"I knew it was bullshit!" Kensuke cried as he fell to his knees in defeat. His hands were stained with mud and clay and the falling sun bathed him in crimson light. Shinji thought it was rather dramatic.
He stood behind Kensuke and asked, "Uh, you alright?"
"The video I was telling you about: It's all fake, those guys surviving in the wild, I wonder why people fall for it." Kensuke sat down and wiped the sweat off his brow. The "fortress" he'd spent almost two hours shaping had turned out to be nothing more than a big, wet lump.
"Well, it's not so bad. We can use the tent," Shinji said and pointed behind them. He was glad he'd insisted on bringing it.
"Yeah, I know. I just wanted to try something different. Oh, he's back."
Shinji looked over his shoulder, where Toji was walking back from the bushes.
"Hey, dude." Toji tapped Shinji on the shoulder. "Are you staying the night?"
"Yeah. When I came with Kensuke I was kinda, uh, running away. But Misato gave me permission this time."
"Alright, cool. Now, where's the bag? I'm hungry," Toji said.
The three boys sat around the campfire, roasting marshmallows. The crackling of wood and the trickle of a nearby stream soothed them. Hours later, Shinji lay down with his head popping out of the tent and his hands joined behind it. All that accompanied him was the soft wind, the heat of smoldering ash, and starlight.
The past week had consisted of Misato drinking a little too much during the afternoon, followed by her pestering him about Rei's potential knowledge of NERV's inner workings. She wasn't making fun of him anymore, but rather, her demeanor lately had become bitter. He had to choose his own poison when dealing with his guardian. And so, with camping as his first chance of escape, a different kind of guilt appeared.
Kaworu sat in a folding chair in the middle of what others would describe as a gray, barren cell. A soft beep followed the humming of pneumatics, and from the threshold, a man wearing a luminous red and white visor stepped in.
"Chairman Keel." The boy's eyes moved up to him before returning to the page he was reading.
"Hello, child," Keel said in a low growl and stepped beside him to sit on his bed. He let his cane lean diagonally on his leg and flexed his hands. Kaworu thought about giving the man his full attention, but the latter just seemed to stare in front of him. It was hard to tell with the visor.
Fortunately, he was near the end of the book, and after a dozen pages, it was finished. Keel extended a hand towards the boy. "Let me see that." Kaworu complied. A history book, specifically about the Romano-Germanic kingdoms. Keel cleared his throat and handed it back.
"Why that one?"
"I've read another one before, about Rome. This one... It comes after the end. I like that."
"How so?" Keel asked. Waiting for Kaworu to answer, he used his thumb and index to slowly spin the cane back and forth in place. The boy turned to face him.
"When the Lilin write their history, they put great interest in beginnings. At the same time, they hate endings. They describe them as decay and destruction, sometimes an inevitable fall. They don't realize that the end is caused and influenced by the same splendor that they initially praise. I wonder if they also live their life that way."
"Humans cannot help but to categorize and compartmentalize," Keel said, his tone was unyielding. "Do not be mistaken: there is no end. There is no fall of Rome and then European kingdoms taking its place, just as there is no end of me and beginning of you at the atomic level." He grabbed his cane and leaned on it. "Since the beginning of human civilization, nothing has ever ended. You are here to fix that."
Kaworu turned back to face the book and inspect its cover, his fingers travelled through the foiled spine. "Yes."
"You are required in the dummy plug plant. Go." Keel waved his hand and the door slid open once more. Kaworu nodded and stood up, leaving the book on the chair. He walked through the threshold, pursing his lips slightly at the clicking against his neck: the metal choker beeped and an LED blinked a few times before fading out.
Leaving the old man behind, he walked down the hall and into the elevator. There were no buttons. He felt a pit in his stomach as he traversed the complex with great speed, and eventually, the elevator's door opened. A long hallway gave way to a bulletproof glass pane and a metal door. Kaworu pushed the button and the door opened with a loud buzz and a click. He immediately felt cold and warm at the same time as volatile wind currents escaped to and from where he stood. The sounds of drilling, hammering, typing and talking echoed through the enormous hangar.
He walked by several great cages, labeled '05' through '13', its occupants in early but different stages of construction, with technicians and engineers crawling all around them like vermin. His objective lay at the end of the bridge, but he feigned interest in the titans to stall for time. After observing for a few seconds, the sound of incoming steps and a polite cough made him sigh and turn to his left. A familiar man with a sharp but slightly crooked nose that ran between severe, bespectacled eyes greeted him in German. He replied in kind:
"Sorry, let's go."
They entered the building and the noise and wind left Kaworu as fast as they came. There was a single glass cylinder in the middle of the room, the sight of which prompted the boy to undo and drop his clothes unceremoniously on the floor.
The man plugged several cables from the terminal in the corner to the device and pressed his thumb flat on Kaworu's neck until the choker beeped and opened with a click. He removed the choker with one hand and lifted the boy's chin with the other, studying the marks on his neck with disapproval. Then, he gestured to the cylinder. Kaworu closed his eyes and stepped in. He tried to power through his reality with visions of the things he'd read about over the years, but said reality kept tugging at him with the sliding of glass, the cold of the orange liquid enveloping him, and the sting in his lungs as they filled with fire. He daydreamed of journeys through the Mediterranean sea, of feasts of bread and wine and oil, of the summer sun and fresh grass underfoot. But more importantly, of the Lilin sharing their world with him.
"We really need to get you more clothes," Misato said as she hugged the entire bundle and pulled it out of the closet.
"I'm good. I like what I have," Shinji said. He fluffed the brand new pillow and placed it on the futon. He stood back up and crossed his arms as he inspected his handiwork: the room felt a bit too empty, but it was now ready to be refurnished by the soon to arrive pilot.
Misato rolled her eyes and looked over her shoulder at the boy. His face screamed that something was bothering him, but she was proud of her progress in being patient with him so far. Soon enough, she saw it pay off once more:
"Hey, Misato. Sorry for not asking Ayanami about the angels yet."
"That's... actually okay, really," she turned and scratched her face. "I might've been a little too distracted lately."
"You mean drunk?"
"You don't have to say it!" She punched him playfully on the shoulder. Shinji snorted. "Regardless, don't blatantly ask her, then. But if she decides to share something, well, y'know..." She trailed off and he nodded. Better than nothing.
He handed her the box with his belongings. "Ah, one more thing." He went inside and removed a calendar from the wall, then came back and placed it on top of the contents. "Okay, that's it."
Misato nodded and glanced at the box. "I can't believe it's the middle of August already. The year's flying by."
"Really? I haven't felt that," Shinji said. It made Misato feel a bit old.
"Speaking of Ayanami, about her apartment: are we waiting for the new pilot to come first or...?"
"Is it that bad? You're not one to harp on things." She put the box down gently in the hallway, stacking the clothes on top of it before turning to him.
"Sorry... but, yeah." Shinji held his forearm with his other hand. Misato opened the door to the other side and pushed the box in with her foot. As previously agreed, they walked to the kitchen to get started with dinner.
"I don't know. Usually, the easiest way to get something like that done is to ask Ritsuko directly, but we're not on the best of terms right now."
"Is it because of the NERV thing?"
"Yeah. Well, at least in part."
"Is there another reason?" Shinji asked. Misato stopped and lifted her hand to her chest. She turned to Shinji slowly.
"I... don't really want to talk about it." Her expression was something Shinji seldom saw on her. He stopped.
"Oh. That's okay," he murmured. Misato pursed her lips.
"Hey, It's not your fault. I'll tell you about it some other time, okay?" She said, forcing a smile.
"Okay." Shinji nodded and his posture returned somewhat to normal.
"Anyway, is it my turn to cook?"
"Yeah. I'll go watch some TV. I'm a bit tired after the cleaning."
She gave him an energetic thumbs up and walked into the kitchen. Shinji swallowed in apprehension of the fresh hell that awaited him at dinner time.
Though she wouldn't categorize it with such lucidity, Asuka knew she would miss the smell of birch and ash. Elements like these coalesced in her mind as "Southern Germany", alongside brick houses, rolling fields, her father, and of course, her mother.
She felt the tug of the hairbrush as she untangled a final knot and her reflection came back to view. It was time. She put on her glossy red neural clips and smiled at herself before standing up and throwing the brush into the open luggage, letting it fall where it may. She zipped it close and wheeled it from her room, down to the lobby and onto the street, where a black sedan was waiting for her.
"Good morning, Ms. Soryu. Did you bring all of your belongings?" The driver asked her in German.
"Of course I did. Now, drive." She glared at him haughtily and crossed her arms. He gave her a smile that was a little too wide and turned back forward, stepping on the gas.
Asuka did her best to ignore the man by staring through the window. The landscape went through highs and lows, giving her a final glimpse at some of the architectural marvels that made the Berlin of the post-Impact world the center of European culture. It would be half an hour before they reached their destination.
Finally, through the back side of the airport, the road connected to the tarmac of the main runway. She expected an enormous plane carrying Unit-02, the kind a platoon of soldiers would parachute off of. But what she got instead was a commercial flight, a shoddy and cramped box she'd have to spend the next twelve hours in.
Ice cubes clinked and resettled to the bottom of the glass as Ritsuko placed it on the table under the shade. She looked at her watch pensively. It wasn't a surprise anymore.
The chair in front of her was pulled away and she perked up: Misato looked at her as she sat down.
"I know, I'm late." Misato said preemptively.
Ritsuko scanned her surroundings and leaned to the chair on her right. From her purse, a bulky transceiver with a familiar crimson leaf logo beeped. She pulled it out and placed it in the middle of the table.
"The block has been swept, Chief. We'll be waiting for your signal at the rendezvous," the device spoke.
"Good job, thank you," she replied and turned the dial at the top with a click. The LED on the back died out. "No one's listening in."
"And I suppose I should be relieved and happy about that," Misato said.
There was no reply. Ritsuko picked up her glass and drank from it again without breaking eye contact. Misato exhaled.
"Okay. I'll dial down the bitchiness. I admit I haven't been the most cooperative lately." She crossed her legs and looked around as if searching for some words, then back at Ritsuko. "But why are we here, out in the open? It's kinda risky for an operations meeting."
"I've come as a civilian."
"Does Commander Ikari know you're here?" Misato asked. She looked behind Ritsuko and raised her hand to call for the waiter.
Ritsuko thought for a moment.
"Yes."
"I guess that part is inevitable." She smiled politely and turned to the server. "Just a coffee, please." The man bowed and walked away. Misato eyed her friend, searching for any kind of reaction.
"Alright. So, what would you like to talk about?" She put her hands together on the table.
"Everything ready for Asuka's arrival?" Ritsuko asked.
Misato frowned. "I thought you were here as a civilian."
"Calm down, I'm asking as your friend. You're essentially adopting another child, you know? It's rather unexpected."
"Sorry. Yeah, I guess that's how it might look. But believe me, Asuka is a very independent girl. Doesn't mean I won't keep an eye on her, of course. But she can be quite responsible where it matters. Plus, she'll be at NERV half the time, so she'll have adults nearby."
"I see," Ritsuko said. She ran a finger along the rim of her glass. "Kids are complicated," she said. Her lips pursed slightly at the thought of Rei.
Misato gave her a lopsided smile. She fiddled with her necklace and said, "They can be. They can also be... a gift."
"You're not his mother," Ritsuko cut in. Misato looked her in the eye, her thoughts racing. An insult, at the very least. Coming from Ritsuko, it was likely more of a warning. This was a scientist analyzing a situation and pointing out the risks of a given system.
"I know that," Misato replied. Silence lingered until her coffee arrived. She mixed in some sugar, eyeballing the amount and tilting the container appropriately as she swirled the hot beverage with her spoon.
"My goal is to defeat the angels. That hasn't changed," she said before carefully drinking.
"That's good to hear," Ritsuko said and leaned forward. "Listen, I know apologizing or justifying NERV's actions won't solve anything. We've all made decisions we regret. I'm sure we can at least agree on that."
Misato nodded, but made no attempt to interject. Ritsuko leaned back.
"Good. Now, what's done is done. We have the Evas, and we'll use them for good. After the war... We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."
"Fair enough. Would it be so bad to actually apologize, though?"
Ritsuko scoffed.
"Alright, I'm sorry, then." She rested her chin on her hand.
"Yeah, that doesn't cut it," Misato chided. Her frown deepened when Ritsuko smirked.
"Hence my reaction."
"But, it's a start!" She added. Ritsuko relaxed at the sight of Misato's first genuine smile in days.
The late afternoon sunlight beamed and bounced through the airport's endless crystal panes. On the horizon, several tiny glares betrayed the coming and going of planes of all sizes.
After walking through several crowded halls and passageways, Misato and Shinji reached the intended arrivals waiting room, where a slightly disheveled redhead stood near the exit to the tarmac and stared right at them.
"Asuka!" Misato ran with open arms at first, but the redhead's body language made her slow down and lower them.
"Misato, I'm so glad to see you!" Asuka said.
"Really? I didn't think–"
"Where's Unit-02? Nobody wants to tell me." She tapped her foot impatiently.
"Wow, Asuka. It's nice to see you too," Misato said, hands on her hips. Shinji caught up to the captain, but decided to stop while still partially behind her.
"Well, you're the operations director, right?"
"Yes Asuka, that also means I'm your commanding officer." Misato raised an almost twitching eyebrow.
Asuka pointed at Shinji. "And who's that?"
"H-Hello," Shinji stammered.
"Right! Asuka, this is Shinji Ikari, pilot of Unit-01"
"Ikari, huh? You must be the Third Child." She strode towards Shinji and stopped right in front of him before leaning forward, like a sculptor looking for the slightest imperfection on his features. Their noses almost bumped.
"Yes," Shinji whimpered, wondering if it was normal for foreigners to violate each other's personal space so aggressively. "You're too scrawny, you should eat more," her voice came out of her face, but from his perspective he could only smell the mint in her breath and see the blue of her eyes.
Misato cleared her throat before saying, "Shinji, this is Asuka Langley Soryu, Second Child and pilot of Unit-02."
"That's right." Asuka leaned back and gave him a wolfish grin. "And don't think I'll go easy on you just because you're the Commander's son."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"What are you, stupid?" She frowned. She eyed Misato as if expecting an explanation, and then remembered: "Anyway, where are you keeping it?"
"We can't talk about that here, Asuka," Misato said through gritted teeth. "Please be more professional."
Asuka's eyes narrowed. "Yes, Captain."
"That's not what I'm talking about!" Misato grunted and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Listen, let's go home. I'll brief you properly when we get there."
"Alright, alright. I guess I can also enjoy a hot bath, then," she said, patting the air on her side slightly to search for her luggage's handle.
"Soryu," Shinji called as he extended his arm towards her.
"What?"
"Do you need help with that?" He gestured at her luggage.
"That's mine, you pervert!" She pulled it aggressively and flipped her hair while walking away.
"Pervert?" He asked in a whisper and turned to Misato, who in turn shrugged and waved at her dismissively.
They made their way back through the maze of people with Asuka taking the lead, and a confused Shinji and exasperated Misato following behind. The rhythmic tap of rolling wheels against the floor tiles made Shinji turn to her luggage. His eyes then moved up to the handle, her slender arm, her shoulder, and eventually down to her swaying hips as she walked in what Shinji now realized were dangerously short denim shorts and a blouse that slightly exposed her abdomen. He swallowed. But whatever effect this could have on his pants was overwhelmed by the tug on his heart when he saw the sunlight reflecting on her hair like a golden flame, and the sharper European features of her profile highlighted.
"Wow," he exhaled.
"What was that, Shinji?" Misato turned to face him, and her face let him know he was in big trouble. He glared at her with such intensity that she could almost hear a telepathic 'Don't you dare.' and she snorted as she struggled to keep a cackle or two at bay. She made a gesture of zipping her lips despite tears peeking through the corners of her eyes, then she turned forward and kept walking. The only saving grace of this was that the redhead had been too far ahead to notice.
Asuka walked through the main entrance's automatic doors and waited for Misato and Shinji to catch up to her—she'd need them to get to the car. Eventually, they reached the parking lot floor where a blue Alpine waited for them.
"I can't believe you still drive that thing. I call shotgun!" She announced and started sprinting for the vehicle.
"What?" Shinji asked.
"She can be quite lively, you'll get used to it." Misato said. She pulled out her driving gloves and sunglasses as she walked alongside Shinji. After a three-point-turn and driving through several spiral ramps, they reached the surface and joined the freeway.
Asuka turned on the radio. Giving no more than a couple seconds per station, she went through a dozen radio shows, news programs and genre stations within a minute. She turned the radio back off, mumbling something about Japanese. Shinji heard and felt the slight tremor of her leg bouncing in place anxiously. He frowned. She stretched and yawned loudly, groaning as she returned to her sitting position. She then started shuffling in her seat every so often.
"Soryu–"
"So, this is the guy who killed three angels, right?" She turned to her side and rested her elbow on the back of the seat to face him. Shinji looked away.
"I wouldn't say I killed them. I don't really remember much of the first fight, but I guess I did destroy the second's core," he murmured and paused. His eyes perked up and he said more animatedly, "Ayanami helped a lot with the third one."
Asuka's eyes narrowed for a split second before her expression was replaced with a confident grin. "Yeah, I saw the footage. My Eva is the first full production model, I bet I could've crushed those angels in my sleep!" She winked at him.
"Okay?" He said. She glared at him.
"What do you mean 'okay'? You don't believe me?"
"N-No, that's not what I mean. I'm sure you're a great pilot, Soryu," Shinji said.
"Soryu, Soryu, Soryu. We're the same age, for heaven's sake. Just call me Asuka!"
"Uh, are you sure?"
"I just asked you to do it, didn't I?" She hissed.
Misato turned to her briefly. "Asuka, be nice. You guys just met."
"Like I said, we're the same age! No need to be so meek and formal, it's pathetic." She turned back to her.
"Shinji's just a little shy. But he's up to the challenge when it really counts. Right, Shinji?"
"It's okay, Misato, you don't have to defend me," he said and eyed the girl, "call me Shinji, then... Asuka." He sounded out the last word carefully.
"In your dreams, Third." She grinned and faced forward again, resting her hands behind her head. Misato chuckled.
They arrived home and, despite going out of their way to welcome her, the redhead was much more keen in pointing out every single thing that displeased her about the apartment, from the way the furniture was arranged, to the size of the television, to even the thickness of the walls. Once the early evening set in, a pair of deliverymen arrived at the apartment carrying enough boxes to stock a convenience store. She took half of them into her new room and left the rest strewn across the living room and the kitchen.
During dinner, Misato briefed her on Unit-02's status: It'd take two additional weeks for the red giant to arrive, after a brief detour in NERV's fourth branch near the Seychelles for some last-minute improvements that—Misato insisted—would be worth the wait. This, and the fact that she'd still be called on-site for training and sync tests using simulation bodies prevented another outburst from the girl.
After reluctantly accepting her situation, Asuka demanded to be the first to take a bath once the water was ready, and as soon that was done, the redhead disappeared into her room without so much as a thank you. Shinji could not fathom such an attitude, especially from someone Misato had spoken so fondly of days ago. Frankly, he was too dumbfounded to be angry.
"Be patient with her, she's probably very jet lagged," Misato drank from her beer and turned to Shinji. "Hmm, travelling through time zones make your body very confused about what time it is," she clarified, as it seemed like he didn't know the term.
Shinji nodded. "I just wasn't expecting any of this. I mean, I know everyone's different, but..." He looked down pensively and clenched and unclenched his hand before turning back to his guardian. "And when will she stop calling me 'stupid'?" He asked.
"Eh, don't hold your breath. That's just how she is," Misato replied before finishing her drink and standing up. "Well, it's my turn now, I won't be long," she said before walking into the bathroom.
The weekend was really something. There were few things that Shinji could do that would not provoke the redhead's displeasure in some way or another, and apologizing about only seemed to anger the girl even more. But without Kensuke and Toji's intervention and a stocked fridge, there really was no convenient reason for Shinji to leave the house. If being cured of jet lag was supposed to help with her demeanor, Shinji couldn't see it, unless switching from 'stupid' to 'idiot' and 'moron' counted for something.
"The name's Asuka Langley Soryu!" Asuka clapped the chalk off her hand and did a power stance in front of the classroom with a grin as bright as the sun.
"Let's make sure Ms. Soryu feels right at home, okay guys?" Hikari said and waved to the side of the classroom, "Take any seat you like."
Asuka did a small curtsy and walked to the empty desks. She eyed her classmates as she strode toward her choice, one she convinced herself was made at random. As expected, most girls saw her with unhindered jealousy, and all the boys gave her sleazy looks. All except the Third Child, who was apparently too busy slouched over his desk taking a nap to pay attention to her.
She noisily stretched and perked up her butt as she sat down, flipping her hair behind her back so that it would fan over the back of her seat and drape over Shinji's arms. The sound of him waking up and barely covering a sneeze in time made her smirk.
After an excruciating few, yet eternal periods, the bell announced the momentary freedom of lunch time. Thinking that maybe Shinji could show her around school and be useful for once, Asuka turned and opened her mouth, but no sound came. Instead, her eyes widened as she saw him walking, lunch box in hand, towards the unmistakable form of Rei Ayanami.
"What the hell?" She whispered to herself and held on to the back of her chair for balance. After watching their interaction for a few seconds, she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned.
"Would you like to join me for lunch, Soryu?"
"Ah, sure... Hikari, was it?" She asked.
The girl stepped back bashfully. "Y-Yes, Horaki. You guys use first names, even with strangers, right?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, we're the same age anyways. You can call me Asuka."
Perhaps thinking that using her surname would lead to a refusal, Hikari steeled herself and closed her fists. "Thank you, Asuka. Er, let's go to the cafeteria, I'll show you the best stuff." She smiled politely.
Asuka walked behind Hikari to the door, but before she crossed the threshold, she looked over her shoulder at the corner of the classroom once more. Shinji was now staring at her, and her glare made him look like a scolded puppy. She stuck her tongue out at him and walked outside and down the hall.
'I can't believe I didn't notice her', Asuka thought. She, as a dutiful pilot and NERV employee, had researched the Japan branch before arriving, at least as much as her clearance would allow it. She'd seen the unmistakable blue hair and red eyes of the First Child in file photos, but to see her sit as quiet and still as in them unnerved her. Come to think of it, The Third Child was weak and far too polite in that obnoxious Japanese manner. How could they defend humanity with such an attitude?
"Asuka, hey!" She blinked and saw Hikari to her left. She'd made a turn on the passageway that led to the cafeteria, while Asuka had almost walked into a dead end surrounded by lockers. She pursed her lips and caught up to the class representative.
After a very unremarkable ham sandwich, Asuka slurped the last of her apple juice through the plastic straw. Hikari went off on some family anecdote about her sisters, but Asuka would be in trouble if she was asked what even her names were.
"And only then did the gum finally come off," she said in between chuckles. "It was a relief, but you should've seen Nozomi's face through the whole ordeal, she–" Hikari stopped and turned to her left. She tapped Asuka on the shoulder and they both stared at a very nervous looking Shinji.
"Hey, Asuka, how are you doing?"
"I'm fine, of course. What do you want?"
"Ayanami told me our sync test was moved to 6 p.m."
"Oh, Really now! Can't NERV call us directly? Why is she ordering us around?" She asked while craning her neck to peek behind Shinji, looking for a blue mop of hair.
"N-No, they wanted her to tell us. She went to NERV before school, and I guess it was just more convenient to... Asuka?" She stood up and threw the carton on the nearest trash can before stomping towards her objective.
"I guess I'll wait for her back in the classroom. Thanks for the message, Ikari." Hikari patted her uniform's skirt straight and waited for an answer. When she got none, she shrugged and walked back to the building.
"Yeah," Shinji barely spoke while still staring at Asuka's receding back. He might've just made a terrible mistake.