Shinji's abs were on fire, and he welcomed the distraction. He'd woken up with the sunrise and decided to leave the apartment even before Misato had performed her early morning traipse into the bathroom. The past few days had been a confusing mess for his self-esteem and there was no one he could comfortably talk to about it. But he found that the early exercise provided a sense of relief, a productive focus to his festering negative energy, so he forced himself to come every day without fail. Letting go of the tension and laying on his back, he gasped for chunks of air as he stared at the pale sky.
"Look at him go!" He heard in the distance, the sound of steps on gravel quickly reached him before he saw a hand on his periphery.
"Hey guys." Shinji took the proffered hand and propped himself up. Toji stepped back to stand beside Kensuke and lean forward to reach his toes. As he did, he chuckled with a strained voice. "Gotta hand it to you, Shinji, when you asked me to give you a few days to get used to this, I didn't expect you to deliver."
"Yeah, Ikari, you traitor!" Kensuke accused while rolling his head slowly. "I thought you were one of us nerds, but you're a hidden jock just like Toji—it's in your genes."
"What the hell are you talking about? He's putting in the work right now!" Toji protested.
"Yeah but, have you seen his dad? He's like two meters tall! He's gonna get ripped in no time." Kensuke glanced at Shinji but the latter looked away, hiding a grimace caused by the comparison.
Toji slapped his shoulder. "Nothing but excuses with you, you dweeb. Come on, let's start with a walk."
They immersed themselves in their full hour of exercise, and Shinji realized he might've bitten more than he could chew by starting so much earlier in the day. Fortunately, being Saturday meant no extra exercise during P.E. class, and it also meant an early end to today's classes so that he could continue cowardly avoiding Misato's apartment.
The half-day went by surprisingly quickly. A busy Asuka (something about Hikari never having used make-up before) and an absent Ayanami allowed him to simply pay attention to class—who would've thought that staying home and studying for a good chunk of the week would actually help him catch up to the material? During recess, the trio walked around campus as they discussed Kensuke's latest obsession with speedrunning an old console game from before Second Impact, and how new glitches and strategies were still being developed to this day. Never really being into video games, Shinji's confusion during the discussion was only mitigated by the sheer energy of Kensuke's enthusiasm. Toji eventually put an end to the conversation with some joke about the disease of speedrunning and the miracle cure of 'getting laid'.
With nothing better to do, they agreed to visit Kensuke's house after class, and as they did, Shinji was impressed by how normal the Tokyo-3 suburbs could look compared to the tall spires from the view outside of Misato's apartment. If only the 'Black Mountain'—as the neighbors had taken to calling it—wasn't there, one would have a hard time believing the world was at war.
The Aida residence was bare yet spacious, a modern three-bedroom, two-floor building with an honest-to-God backyard with a tree in it. Being a senior engineer in the most advanced city in the world had its perks. But there were no expensive furnishings, and one of the rooms had been repurposed into an electrical equipment storage of sorts. The kids went straight upstairs into Kensuke's room and spent the first couple of hours chatting, playing video games, card games, and listening to music. It was then that Toji told them that his sister's latest operation was scheduled later today. He stopped their concerned replies and clarified that visiting Kensuke had been a good distraction, but that he'd spend the rest of the afternoon with her, family visits only. They accompanied him to the entrance door and promised to join him in his visits sometime next week, to which he responded with a bittersweet smile and a thumbs up, and left.
Kensuke noticed Shinji's worried stare as Toji walked down the street. He assumed his friend was still beating himself over little Sakura's condition. He cleared his throat and said, "Hey, Shinji, wanna go for some snacks? There's a store a few blocks from here."
Shinji blinked, returning to reality. "Sure."
They put their shoes on and left the house, walking in the opposite direction from Toji at a somewhat leisurely pace. As they did, Kensuke lifted his arms and intertwined his fingers behind his head.
"You know, you never did tell me about Ayanami and Asuka."
Shinji tensed and looked at the sky. For a moment, he considered pretending that the song of the cicadas was too loud for him to have caught that, but quickly realized the ridiculousness of it. "Yeah... Do I have to?"
"No, you don't have to. But you helped me with Toji the other day, so I want to return the favor. It's what friends do, you know?"
Shinji worked his mouth for a moment, seemingly searching for the right words. "I guess I could use some advice," he murmured, then stopped to face him. "But you can't tell anyone, alright?"
Kensuke drew his fingers across his lips in a zipping motion before returning his hand to behind his head, then started walking again. Shinji joined him.
"Ah, this is so embarrassing, but I'm not sure what to do. Asuka and Ayanami, they..." He stopped and couldn't resist looking around to confirm the street was deserted.
Kensuke nodded in anticipation. "Yeah?"
"They... I think they're kinda... friendly with me now?"
"Huh."
"Yeah, things are fine. I-I don't want to get into too much detail, but it feels like things might actually be improving between us all," he said with a tenuous smile.
"Sounds like a good thing, no?"
Shinji gave him a reluctant nod. "There's also Misato. Some of her habits still bother me, you know all about that, but she can be really good and caring and responsible when she puts her mind to it." He broke out of his serious face and raised his hands nervously in front of him. "Ah, don't get me wrong! I know I'm also a mess, and that can often make things awkward whenever I speak to... well, anyone, so there's also that."
Kensuke waited for a few seconds, making sure Shinji wasn't going to add anything else. "Okay? I don't get what the problem is here."
"The 'problem' is that I feel terrible about it.'"
"About what?"
"About everything." He faced forward and put his hands in his pockets. "Whenever things get better I'm constantly thinking it's only a matter of time before everything sucks again. Whenever I feel... like Asuka doesn't hate me, I fear I'll open my big mouth and ruin everything. Whenever an angel comes and destroys everything it feels like all my momentum is lost. And then there's the phantom pain, it just—Ah, that's probably classified, sorry."
Kensuke booed good-naturedly, then chuckled. He'd research all about it later.
"I'm just scared of getting my hopes up, but I don't feel comfortable saying it because, I mean, I'm complaining about things being good? That sounds like I'm bragging. And if I complain when things are good and I also obviously complain when things are bad, what kind of jerk am I then?"
Kensuke nodded, then hummed in thought. He walked ahead and glanced back at Shinji, who noticed that they'd reached the convenience store's parking lot. An unspoken agreement made them pause their conversation while they entered the store and purchased an assortment of soda, candy and bags of chips, as well as one can of cold coffee for Shinji. The chime that played as they exited the building and the empty street were taken as a sign that it was safe to talk again.
"Well, I don't know if I can be of much help; I don't pilot giant robots or hang around cute chicks like you do, but I think I can relate to some extent. I like to play some fighting games and I'm at that awkward skill level where the other kids from school can't beat me, but people online destroy me. So when I ask Hasegawa and Takahashi from 3-C to play seriously with me, I usually complain when my combo inputs aren't the cleanest, even when I end up winning. So, they think I'm bragging and that pisses them off royally—one time they even kicked my ass over it." Kensuke turned to Shinji as they walked to gauge his reaction. As expected, he looked mortified. He made a shooing gesture with his hand as to dissipate his worry, then pulled the tab on his can and drank from it before continuing. "But that's not the point, beating them once doesn't mean I've 'won' at the game, improving my technique does. So what I'm saying is, I know how the looks-like-you're-bragging part feels. What's important, I think, is to not just stay at that complaining phase, but to do stuff and improve so you have no reason to anymore. Does that make sense?"
Shinji flexed his free hand open and closed. "I... guess. Does that mean I should improve with the Eva?"
"If you did, would that stop the nasty feeling you mentioned?"
"I don't know. I just wish I could feel like I've earned the good things that have happened."
"Pfft, Shinji! We've told you so many times about the people you save in this city. What will it take to get it through that thick skull of yours?"
"I don't know, Kensuke," he said earnestly. "But I'm glad I could at least talk to someone about it."
"Anytime. And if you figure it out, let me know. Toji's worried too, you know?"
"Toji? Why?"
Kensuke shrugged. "You mope around—we notice. We saw you out of it in the morning and the other day, but Toji says he can't help you, he says talking about your feelings is 'for women'. I don't have a problem with that kinda stuff the way he does, so I offered to check on you. I also care, of course."
Shinji shook his head and smiled. "Thanks, Ken."
The engine of the blue Alpine came to life in perfect harmony, its repairs worth every penny to the unadmitted gearhead. Finally being back from the GeoFront and driving on the surface kept Misato awake, she was still feeling the aftermath of unfortunate dreams and the alcohol required to drown them out of her memory, but also of the alcohol she enjoyed to drink regardless. Her trusty sunglasses helped with the hangover part of the equation.
The late afternoon painted the skyscrapers a deep shade of orange, and the sparse traffic gave her ample room for maneuvering. A schoolgirl walking near the train station drew her attention, what with the white shoes and short, blue hair. Misato honked twice and slowed near the curb, rolling her window down. Rei approached.
"Hey cutie pie, need a ride home?" She leaned and winked over her glasses. She was almost sure this wouldn't fluster the stoic girl, but a woman could dream.
Rei turned to her, unfazed. After a few seconds of silence, she walked to the passenger's side and got in the car.
"Alright, then. Put on your seat—ah, good. Sorry, force of habit. You know how Asuka is," she commented, but got no reply. She accelerated as only she knew how and returned her eyes to the road.
"So, West block C0, 402, right?"
"Yes."
'Cat didn't get her tongue. Alright, just checking.'
"Captain Katsuragi—"
"It's Misato out here, Rei," she glanced at the girl expecting at least a nod, but got nothing.
"You've helped with Pilot Soryu. She's disagreeable, but your words improved her demeanor. You are proficient in socializing."
"Hmm, you could say that. Why do you mention it?"
"This vehicle is not under surveillance."
Misato was not sure if that was meant to be a question. Was this related to Kaji's deal with the Commander? What did Rei know? Her grip on the wheel tightened and she shifted her feet, the upcoming curve into the main freeway was very tight at this speed.
"Not as far as I know, Rei, unless you know otherwise?"
Rei inhaled and exhaled slowly. "I'm interested in Ikari—" The screech of tires drowned her voice as Misato struggled to regain control of the vehicle. They were up on the freeway already and a delivery truck coming from behind them passed by dangerously close to Misato's door. She swiftly put her head through the window and yelled an obscenity or two before returning to her seat and regaining her composure. She shook her head when she realized that not even all that had disturbed the strange girl—they piloted giants for a living, after all.
Combing her hair with her free hand, she continued as nonchalantly as she could manage: "So you were saying... You're interested in Shinji?"
"I am. I've expressed my interest, yet he remains unaware."
"You have? How?"
"We've... hugged."
Misato glanced at Rei with raised eyebrows. She was skeptical that she could be this innocent at her age. It was so cute it was stepping into obnoxious territory, but more importantly, she'd mentioned the lack of surveillance before spilling the beans. 'She doesn't want the Commander to know. My, my, not so obedient after all.' Then, she realized something, and she lowered her sunglasses as she side-eyed her.
"Rei, did you know I was going to drive down that road? Did you plan for this?"
The girl kept quiet.
"I'm gonna take your silence as a yes."
When no response came, she turned forward, sighed, and adjusted the sunglasses back into position.
"Listen, most men are idiots when it comes to this stuff, you can parade yourself in front of them all day long and they won't take a hint. I'd normally tell a girl your age to follow her feelings or whatever, but you and Shinji are different. He's really not the assertive type and, correct me if I'm wrong, but you might find all the seduction mind-games confusing and tedious, so... why not just tell him?"
"Just tell him?"
"Just tell him."
"I don't understand."
"Do you like him?"
"'Like' is complicated."
"You mean as in to describe your feelings, or its multiple meanings in general?"
"Both."
"True." Misato nodded. "Okay, let's start smaller. Do you trust him? Please think about it before replying."
"Yes. I've considered this before."
"Alright, nice. Does he know that?" Misato glanced at Rei and the latter shook her head. "There you go. You can start slow and steady, work your way up to it."
"Up to what?"
"That's up to you. You wanna kiss him?"
The girl looked down at the glove box and for the first time in memory, Misato saw her furrow her brows. She did not answer.
"You told me the other day that you didn't know if you were jealous, remember? You're kids, it's a good time as any to figure this stuff out, and if things don't work out, at least now you'll know. Better than losing sleep over something that can't be," Misato explained, and to Rei it seemed the latest gear shift was engaged rather aggressively. "But you gotta be careful: Asuka will probably not take this sitting down. In fact, she might be trying to race you to it. And then there's obviously the Commander."
"Will you tell him?" Rei almost interrupted her. The mention of the Second bothered her but this was far more important.
'Gotcha,' Misato thought. "No, Rei. I can see this is important for you." She straightened the fold of the girl's collar with care. "We haven't had the closest of relationships, you and I, but as your superior officer and your friend, you can trust me, do you understand?"
Rei looked at Misato's hand and then at her, and nodded.
They arrived at the apartment complex and Misato took notice of the absolutely dreadful state of the building and its surroundings. Assuming there would be at least one Section 2 patrol inside, she abstained from visiting the apartment itself—she couldn't make it too obvious. After Rei got out of the car and closed the door, Misato called for her.
"One more thing. My apartment is not under surveillance, you know?" She winked and drove away.
Shinji felt pleasantly engaged as he chopped the zucchini and carrot into flat sticks. Cooking, much like exercise, had been an unexpected reprieve, especially since it produced something tangible and he saw it as yet another way to earn his keep, though a little 'thank you' for his efforts would be nice.
Asuka appeared in the threshold, arms crossed. "Idiot-Shinji, What are you making?"
"Some vegetable and tofu bento for tomorrow," he replied while keeping his eyes on the knife.
"If you're gonna make me eat rice yet again, the least you could do is put some meat in it!"
"But there's tofu in it already!" His shoulders sagged and he stopped chopping so he could give her a look.
"I said meat! If it didn't moo or oink or quack at some point, I don't want it!"
"Asuka, please!" He actually sounded annoyed.
"What was that?" She approached menacingly through the kitchen threshold. She picked up the cardboard box of sesame seeds and inspected it. "Why are you cooking with tofu, anyway? Misato always drowns it with that gross curry she likes."
Shinji had inhaled sharply at her question, then turned away and hurriedly began chopping again. He was like an open book. She roughly placed the box back on the kitchen counter.
"This is for the First, isn't it?" She hissed.
"I-It's for everyone," he tried.
"Well I'm not eating that crap, so don't bother!" She put a hand on her hip and smirked caustically. "I'm sure she'll love it though, it'll taste as bland as her." She flicked her hair over her shoulder, then turned and left.
'As if I wasn't doing her a favor,' He thought, but then relented. His mood had been slowly improving, and he didn't want it ruined by one of her comments. As long as she didn't find a way to ruin this for him he'd be able to manage.
The white clouds drifted; scattered, broken. At times Rei thought it reminded her of an ancient memory, or a dream. But hers were much different, and she always suspected others did not dream the way she did, feeling like her mind would break if she didn't wake from them. Like her childhood memories, her dreams were seldom more than fragments of sensations in an incoherent order, sometimes dropping her in an ocean of red, and other times in the middle of a field of golden threads that came and went as far as the eye could see. Sometimes, a seven-eyed mask filled her vision and stared at her for what felt like days. Her favorite dream, if one could call it that, was one where there was nothing but deep, silent darkness. Such an occasion prevented her from perceiving even her own heartbeat. It often brought her a form of somber acceptance and relief, until her circadian rhythm inevitably plucked her out of the void and back into her pallid bone and flesh.
The Third Child's greeting now returned her to the present. "Ayanami. Ah, morning," he said with a tepid smile. He cradled a lunchbox in front of him.
"Ikari." She nodded. "Is that for me?"
"Yep, fried tofu, rice, and some veggies."
She reached for the box and took it, letting it rest on her desk and staring at it. The confusing thoughts she was still getting acquainted with had returned and they presently kept her from looking up back at him.
"Well, uh... enjoy!" He said after a few seconds, then turned and walked to his desk.
Rei wondered if she should thank him for the meal. People uttered words of gratitude so often, she observed, that they would become almost meaningless, a vague indicator that the other person acknowledged their actions, but nothing more. So was the case with greetings and farewells, and yet something compelled Rei to believe that when Ikari wished her a 'good morning', he actually meant it. He had admonished her when she said "goodbye" before the fight against the fifth angel, something she'd now successfully internalized as unacceptable.
She tightened her grip on the container and considered voicing her gratitude when she saw Ikari produce another lunchbox out of his backpack. Following his new target, she saw the Second, Class Representative Horaki, and Ikeda, a girl with big glasses, talking about the parent-teacher career discussion interviews that would happen throughout the week. Eavesdropping on the Second Child was unavoidable when she was always so loud in the small classroom.
"Asuka," he called out to her as he approached.
"What do you want?" She put an arm over the back of her chair and stared up at him. "I told you I'm not eating that crap."
"I know, I... replaced the tofu with diced pork," Ikari said, and the Second grinned.
"See? Knocked some sense into him." She turned to Horaki and received a shake of the head in return. "Aren't you gonna thank him at least?" Horaki asked with concern in her voice.
"It's okay, Class rep. I knew Asuka didn't like tofu when I made it, it was my bad."
"Are you sure, Shinji?"
"You heard him, Hikari." She accepted the box, then turned back to him. "What would you do without me keeping you on the straight path, Third?"
The container's lid was red, just like the Second's A10 connectors, just like her own eyes and blood, and just like the sea of her nightmares.
Rei's eyes narrowed.
"'Gendo Ikari, Head of Bioinformatics'." Kaji squinted at the name plate on the desk. The red emergency lights made the task more difficult. "So even you used to get your hands dirty at some point."
"Was this your doing?" Gendo asked behind his old desk. It was a surprise for Kaji that he could be this direct about it, but perhaps the low lighting and lack of security had put him on edge.
"It wasn't me. Now, full disclosure: I probably would've, before you told me what we're guarding down there," Kaji said, but regretted using the word 'we'.
"The Angel of the Rain is changing form as we speak, and the old men will make sure that the texts are proven right."
"Even if they have to put their thumb on the scale," Kaji added.
Gendo nodded. "We can do the same: this blackout leaves both parties blind."
"You mean we're flying right now?"
"Not until they request it, but everything must be prepared, our window of opportunity is small."
Kaji crossed his legs in his seat. The dark wooden chair felt out of place in the otherwise spartan, brutalist office. "The fleet had its schedule changed, yes, but who will be going?"
"Unit-02, along with it's pilot."
"You can't expect me not to object to this, Asuka's safety—"
"Is irrelevant."
Kaji bit his tongue. He couldn't show that he cared this much, but this bastard was just too good at pushing people's buttons.
"There is no safer place than inside an Evangelion," Gendo added, and Kaji was surprised once more. It was the closest thing to reassurance he was probably ever going to get from him.
"They will suspect if I'm involved again."
"You won't. You will fly to America as planned."
"Then, why are you briefing me on this?"
"There's someone in Nevada that needs to be fully informed." Gendo stood up, picked up a legal size envelope from the desk and handed it to him. "I must return to the Command Center, the Eva units need to be activated mechanically. I'm sure you know the other way out."
The Angel of Rain, as Doctor Akagi had called it, was surprisingly easy to deal with. For the first time since he'd been recruited to pilot Unit-01, Shinji's confidence had actually increased after a battle, thanks in big part to a resourceful Asuka that treated them like a real team instead of an obstacle for her glory-hounding.
They'd gone up an Eva-sized shaft much like when they had to infiltrate NERV as the power had gone out through the entire city, and they organized into defense, offense, and support positions, with Asuka going out of her way to serve as cover in an effort to repay Shinji for saving her in the volcano. The whole endeavor left him in such a good mood that when she suggested they sneak out to the nearby hills to watch the city in darkness, he'd actually been on her side in convincing Ayanami to join them on their little escapade. Who knows how long it'd take for power to return to the city and for the recovery team to organize and call for them to help retrieve the Evas—At least that's how he rationalized it.
And now they stargazed with the silhouetted Tokyo-3 skyline as a backdrop. Shinji's eyes wandered from the demolished remains of the fifth angel ('yeah, still there'), to where he assumed Misato's apartment was located from this angle, to the reinforced structures built directly above NERV HQ. The Commander had joined everyone else in the manual activation of the Evas before the battle, and this stood in sharp contrast in Shinji's mind with the cold indifference with which he refused his invitation to attend the parent-teacher career meeting. Shinji had found there was something that made his father tick; he was completely dedicated to his mission of defending the planet from the angels, and the boy couldn't help but reluctantly feel some respect for the otherwise estranged man. It gave him hope.
He looked longingly at the night sky and commented, "It's ironic that the stars are so beautiful when there's no electricity or artificial lights." He leaned on his back and rested his head on his hands.
"But without the lights, it doesn't feel like anyone lives there," Asuka replied moodily, and as if on cue, power came back in turn to each sector of the great fortress city, a sea of lights rivaling the starry sky above. "See? It's much more comfortable this way."
"Man has always feared the darkness, carving away at it with fire," Ayanami murmured, drawing their attention.
"How philosophical!" Asuka said, and her easy tone had none of the sarcasm that she usually directed at the her fellow pilot.
'To fear the darkness... Is that why it's painful to be alone?' Shinji thought. He sat up, raising his knees and intertwining his fingers in front of his shins. He tensed. Being momentarily isolated from the rest of the world provided a unique opportunity, and the future made no promises in regards to his mood. With the city coming back online, the distractions of day-to-day life might get in the way of the unexplored territory currently being ventured in his mind. Remembering Misato's words, a peculiar change occurred within him, visible only to those who saw beyond the material.
"Ikari," Rei whispered expectantly.
"Ayanami, Asuka, there's something I must tell you," he said and turned to look at them both, struggling but persevering in maintaining eye contact.
"Hmm? What is it?" Asuka asked.
"I think there's much I don't understand, about Father, Misato, about you two or myself. Coming to this city has been really scary, and there's so much pain..." He lowered one hand to the ground and watched it as it ripped off a fistful of grass. In the lingering silence, Asuka began to lose patience, but a soft tap to the shoulder made her turn to Rei, who had such a serious look on her face that it prevented her from interrupting.
Shinji's eyes hardened, and he opened his hand and let the blades of grass scatter in the coming wind. "But there's also been good times, even I can see it. Fighting is very hard for me, but I know it's not your responsibility to fix that. It's mine." He looked back at them with a gentle look. "I think I've finally found something I want. I want to do my part in fighting the angels, even if it hurts. I want us to be a real team, and to know we have each other's back."
His breathing was strained, and he remembered being in front of Ayanami's apartment performing his dumb apology. Would this confession of sorts be taken the same way? Had he just blurted out something inane and ridiculous?
"Of course!" Asuka pumped a fist in the air and grinned. "We'll kick their ass, Third!"
Shinji smiled and glanced at Rei, who closed her eyes and nodded while giving him one of her uncommon, genuine smiles. He was so excited he couldn't help but chuckle, scratching his neck in embarrassment. "Now that the power's back, we should probably return before we get in trouble."
Asuka yawned. "Yeah, I could use a relaxing bath right now."
Rei got up and stretched. "I know the way back," she said as she began walking downhill.
"Hey, First, wait a second! I'm the team leader, remember?!" Asuka hastily got up and ran dramatically toward her. Shinji laughed quietly.
A mere two days later, Gendo Ikari found himself in the belly of the beast.
"Ikari, we come to you with a mission of utmost importance," SEELE 01 said.
"An angel has been sighted far, far away from any of NERV's branches," SEELE 03 added.
"Away from Tokyo-3? This is unprecedented," Gendo said, and the thrill of knowing almost overcame him, but his face was like a stone, as usual.
"It is not your place to question scripture," SEELE 03 snapped back.
"Nothing that can't be dealt with," SEELE 01 interjected, Keel's tone was particularly vicious. "You will send a unit to The Great Pyramid in Egypt as soon as possible, the might of the beast increases as we speak."
"Unit-02 can be deployed within the hour," Gendo declared.
None dare speak, until Keel asked, "Is that so? That is rather convenient, don't you think?"
"We're prepared for any contingency."
A pause developed, and Gendo knew this was the most crucial moment in the conversation.
"See that it is done, we cannot risk the angel roaming the Earth and causing untold damage in its wake."
'No mention of the blackout, so that's how you're going to play it,' Gendo thought.
"There is also the matter of the eighth angel," SEELE 04 chimed in.
"Indeed. You've toyed with it for far too long. Send it to us at once," Keel ordered.
"Understood."
The monoliths returned to the darkness.
"They want to tighten our leash," Gendo muttered.
"At least we've managed to delay direct confrontation yet again." Fuyutsuki appeared to his side.
"That is fortunate, but it won't last."
"Fortunate? You don't usually deal in chances."
"I'm merely being realistic. Tell Akagi to begin preparations and contact the Egyptian government. Take off must take place at 630 hours."
Fuyutsuki bowed and left.
As for Gendo, there were plans to redraft and meetings to schedule. The balance of power was finally starting to shift.
Asuka woke up and immediately felt something sticky on her palate. She quickly felt it on her tongue and nostrils too and coughed, but the bubble-less current of translucent orange liquid being expelled reminded her where she was. She remembered her briefing: This was an emergency mission to destroy the tenth angel, and the single Starlight-class aircraft this side of the Pacific meant only one unit would be able to go, so she was delighted to hear she'd been chosen for the task.
She stretched in her seat but decided against roaming inside the dim entry plug, who knew if that horrible turbulence would come back? No, it was time to focus. She would put all of her training from after that embarrassing dip in sync rate after the eight angel to the test, and everyone would learn not to underestimate the great Asuka Langley Soryu ever again!
Raising a hand through her curtain of waving hair, she felt the improved A10 connectors that Akagi had promised, and her fingers brushed against the three thin lanes of green where the single black one used to be in her previous ones, but otherwise, they looked pretty much the same. A quick systems check assuaged her nerves and reminded her of the recently installed hardware that she'd finally be able to use, now that she had the power to spare.
The only thing left was the final call, which happened a mere twenty minutes later.
"Hello Asuka, how are you feeling?" A portrait labeled 'CAPT. KATSURAGI - SOUND ONLY' with a default silhouette appeared in her holographic display.
"I'm hungry and my back hurts, but otherwise I'm ready to go."
"Remember to lock-on to the extra battery air drops for later."
"I know, I know. Am I there yet?"
"Twenty seconds. I need you to focus Asuka, we won't be able to pull you out of there if it gets tough. If you're nervous right now, please remember to breathe."
"I'm well aware, Misato. Don't make it worse."
"Just checking. Alright five, four, three two... Begin synchronization!"
The entry plug around her came to life, and the LCL energized into nothingness. A rainbow of colors and haphazard patterns swirled around her view until the rich teal of the Mediterranean Sea bled into the deep blues of the Red Sea, only to be blanketed by marshes of yellow and orange and green. In the distance, the flooded ruins of Cairo allowed only the tallest buildings to peek above the surface and reflect the sunrays back to her. And there she finally saw it, towering almost as tall as the Great Pyramid: An alabaster creature with multiple appendages that rose as the surrounding sands seemed to creep towards them. It was like a white latex glove with seven fingers whipping around and causing constant landslides and waves around it.
"Engaging cargo lock mechanism, prepare for freefall," she heard the aircraft pilot announce in the open channel, and she felt through the Eva's senses something akin to falling from a stretcher, but the sharp gales of wind hitting her torso and legs made her quickly forget the sensation.
"Misato, is Shinji there?" She asked in a faint voice, the feeling of freefall was completely exhilarating.
"Yes Asuka, why?" Misato asked, concerned.
A Cheshire grin appeared on her face. "Tell him to watch and learn."