the others as he fought against the ooze that was trying to choke him. His mind was awash with instinct and training that almost, but not quite, tamped down the primal fear of choking to death.
That instinct weaved an Expression in the pit of his gut, a star's fire boiling up and into his throat, slamming into the slime that occupied it and burning it to a crisp, disintegrating the stuff slowly.
Finally, he sucked in a breath of air as the plasma exited his mouth briefly before flickering out for a moment, then starting again, the flames baking the rest of the ooze as he pried it off, regaining sight of the fight that still swirled around him, and Shinji alternating between frying and vibrating the attack that had stuck on his face off.
A spike of fear joined the writhing blade in his gut as he saw Rei sitting on the ground, her true image revealed and several patches of stained glass stifling the stab wounds that she'd received as she squirmed in obvious pain. Kaworu was in little better shape, panting as he stood sentinel over Rei, battering back the two humanoid slimes that tried to press in on them.
That left his current assailant, who quickly regained his attention as it charged toward him, Nynrya's twin blades slicing it up adding up to little more than stalling it as he finished forcing the writhing blade out of his stomach, the mass plopping to the floor with no small amount of blood on it. His wound, however, did not close fully, something always seeming to pry it back open.
Daniel shook his head as twin gauntlets, clawed and spiked, grew on his hands, and he charged with a shout, slamming into the slime as Nynrya's blades moved out of the way. His claws, now glowing, plunged towards the Spirit's core, careless of the scratches and stabs that he received as he looked down at the core with his Sight, the ooze around him seeming to slow his progress as the core shied away. So close…
Then, as a fingertip touched the core, the Spirit slipped away, its form beginning to melt as it was soon joined by its compatriots, the four remaining Spirits congealing into a single mass that somehow slipped into the vent on top of their wall with startling speed.
Daniel's senses began to dull back to their regular station as the walls of the room began to shrink again, both returning to normal after a few moments. He tried to take a deep breath but found that the slashes and stabs on his back, his chest, and all over his body, in fact, hadn't healed. And as he focused he found the problem.
'They left little presents for us.' he mused grimly as he hobbled over to his bunk, sitting down and not caring if he bled on his sheets for the moment as the crystal around the door disappeared. The stains would come out with a quick Expression anyway.
As he leaned back on the wall, he clenched his jaw as he looked over at Rei and Kaworu, on the floor next to each other as Eleanor did her best to tend to them. 'Damn it. I haven't been that useless in… years now. I should have been more ready.'
But the Spirits had caught them by surprise. Spirits he'd never dealt with before. Spirits that…
His hand went to his throat as he lost his focus, the burning sensation remaining. He'd not been choked quite like that… ever, he thought. It was almost humiliating how little he'd been able to do as it had happened.
He felt Eleanor's soul brush against his, connecting as he focused, and found her by his side, tending to one of the many sets of scratches and stab wounds, pulling the Spirit's slime, still wriggling with near-life, from it before sealing it shut.
"Daniel…" she said quietly. "What's wrong?"
He shook his head. "I should have been ready for that. Heaven knows I've been in combat for long enough…"
Eleanor put a hand on his shoulder, gently squeezing. "You're mortal, dear. We all are."
Daniel sighed as he laid a hand on Eleanor's, then gently lifted it off his shoulder. "Why are you worrying about me? Rei and Kaworu…"
"Told me to get you first," Eleanor said with a tone that brooked no argument. "They'll hold out for however long they need to. You know how tough they are."
Daniel opened his mouth, but whatever counterpoint he had withered in his mouth against the similarly withering glare that she gave him. Then he sighed and shook his head. "Alright. How are Shinji and Asuka?"
"Asuka's barely letting me touch him. He got almost as banged up as you did. You know how he gets when he's trying to protect everyone."
She chuckled slightly as she sent thin blades of water probing into the next set of slashes near his chest. "She's bound and determined to do some triage of her own, told me to tend to you too."
Eleanor's slight smile became a grimace as she pulled the next lines of hardening ooze out of Daniel's wounds, thankfully seeming to become more and more inert. "However… I'd be shocked if she somehow finished faster than me. This is going to take a while."
Daniel nodded. "I really hope no one decides to try and walk in on your work."
Eleanor shrugged. "Everyone knows we keep to ourselves. I doubt someone will just barge in without contacting us first."
. . .
Maya looked down at her tablet for what felt like the umpteenth time, and her brows rose as she saw the 'Test Complete', hearing the hum of satisfaction from Ritsuko as the notification popped up on the screen of the computer she was looking at. It soon turned into a hum of confusion. "That's odd. It isn't showing the results immediately." Ritsuko said.
She looked up at her longtime assistant. "Care to take a quick look at why?"
Maya nodded, looking down at her tablet and going through a command screen, tapping out a quick series of queries. "Okay. Looks like it's something to do with the Achiral system. It's still finishing up processing the data now that the test is done."
"How long does it expect to take?" Ritsuko arched her brow slightly.
"It says it should be done… now."
As Maya finished speaking, a series of numbers, divided into two columns for the two Children, began to scroll on both their screens. And they watched as they got longer. And longer. And longer. And longer still, their eyes growing wider by the second.
As the synch scores continued to scroll, Maya looked over at Ritsuko. "It's… They're…"
"Functionally infinite," Ritsuko said in an almost strangled whisper.
She looked over at the two pods, and Maya looked with her, the synch scores still continuing to scroll. "They… they are the most dangerous people on the planet at this very moment. If either one of them steps into an Evangelion of any kind…"
Maya looked at Ritsuko and saw the fear in her teacher's eyes. "But that's only if they wish for it, right? Near-Third Impact only started because Shinji wanted to do the impossible, save Rei's soul from the 10th Angel."
"Perhaps." Ritsuko looked back at her. "But even still, he triggered an Impact as an accident. That sort of power has to be watched closely. And dealt with quickly should the need arise."
Maya felt a trickle of ice flow into her heart as she watched Ritsuko look at the still-scrolling monitor, her brow furling in thoughtfulness. "Perhaps we'll need to adjust the parameters of Shinji's DSS Chokers somewhat. Rei will need to be fitted with one as well, in case NERV ever tries to take her as well. Both of them now represent strategic assets in our care that cannot, under any circumstances, be taken from us. I'm sure Misato will agree with me on that."
Maya swallowed silently as she looked back up at the pods, at Shinji looking out into nowhere, at Rei seeming to rest within the pod. Then she looked back at Ritsuko. "I'll go and deliver the news of these results to Mr. Theisman."
Ritsuko looked back at Maya. "What for? He can be informed when he comes to pick the Children up."
"Perhaps." Maya retorted. "But I can handle that while you make whatever calibrations you need to make to Shinji's DCC Choker. Besides, we're getting to be friendly with each other. Delivering the news in person might blunt whatever negative reaction he might have."
Ritsuko considered this for a moment, then shrugged. "Alright, then. Go. I'll need you back as quickly as you can make it, though."
Maya nodded as she stood. "I'll do my best."
With that, she exited quickly, walking down the hallways towards Mr. Theisman's bunk room as she tried her best to marshal her thoughts and feelings.
An infinite synch score! They hadn't even theorized such a thing existed, let alone knew what something like that might mean for either Shinji or Rei if they ever got back into an Eva.
As her shock and surprise settled, however, she felt bubbling anxiety begin to roil in her gut. What adjustments were Ritsuko going to make to Shinji's Choker? Why fit Rei with one of those damnable things as well if she didn't have an Eva?
The more she thought about the Chokers, on all of the Children, the more she realized the darkness of the path that Ritsuko had traveled. And how far she had gone without pulling her from that path.
They'd kept their relationship mostly professional ever since Near-Third Impact, save for brief bursts of passion. In that time, Ritsuko hadn't said much about her feelings about her job, or herself. It has always been about her.
Maya shook her head as she drew near Mr. Theisman's quarters. 'What can I do now, though?'
She pondered the question as she knocked on the door before opening it absentmindedly, looking down at her tablet and stepping in as she began to speak.
"Mr. Theisman, the test results are back for Shinji and Rei. I wanted to talk to you personally about them, as they're quite… shocking…"
She trailed off as she looked up, barely hearing the door shut behind her as she took in a sight she was never going to be ready for.
The walls were covered in blood and scorch marks somehow, several long scratches accompanied by several somethings that glittered. Whatever they were, she couldn't tell at the moment.
Everyone in the cabin had wounds that they were tending to, Mrs. Theisman kneeling by her husband as she did… something to him. And as she looked over at the other four friends of Mr. Theisman's, her eyes went wide as she saw a familiar color of the hair on a familiar face that looked back at her. A face that should have been impossible to see more than one of here.
"What-"
She was cut off as a blade of dully gleaming gray, blending in perfectly with the walls, rose to touch her throat, Maya letting out a strangled gasp as she dropped her tablet, the device hitting the ground with a clatter.
"Nynrya!" Mr. Theisman said as he came to his feet, waving off his wife as best he could. "That's enough. This is the real Maya Ibuki."
After a moment, the blade lowered, and Maya took a deep breath as she crouched down to grab her tablet. "Now apologize." Mr. Theisman continued.
"Yes." a woman's voice echoed, and Maya looked around in confusion as she stood before the voice continued, and she found its source in the blade that floated in front of her. "I do apologize. Our enemies wore familiar faces in order to get to us undetected. It leaves one… skittish."
"What… what's going on?" Maya asked, panic beginning to rise in her voice. "How… how did that voice come from that thing? How are there two Reis? How-"
She found herself cut off as she felt a hand on her shoulder squeeze gently, looking over at Mr. Theisman as he stood beside her, a calm look on his face even as he tried not to bleed on her. "Breathe for a moment. What's the news with Shinji and Rei first? We promise we'll explain, but please, go first."
Maya blinked as she took one deep breath, then a few more for good measure. "Shinji and Rei's synch scores… they're functionally infinite. If either of them got into an Evangelion, they would be able to pilot it as an extension of their own bodies and beyond. As for what they can do with their AT Fields…"
She shook her head. "We can only speculate on what they could do."
Mr. Theisman nodded. "I see. I wondered when that would come to light."
Maya blinked. "Wait a minute. You… knew?"
Mr. Theisman sighed quietly as he nodded. "And thus, we get to that explanation you'll be needing. Care to take a seat?"
Maya looked over and sat at one of the chairs that, somehow, hadn't been knocked over. Mr. Theisman took another chair and shifted it to face her, settling in it with a stifled groan as Mrs. Theisman returned to his side. She looked down, and her eyes remained wide as water emerged from the woman's fingertips, flowing into Mr. Theisman's wounds.
"Now," he began, "I'll go ahead and answer your questions first. Nynrya is a disembodied soul in my care. She can manifest herself through my abilities. We'll explain those in a little bit. As for Rei…"
He sighed quietly. "That's a little more complicated."
He paused for a moment to look around himself. "See, our story about being LCL-enhanced supersoldiers from the 40s is a lie, as I'm sure you can now tell. The truth is somehow even more ridiculous than that."
"And why is that, Mr. Theisman?"
Mr. Theisman smiled slightly. "We're from a different universe. At least, my kids are from a different part of this multiverse. Eleanor and I come from an entirely different one."
Maya sat there in shocked silence, staring at the man in front of her for a moment. 'There's no way. But if what I'm seeing is right…'
"So… how does that work, then?" she asked slowly. "And why are you here?"
Mr. Theisman nodded. "Well, reality is a lot bigger than most people realize. Within it are suspended what my organization, the Worldstrider Corps, calls World Engines, each of which forms the basis for a multiverse of infinite possibilities."
He paused as he blinked, then looked over at Mrs. Theisman. "We need to inform Toph, Aang, and the others about these Spirits. Maybe they can help us track them down and eliminate them."
Mrs. Theisman nodded, her eyes still on her work as she pulled a clear piece of something from one of her husband's wounds, the cut disappearing moments after. "After we're done here. Keep going."
Mr. Theisman nodded. "As I was saying, World Engines are places of infinite possibility, manifested into what we call Echoes, each one a universe that contains different versions of the same people."
"Like a Shinji and Asuka."
Maya looked over at the woman who spoke to her, Anna Sanders if she recalled correctly, her eyes narrowing as she studied her face and processed the voice. Then it clicked, and her eyes went wide as she looked at who she now knew was an older Asuka, sitting next to who must have been Shinji. She would have never guessed it was him behind that beard. "Asuka?" she asked somewhat numbly.
Asuka nodded. "The one and only Soryu here. Well, Soryu-Ikari, but still."
Maya looked over at Rei and the strange, grey-haired man beside her. "And you're Rei and…"
The man looked over at her and nodded slightly. "I am Kaworu Nagisa, and Rei, at least this one, is my wife."
Maya nodded. The voice seemed… familiar, somehow. "I see," she said as she looked back over at Mr. Theisman. "So why are you all here, then?"
"We're here tracking a dangerous group called the Scions of Unity." Mr. Theisman continued. "They want to try and initiate an Impact on their terms. They tried on the world we came from. And it seems that they're trying again."
He shook his head. "It's a real cat and mouse sort of game right now. We don't know where they are. But it looks like they know where we are. And this fight, which we will clean up, I promise, seems to be the opening act of their response."
He sighed quietly. "We don't fully know what's going to happen next. Commander Ikari seems to be taking his sweet time in making the move we expect him to make, so… we're playing it by ear right now."
Maya blinked. "Wait a minute. Are you saying you know the future?"
"In a sense." Mr. Theisman said after a moment's consideration. "The way Echoes work, along with our interference, and the interference of the Scions, means things are different from the records that we have, sometimes drastically so."
It was silent for a moment before the man leaned forward. "Look, I know this is a lot to take in all at once, and I'm sure you'll have more to ask, but to explain everything here would take far more time than either of us have. I trust that you'll keep confidence with us in regards to this. If word of us were to get out into the wider world, there's no telling what could happen."
Maya's brow furrowed slightly as her mind continued to swirl with questions. "How can you be sure of that?"
Mr. Theisman smiled softly. "Because, Maya, the version of you from my kids' universe is one of my good friends. It's how I knew you played piano before I even asked you what you played. Because you played a lovely piece at your wedding… Mrs. Akagi."
Maya's eyes went wide. "Ritsuko and I are…" she trailed off, the thought of it almost impossible to believe.
Mr. Theisman nodded. "Yes. You have the power to help Ritsuko overcome the worst parts of herself that few people can claim to possess. You see the best in people, and want to help them, and help science help them. It's why you joined NERV in the first place."
"So please," he continued, "help her as best you can. I understand the near end of the world puts things on hold, but the connections of the people who are keeping the world safe to each other are vital. I've seen it firsthand with these kids."
Maya sat there silently for a moment, processing what had been said. "I still… I have so many questions, Mr. Theisman."
"Unfortunately, they will have to wait for now. We will answer them as discreetly as we can when they come up, I promise."
He paused as his smile widened slightly. "And please, just call me Daniel now. The secrets we now share go beyond rank." the smile shrank somewhat. "Which means that you'll have to keep them from both the Captain and Ritsuko until we can be sure that it won't cause anything too crazy. I think I can trust you to do that as well. Can I?"
Maya opened her mouth, then paused as she considered the question. Could she do that? Go behind her Senpai's back, her Captain's back, for something like this?
She considered what kind of adjustments that Senpai might make to Shinji's DSS Choker. And whether those adjustments might make it onto Rei's.
She sighed quietly, then nodded after a moment. "Alright. I'll keep this quiet for now. I'm not sure I can do it for very long, though. If something like this… attack you talked about happens somewhere more public…"
"We'll figure it out," Daniel said as he stood, his wounds nearly fully healed as she stood in turn. "We have a knack for doing that much."
He reached out a hand, and Maya took it, shaking firmly before she turned to walk to the door. Before she opened it, she looked around at the scars of battle that surrounded her. "And… you're sure that this'll all be gone before anyone else visits?"
Mrs. Theisman smiled slightly. "It will be. Fixing things is my specialty."
Maya nodded slowly, then exited the room, stepping into a world she now knew was forever changed in a way no one native to it could ever expect.
. . .
Daniel sat back in the chair he had taken with a quiet groan as the door shut behind Maya. "Well, that went better than I expected."
"Maybe," Asuka said, a slight grimace of anxiety on her face. "But as much as I like any version of Maya, I'm still not sure that spilling the beans to her was entirely the right thing to do. I mean, we've all gotten to know how much of a hardass she could be when the chips are down."
"Perhaps so," Kaworu interjected. "However, while 14 years may change much, Ms. Ibuki is, at her core, still the Maya we know and appreciate."
Shinji shrugged. "I mean, I guess. It could have been worse. Ritsuko might have walked in instead."
"Speaking of…" Rei said, her voice still somewhat weak as she looked over at Asuka and smiled slightly. "Show me the money," she said in English, an affected accent lacing her words.
Asuka blinked, then sighed as she pulled out a wad of cash, mostly useless here on the ship, and walked over to Rei to hand it to her. "I was sure it was going to be Midori, too. She's friendly enough to pop in at the wrong time."
A quiet chuckle rippled through the cabin as Daniel stood, most of his wounds healed and his clothing made whole again. "Well, I'd better go pick up the kids from their test. Eleanor, I hate to leave this to you…"
Eleanor smiled. "This place will be clean when you get back. After all, I have these four helping me."
Daniel nodded as he made his way to the door and exited, wondering what would be waiting for him.
. . .
Shinji Ikari waited as the door for the test pod that he lay in finally opened and he sat up, rubbing his eyes as he looked through the glass.
Doctor Akagi and Captain Ibuki were there unsurprisingly, looking over the console as Daniel stood behind them, his arms crossed. What was surprising was that Misato was there as well, standing by Daniel's side and looking over with the others as he sat up.
He wondered at the looks in their eyes. Besides Daniel's, all of them held guarded expressions. Not unlike when he first woke up. 'What did they find out about me?'
He looked over at Rei, who also sat up and began to extract herself from the pod, and saw the… curiosity in her eyes as well. It was probably the most expression he'd seen of her since they'd been extracted. 'And what did they find out about Rei?'
He felt protective towards her in a way that he hadn't before, now that he knew that she was basically his sister. Whatever they would do to her would have to go through him first. 'For all that matters.'
"Hello, Shinji, Rei," Daniel said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Hope you both didn't get too bored with the test."
Shinji shrugged. "I mean, I guess it wasn't as bad as most other synch tests I've done."
Rei nodded in turn. "It was acceptable, as far as tests go."
"Good," Daniel said. "Because congratulations, you two have an infinite synch score."
It was silent for a moment as Shinji's eyes went wide, and Rei's brows rose. "That's… possible?" he said somewhat numbly.
"Apparently so." Doctor Akagi replied. "Which is why we're making some adjustments to the parameters of your Choker. With your synch score, you possess the ability to initiate an Impact event the moment you step into an Evangelion. Thus, the collar will now detonate should you complete a synchronization to a certain percentage."
Shinji's blood ran cold, and he saw Daniel's fist clench and Ms. Ibuki's hand come to her chest before Doctor Akagi continued. "In addition, Rei will be receiving a Choker as well. You both are too much of a risk to chance at falling into the hands of NERV."
"As Rei's guardian," Daniel interjected, his voice clipped, "I have to ask why she needs a Choker if she doesn't have an Evangelion to pilot anymore."
"And as the Captain of this ship," Misato said as she turned to face Daniel, "I'm making it an order for her to have the Choker. Ritsuko is right. We can't risk them even leaving the ship, in case NERV finds a way to retrieve them."
"Anyone with NERV, however many of them are left, would have to go through me and mine to get to them." Daniel's voice was cold, and his expression wasn't far behind, Shinji getting uneasy flashbacks to his father's stony gazes. "No one has walked away from a fight with us that we didn't want walking away. As long as they're with us, and they will be wherever they want to go, they're safe."
It was silent for long moments as the two regarded each other, then Misato sighed quietly, shaking her head slightly. "Alright, then. I guess I can't fault that, seeing as I've seen both your strength and that of the Children's. But Rei will still be getting a Choker regardless."
She turned to look at Shinji, and he suppressed a shiver as he looked back into those all too cold eyes. "Do you have anything else, Mr. Theisman?"
Daniel looked at Misato's back silently for a moment before he sighed. "No, ma'am. We'll take our leave at Burbank when we land in the next two days, return to the ship, and remain here as we prepare the dinner party."
Misato nodded as the door to the exam room slid open, her expression becoming unreadable. "Good." was all she said before she turned and walked out of the room.
Shinji and Rei joined Daniel's side before they exited the room, and they walked in silence for long minutes before Shinji looked up at Daniel, and saw the weariness in his eyes. "You won't let them put a Choker on Rei… will you?"
Daniel looked back at Shinji and sighed quietly. "I don't think I can do that much, kid. I'm sorry. But even as your guardian, I'm still shackled to the chain of command. What the Captain says goes around here. The best we can do is find a way around it."
Shinji nodded, a hand going to the collar around his throat. "And my own Choker…"
"That, I won't allow for long," Daniel said firmly. "Even for a 'precautionary measure' such as this, they're going too far."
He paused again, Shinji looking at his eyes to see a glimmer of thoughtfulness. "As for how to circumvent that… I have a few ideas…"
He shook his head. "Either way, that that's all they've found out about you two thus is still good, in a sense. You two don't remember what happened during the recent battle still, do you?"
They both shook their heads silently, and Daniel nodded. "I see. Well… I have a few ideas on that, too. I'll let you know if any of them seem likely."