Chapter 7: First Steps

However, even with all I'd done to prepare the Children I could reach at that point, it seemed like so little compared to the horrors they'd face. That was before my first discovery. It shook me to my core. The Children may have had the end of the world they lived on to face, but they had support. An entire organization at their backs. As far as I was aware then, the only thing standing between this world and what else had wandered in from beyond… was me. That was it.

- Where I've Been, 19th Entry

NERV Campus, Stahlturm, January 5th, 2015

Today was an exciting day indeed. One that everyone involved had been looking forward to for quite some time.

Daniel, his working overalls soaked in sweat and smeared in more than a few different oils and what was claimed to be internal LCL (that just so happened to look and smell like blood), stepped back onto the gantry and looked up at Unit-02, standing proudly in its restraints and now fully having adopted its red, orange, and white color scheme.

Some questioned why, exactly, they were painting what was ostensibly a combat unit (with equally giant weaponry) in such garish colors. The rationale, as Daniel explained it, was that this thing would be too damn big anywhere to paint in some sort of camouflage. Besides, the bold, brash look would be almost superheroic, inspiring those who saw it.

It was a rationale that most accepted, even if they grumbled that a black or an unpainted metallic look would look better in their eyes.

Daniel accepted a tablet from one of the workers, checking it intently as he boarded an elevator heading up and away from the hip armor he had been working on. They needed to make sure everything was in top condition today. Because now, Evangelion Production Unit-02 wouldn't just be walking or fighting in a simulation anymore. This time, it would be freed from its metal egg and stride into the real world for the first time.

As Daniel reached the top, he looked across the way and saw Asuka waiting to get into the Entry Plug that was being lowered into place. She looked around the room, and noticed him, her eyes alight with excitement and a wide smile across her face as she waved at him. "My Unit-02's working properly, right?" she shouted across the way.

Daniel waved back with a smile of his own. "I've spent the last 4 hours making sure of it personally, Füerwerchen! I'll catch you after the test."

As Asuka entered the Entry Plug, Daniel turned and made his way into a three-tiered control room that buzzed with activity, the technicians like ants on the staircase of a giant. He mused on the moniker that Asuka had decided upon when she'd caught on to the fact that it was Daniel who'd called her a firecracker. It was cute. Almost overtly so. And there was little she wouldn't say with no small amount of fire if someone other than, say, Daniel and Misato called her that.

He bounced, as he so often did, between his people's stations, checking on the final preparations before he made his way over to the main console, an envelope from Levinson in hand. Misato stood at it, watching the feeds, the door, and Daniel with sharp eyes.

"Everyone doing alright, Daniel?" Misato asked. "I see you were checking in on the cage."

"Shipshape in Bristol fashion, love," Daniel replied with an accent only slightly affected and an equally slight grin. "Unit-02 is ready to go, and that's before you take Asuka into account." he paused as he looked down at his coveralls. "I just wish that I could change into my uniform before the test started, is all."

Misato chuckled softly as Daniel considered the screens of the main console, thousands, millions of streams of data that were all processed by the MAGI computer system here beneath the main campus collated, refined, and simplified for a human to have a chance to comprehend.

"You get your patch yet?" she asked, patting one of her pockets and taking out said patch.

Daniel admired the gift Levinson's husband had made for them all. It was a hexagonal patch, a brilliant red and orange with a striking depiction of Unit-02's face surrounded by flames. In black lettering in English, German, and Japanese, the words 'Unit-02', '5th January, 2015', 'Asuka Soryu-Langley', and 'Little Red Devil', a moniker for both Evangelion and pilot, were printed boldly.

"It's a real work of art," Daniel said, taking out a patch that Levinson had just given him. "I'll have to tell Levinson to pass on my regards. after the test."

"That you are, Daniel. I hope there's one left over."

Both Daniel and Misato turned and came to attention before Commander Löwenherz, who smiled slightly as he chuckled. "At ease. How's our pilot, Katsuragi?"

"It's a miracle she isn't denting the Entry Plug from bouncing around," Misato said as they all looked up at the internal monitor of the Plug. "She's ready to show how much her training has paid off."

"I'm sure she'll exceed expectations," Karl said before looking over at Daniel. "And Unit-02?"

Daniel gestured him over to the console. "Power draw and distribution is nominal, life support systems are functional, there aren't any structural weaknesses in any inorganic components, and the AT Field is holding steady in its ready state. The Evangelion is ready to go, sir."

Karl nodded. "Excellent. I hope you'll allow me an indulgence before we launch."

"It's yours to take, sir," Misato replied, stepping aside slightly as Karl stepped forward, clearing his throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, pausing for a moment to ensure that he would be heard as all eyes turned to him. "As I'm sure you can tell by the designation, we aren't the first Evangelion in the world. What we've created is… a wonder and a terror all at once. There are things that standing here remind me of that keep me up at night, I must admit. But this is greater than any nuclear weapon. It is the greatest defense in any arsenal of our age. Purpose-built to keep the world safe. With the hard work you and your teams have put in, we have made sure to build this Evangelion to the most exacting standards humanity possibly can. And now, we stand at the precipice of proving if our work will withstand the conditions it may very well deploy in."

Karl paused for a moment. "So, let's make sure we can keep the world safe."

A momentary round of applause gave way to redoubled efforts as the last of the LCL drained from the cage that was already falling away from Unit-02. The trio at the main console watched with bated breath as the shackles fell away from their man-made titan, the platform it was secured to slowly backing up and rotating to face the doors that would let this new creature out into the rest of the world.

The massive doors in the Stahlturm wall opened, and on a rainy, somewhat misty day, Unit-02 felt the breeze of a half-dead world across its armor for the first time.

Misato keyed the comms for the Entry Plug, smiling slightly. "Are you ready to begin, Asuka?"

. . .

Asuka sat quietly in the Entry Plug, her eyes closed as she took deep breaths.

Something about this felt… right. She couldn't put a finger on it, couldn't explain fully why she felt exactly at home here in the Entry Plug of Unit-02 proper. It thrummed with power like the Test Plugs did, the smell of LCL that filled her lungs and nostrils was the same she'd gotten used to. Even if Daniel asked her in private and she knew she could bare her feelings without reproach, she wasn't sure she could manage it.

Of course, there was the excitement and satisfaction of finally, finally, getting to actually pilot the Evangelion she'd spent so much of her life training to ride into battle. But beneath it… there was a warmth. A security, like she had only begun to feel recently with Daniel. Something almost like… love…

"Are you ready to begin, Asuka?"

Asuka opened her eyes, focusing on Misato's voice. "We both know I am," she said confidently. "Is everyone else ready?"

"Ready to go, Asuka," Daniel replied as Asuka felt the clunk of the umbilical cable being attached to the port on her back, slightly adjusting her weight to compensate. "All I'd recommend is… take it a little slow. Hate to have you fall on your face now."

Asuka rolled her eyes but nodded regardless as the last of the restraints around Unit-02 fell free. "Alright. Let's take a nice stroll around the neighborhood, then."

She took a deep breath, focused… and stepped forward.

The boom of 80 meters and several thousand tons of weight hitting the ground before her platform sent a shiver through Asuka's spine, a tingling thrill that only slightly wore off as she took another step. Then another. Soon, she settled into a rather leisurely pace going towards the bay of the inland sea.

She stepped into the water feeling the prickle of the cold through her armor. Unit-02's armor.

'Verdammt, that's still going to take some getting used to,' Asuka groused silently as she continued to the test site.

"Well, Misato, I guess you don't have to worry about missing anymore," she heard Daniel say rather offhandedly.

"What was that?" Asuka asked.

"We'll explain later, Asuka," Misato said a little too hastily to be as casual as she probably hoped to seem. "You're at the test point."

Asuka brought Unit-02 to a stop, focusing on a point about 20 meters in front of her which, from the height she seemed to be at, felt like just a meter or two in front of her.

"There are three sunken ships at the bottom of the bay," Misato began. "Using your AT Field, lift them to the surface."

"Yes, ma'am," Asuka said, reaching out and focusing on manifesting the ultimate tool of the Evangelion.

Down about 40 meters, half of an old destroyer, a wreck from the Impact Wars, had a Field of Absolute Territory ripple to life beneath them. To Asuka, it was an extension of her will, worked like a thin, stretched fabric that pressed against the palms of her hands and the depths of her soul as she lifted. Unsurprisingly, it was slow going, the weight of the ship causing the Field to bulge slightly before she reinforced it. But surely as anything, the rippling prismatic glow, and the shadow that was in its center, grew brighter and brighter, more and more stark against the dreary, drizzling surrounds.

Asuka's brow furrowed slightly, her jaw clenching equally slightly from the effort of it. She had trained for years for this moment. She had to be close…

Then, for just a moment, the water bulged, then broke, revealing the waterlogged, but unmistakable form of three patrol boats. Asuka took a deep breath, smiling confidently.

And, from the com-link, she heard the magic words. "Test complete, Asuka. How are you feeling?" Daniel asked.

"On top of the world," Asuka replied. "How's Unit-02 doing?"

. . .

Daniel considered the many screens before him, their readings crystal clear. "Looking all good on our end," he replied.

He paused for a moment as he turned to Löwenherz. "Sir, I can fully recommend the Evangelion Unit-02 to be certified for field use."

The gathered support staff clapped as Löwenherz nodded. "Very well," he said with a satisfied smile. "Pilot Langley, return to the docking station. The coast guard will retrieve its patrol boats on its own initiative."

"Yes, sir," Asuka replied.

As Asuka and Unit-02 began their return, Löwenherz looked back at Daniel and Misato. "I'll be in contact with NERV-HQ to relay the good news. I'd not be surprised if everyone has a party that's been planned for after this."

"We can throw something together," Misato said confidently. "After all, this is a momentous occasion."

Daniel considered Misato silently for a moment, pondering on what he knew. "So…" he said slowly, his voice quieting slightly as his brow furrowed equally slightly. "I haven't asked much while I've been attached to this project, but… what are these things built to… fight?"

Misato's expression melted from joviality to a pensive, guarded regard for Daniel. "No one ever told you, did they?" she asked quietly.

"I'm not exactly the kind to get caught with my nose in things," Daniel said, which was true. In a sense.

Misato and Karl looked at each other for a moment, Misato's brows rising slightly until Karl sighed. "I'll look the other way," Karl replied. "Just make sure he's the only one listening."

Misato nodded. "I will, sir."

She looked over at Daniel. "Let's find a room. And we'll talk."

Daniel nodded, walking over to Krasinski and informing him that he would be absent before following Misato out of the command center. They made their way through the base for a few minutes before ducking into an unused storeroom.

Misato glanced around at the storage room, smiling slightly after a moment. "Good, I picked one of the unmonitored ones."

Her smile faded, her expression dimming to an unusual grimness. "I have to admit," she said quietly, "I'm surprised it took you this long to ask."

"I can make educated guesses, and I can keep my mouth shut," Daniel replied, his voice equally quiet. "Because this feels like the sort of project where people who ask too many questions aren't just fired."

Misato hummed softly. "It's part of why we're talking in here. That, and…"

She paused, sighing quietly. "This isn't fully the sort of thing that goes on a personnel file."

It was silent for long moments before Misato began. "The Second Impact in Antarctica wasn't a random chance asteroid strike. There was something under the ice. Something unbelievably powerful that the Katsuragi Expedition uncovered. An expedition I was a part of."

Daniel nodded slightly. "I see. What happened?"

Misato's jaw clenched. "The expedition did… something. I wasn't there when they did whatever they did. But the creature that they woke up was a giant of pure light. A light that consumed my father, the expedition, everything. Except me."

She paused, her eyes carrying a hard glint. "It might have died then. It might not have. There might be more. We don't know. So until we know for sure that all of them are wiped off the face of this Earth, we have the Evangelions."

"What was this giant of light called?" Daniel asked.

"We call it Adam. An Angel."

"How unusually divine," Daniel said somewhat drolly. "I'm sure Nietzsche would be proud of our efforts."

Misato chuckled softly. "I suppose so."

Daniel noted the silences that stretched between each topic. Unsurprisingly, this was a difficult subject to talk about for her. He was a patient man, though.

"You didn't escape unscathed, did you?" he finally asked.

"Who didn't?" Misato said. "The files will tell you I was basically mute for 3 years afterward because of it, but it won't tell you that's how I got my scar."

Daniel arched a brow. "Your scar?"

Misato replied by lifting her shirt somewhat, showing a puckered, jagged scar that stretched like a lightning bolt from just below her bra to just past her belly button. "This one," she said quietly. "This is one of the reminders of that day. One that reminds me of why I need to be here. Who I'm here to avenge. Not just my family, but everyone who lost someone after Second Impact."

The shirt dropped, and Misato sighed quietly. "So, now you know."

She chuckled softly after a moment. "I hope that doesn't make things too awkward between us."

Daniel shook his head. "Not at all. It doesn't surprise me in the slightest that you have such a large stake in this."

"Who wouldn't?" Misato asked as they made their way out of the storage room. "Besides, it gives me something to do after adventuring around the world during the Impact Wars."

There were other reasons, Daniel knew. But those revelations would be for a later day.

. . .

February 10th, 2015

Daniel was, once again, standing in the Neuberlin International Airport. This time, though he was in the departures wing, Asuka standing by his side, and Misato in front of the both of them.

It was a day of change. One that Daniel, at least, was expecting. All things considered, Asuka was taking this better than Daniel thought it might.

Asuka stood slightly hunched over with her arms crossed and a dark look on her face. "This is bullshit, Misato. You've got to go all the way to Japan? For what? You were doing just fine here."

Misato smiled sympathetically. "Well, when NERV-HQ calls, you don't exactly turn them down. Especially when they need someone as important as an operations director. But that doesn't mean I won't stay in touch. Daniel will make sure of that, at least."

Asuka sighed quietly. "I suppose you're right," she grumbled.

Misato smiled slightly. "Besides, you get at least a few weeks staying with Daniel. That's exciting, right?"

Asuka shrugged. "You're right. I guess it won't be too bad."

Misato chuckled, putting a hand on Asuka's shoulder. "Don't go too crazy, alright kiddo?"

"No promises," Asuka replied.

Misato nodded, swiping away the tears that were welling up in her eyes as she looked at Daniel. "Think you'll get along alright without me to keep things lively?"

"At this point," Daniel said, "It's probably routine maintenance routines from here on out. I don't think we'll need someone here to point at a target and say 'fire'. Besides, Asuka'll more than make up for you being absent, I can guess."

"I'll see what I can do," Asuka said rather sardonically.

The trio shared a chuckle, one that was interrupted by the chime of the intercom.

"Neuberlin to Tokyo-3, now preparing to board."

The smiles that they shared dimmed as Misato gave a brief hug to Asuka and Daniel. "Alright," she said after a deep breath. "Wish me luck."

"Something tells me that you might have all the luck in the world," Daniel replied with a wry smile. "But I'll try and send some more your way anyway."

Misato chuckled. "I appreciate it. Well… be seeing you."

With that, she turned and walked toward her boarding ramp, Daniel and Asuka watching until she vanished onto the plane.

Asuka sighed as they turned away and began walking to the car that Misato had left for them. "Well, now I'm properly bummed out. Do you have any idea what's coming next?"

"Well, I do know that this is going to be a temporary setup," Daniel began. "You'll be getting a new guardian at some point soon."

Asuka rolled her eyes. "That seems kind of stupid, I've gotta admit. Why not just have you be my guardian?"

Daniel shrugged. "I don't know. It's not like I'm going anywhere soon. Not with Unit-02 to take care of."

"I've got that much, I guess," Asuka said. "Any word on who this new guardian is?"

Daniel pulled out his phone, swiping through the proprietary NERV app searching for any info he could find. After a moment, his brow rose. "I haven't got a face, but I do have a name for him. Ryoji Kaji, coming out from Tokyo-3, if you'd believe it."

Asuka chuckled darkly as they got to the car. "What an irony. We're caught in a swap. I hope this guy is at least somewhat interesting. I'd hate for him to just be boring."

Daniel was silent as they began to drive home. Depending on what happened next, and how well he had helped Asuka, boring was the last thing the man was going to be.

"Well," he finally said, "if nothing else, it's a chance to not have someone who has to be your boss on multiple levels. Who knows, you might actually like him. He seems like a real enigma, seeing as I've only got a name for him."

"I adore your delightful optimism," Asuka replied with a deadpan snark.

Daniel smiled slightly. "Let's see how long that lasts when you've been introduced to my latest game acquisition," he said, always grateful to see a flicker of interest in Asuka's eyes. "A new release, even."

"Alright, I'm game," Asuka said. "What's it called?"

"Flame Souls," Daniel replied. Though he was excited, he did his best to keep the melancholy out of his voice. Old memories, regardless of the change of name, spooled through his head as they entered the Stahlturm.

. . .

2 Weeks Later

Daniel couldn't quite shake the deja vu of being in the airport for the second time in as many weeks, now sitting in the arrival terminal. Asuka was by his side, having brought along a mobile gaming console to tap away at while they waited.

"So," he said, "I haven't caught your progress after this last maintenance cycle. How's Flame Souls going?"

Asuka sighed quietly, brow furrowed in concentration concerning her current game. "I'm still stuck on the Chaos Witch boss. Quh… Que…"

"Quelaag," Daniel said, somewhat more quietly than he'd expected.

"Yeah, her," Asuka said absentmindedly. "When is this plane landing?"

Daniel glanced down at a watch. "Should be any minute now…"

He looked back up as the plane finished docking, Asuka looking up with him to scan the crowd that streamed out of the plane. It was a public flight, and people of all kinds were meeting up with those familiar with them. Men, women, kids…

The man who started to walk towards them was hardly the image of an agent of NERV, even with a red-eye flight having surely run a number on him. His uniform was a wrinkled black button-up shirt done up only to under the top two buttons, equally wrinkled black slacks, and black loafers. A loosely hung solid blue tie added a splash of color to the outfit. His face was rough, with a stubbled chin and cheeks along with long, brown hair pulled back into a tail framing cool, sharp blue eyes.

Those eyes found the uniformed Daniel quickly, gleaming with no small amount of interest as he began his approach. Daniel noticed, tapping Asuka's shoulder and pointing him out.

Asuka looked up, and Daniel watched her as she made a subtle double-take, her expression flashing from boredom to annoyance to something else, her eyes going wide as she studied Ryoji intently. Daniel knew exactly what that look meant, universal across all faces. She was smitten.

Daniel and Asuka stood as Ryoji came to a stop in front of them. "You must be Mr. Kaji. I'm Captain Theisman," Daniel said in Japanese. "Though you can just call me Daniel."

Ryoji smiled and gave a casual salute to Daniel. "Pleasure to meet you," he replied in English. "I understand you've been keeping an eye on my current assignment?"

"in a manner of speaking," Daniel said as he glanced beside him at Asuka.

After a moment's silence, Daniel nudged his still wide-eyed protege. "Come on now, Asuka," he said with a slight smile. "Don't be too rude."

Asuka blinked as she blushed, reaching out a hand. "Hi. Nice to meet you," she said quickly.

"Pleasure to meet you, too," Ryoji replied. "Asuka, I presume?"

"You do your research, don't you?" Asuka said.

Ryoji chuckled. "It's sort of my job, after all," he said drolly. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you better."

Asuka nodded, falling silent.

Daniel's brow rose. "Don't let her current shyness throw you off. She's a real firecracker most other times. We're still getting used to not having Misato around."

In the bustle of a busy airport, Daniel almost missed Kaji's breath hitching, his eyes widening just for a moment at the mention of the name. But only almost.

"Misato Katsuragi?" Ryoji asked as his relaxed airs returned to him.

Daniel nodded, and Ryoji chuckled as they turned to walk out of the airport. "Now, that's a name I haven't heard in a while. She doing alright?"

"For having transferred out of nice, comfortable Germany to HQ," Asuka replied, "she was just fine. How do you know her?"

Ryoji was silent for a moment as they got into the car, beginning their drive back to the Stahlturm. "We knew each other in college. We were an item for a while before she dropped out and joined the military."

The man smiled slightly, a distant look in his eyes. "Good times. But she broke it off on her own accord, and I respect that."

Daniel glanced at the back in his mirror to see Asuka nodding, her expression clearly unsatisfied. "Alright, then," she said.

The rest of the ride was largely silent until they arrived at what was now Asuka and Ryoji's apartment. Ryoji considered the somewhat emptier space, a corner filled with his belongings. "Nice place," Ryoji said. "You guys might be packed in tight here, but we've got a fair amount of space, all told."

"We'll give you some space to unpack, get settled in," Daniel replied. He paused, grinning slightly. "Unless you want Asuka to give you a little tour so you don't have to reconnoiter."

Asuka shot Daniel an unamused glare as Ryoji shook his head. "I'll be fine. Besides, it'll give you two time to adjust to the thought of us getting attached at the hip."

While Asuka rolled her eyes, Daniel simply nodded. "Sounds good to me. Give us a call if you need anything, and we'll be back at the end of the night."

Ryoji nodded. "See you then."

As the pair left, Ryoji took a deep breath, looking around the room. At the places where he knew things had been hanging.

"Still smells like you, Misato," he said quietly.

. . .

Daniel and Asuka decided to commemorate the last night that they would be spending together at one of the few universal things to survive the last 15 years, even if only by the skin of its teeth; a McDonald's.

Daniel chewed on a Big Mac thoughtfully, regarding Asuka with an intent eye as she ate a burger of her own. As she began to finish it off, Daniel looked around surreptitiously to ensure that they were on their own.

Confirming this, he looked back at Asuka with the beginnings of a vicious grin on his face and all the delicacy of a thrown brick in mind. "You have one hell of a crush on him for having just met him."

Asuka had the grace to not inhale her burger, still coughing for long moments before glaring at Daniel balefully. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I am very good at reading people, Füerwerken," Daniel said. "And you were easier to read than the airport directory. You were taken by him the moment you laid eyes on him!"

Asuka drew herself up, utterly affronted. "You're talking up a big game for such an impressive accusation!"

After a moment, she slowly slouched back down, unable to conceal the flush in her cheeks as she glanced away. "Even if it isn't… entirely baseless."

Daniel chuckled. "Congratulations, Asuka. You've joined the ranks of women who feel the allure of a man of mystery. But that doesn't mean I can't get a read on him, either."

"And how's that work for a man of mystery?" Asuka asked as she leered at him.

"How one makes themselves mysterious can be telling in and of itself," Daniel replied as the grin disappeared. "Misato's a real pressure point for him, I think. He's blase about it, but something tells me he's sad that he's missed her. He might say they broke it off, but… the human heart is a funny little machine. One that doesn't always do what you tell it to."

Asuka nodded, her fire exchanged for thoughtfulness. "Come to think about it… sometimes, when Misato was drunk enough, she'd start to say something about someone she ran away from. I'm willing to bet good money it was Mr. Kaji here."

Daniel nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "Well, there's not much we can really do about it. They are adults after all. We have no right to baby them into accepting each other."

Asuka nodded in turn, her eyes gleaming as she cupped her chin thoughtfully. "Certainly not baby them. But…"

Daniel arched a brow. "And what, may I ask, is churning through that brain of yours, little sister?"

"The beginnings of something," Asuka replied. "Something that'll be good for both Misato and Mr. Kaji."

Daniel chuckled softly. "You are a devious intellect, Asuka Soryu-Langley. I doubt anyone can convince you otherwise."

Asuka grinned back at him. "You don't graduate in the top 20 from one of the best schools in Europe at my age without," she said.

Her grin faded. "And besides… you probably want Misato to be happy about as much as I do. Actually happy. Not just content with drowning her sorrows and slurring little secrets to one of us while she's half passed out on the couch. She deserves better than that for putting up with what she does."

Daniel smiled slightly, warmly. "Your introspection does you credit," he said. "You've got an accomplice in me."

Asuka snorted. "Don't need to look too deep to know most people find me a handful. Even you."

Daniel raised a finger. "One thing to consider. Whatever scheme you're cooking up is going to take some doing with our two parties halfway around the world from each other."

"Of course," Asuka replied. "Something like this is going to take a little skill… and a lot of luck. But hey, that's my job, isn't it?"

Daniel nodded. "Something tells me we might not need as much luck as we think."

"Why do you say that?"

"NERV-HQ has both the Proto-type and Test-Type Evangelions in Tokyo-3, as I'm sure you'll recall," Daniel said.

"Yeah," Asuka said with an arched brow. "Unit-00 and Unit-01. Little strange that they only have one pilot for two Evas, but I don't fully see your point."

"Something you may not know," Daniel continued, "Unit-00 is down and out after a runaway test failure. With more storage than Evangelions to fill them…"

"There's a better than good chance that we'll be called over to Tokyo-3 at some point," Asuka said slowly.

"Call it a gut feeling," Daniel said.

Daniel glanced down at a watch after a moment of silence. 19:24. Ryoji was likely getting finished with unpacking. "Alright," he said with a quiet sigh, "I suppose it's time to get you to Mr. Kaji. No time like the present to start with your scheme."

Asuka nodded. "We should be able to get my stuff packed up and back at my place by 2100."

Asuka's estimation was correct, the pair moving a few boxes, with Ryoji's help, back into the apartment at just about 2100.

"So," Ryoji said as he set the last box down, "you ready to go, Asuka?"

Asuka nodded, a polite smile artfully placed as her expression. "Certainly," she replied, "I figure I might as well work on knowing you better from the jump."

She turned and gave a quick hug to Daniel. "See you later, Daniel."

"See you, Asuka," Daniel replied before he looked up at Ryoji. "Your packet is on the table, I would presume."

Ryoji nodded. "I've got some reading to do, I see," he replied. He extended a hand. "Thanks for the warm welcome."

Daniel took it, shaking firmly. "Of course. Welcome to NERV-2."

. . .

March 13th, 3 Weeks Later

Daniel was in the depths of the base, making his way to the LCL containment tanks, when his phone rang.

Pulling it out, he saw that the contact was… Shinji.

'Strange,' Daniel mused as he stopped at the first of the storage rooms. 'This isn't his usual time.'

He answered the call. "Hey, Shinji," Daniel said. "What's up?"

It was silent for far longer than Daniel was comfortable with before Shinji sighed quietly. "I got… something. From NERV. From my father."

Daniel froze, surrounded by the now eerie, somewhat oppressing glow of LCL. "What is it?" he asked, cursing that he already knew the answer.

"It's a summons to Tokyo-3. To NERV," Shinji said. "Well, 'summons' is a strong word for it, really. It's just one word on a piece of paper. But only my father could be this curt on something official."

Daniel sighed quietly. "How are you holding up?" he asked.

"I…" Shinji stammered. "I don't know. I just... I wish you were here."

"I wish I was there, too," Daniel said. "Anything you're thinking of doing to prepare?"

"What else can I do but pack?" Shinji said dejectedly. "This is the first time my father has said a single word to me in years. Maybe… maybe I'll finally get some answers."

Daniel was silent for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. "I don't know why your father is doing this. There's so much mystery around the man. Probably to his liking. So be careful with NERV, because things are about to get weird. Be on the lookout, because you and I both know how good you are at that. Be brave enough to ask questions. And never assume the first answer that's given is the correct one."

Daniel paused for a moment. "Even with that, though, remember that at the end of the day, I believe in you. I trust your abilities, even if they aren't apparent and nobody else seems to think of them."

It was silent for long moments before Shinji took a deep breath. "Alright. I'll do my best to get ready before I go sometime next week. Thank you, Daniel."

"Of course," Daniel replied. "Good luck, Shinji."

"Now," he continued, "I've got to get back to work, alright? We can talk more later."

They shared their goodbyes, and Daniel pocketed his phone with a heavy sigh as he continued his work. Now, with their intruders having fled to parts unknown, detection had become protection, in case they or any friends they might have tried to make it back in. Each room had its own wards he'd been maintaining surreptitiously under the guise of a regular inspection.

He also kept his eyes peeled for anything he might be able to use to gain information, stepping into Storage Room 3 and scanning for anything that might still be hidden from a Sight far beyond human perception.

He scanned each tank slowly, searching for any little signs that could possibly give something that was hidden away. Each of the tanks had been scanned several times at several intensities, top to bottom. That didn't mean…

He paused as he spotted a haze on the center-right tank near the back wall, a little above eye level. One that likely had been hiding even better during his last inspections.

He glanced around him, sighing quietly. Even with the knowledge that there had been repeated breaches into this highly classified room, there was still only one camera covering the area around the door. In a room with plenty of places to hide, that was never going to be enough. That his and Ybarra's requests for strengthened security had fallen on seemingly deaf ears thus far irked him to no end.

'The little joys of bureaucracy,' Daniel silently griped as he channeled and directed the latent energy of the soul into a familiar Framework, crafting an Expression of his soul that would allow him to float quietly up to eye level with the anomaly. He felt the subtle weight of invisible stars and constellations flickering to life across his chest and back as he lifted off the ground without a sound.

He came to a stop a few feet off the ground, simply hanging in the air as he studied the anomaly intently. After a moment, other Frames, invisible to the naked eye, reached out to this haze in his Sight, probing gently. It took much less effort to part the veil before him than he expected, revealing a cluster of Frames pulsing with an otherwise invisible, otherworldly glow. A cluster of Frames that, weakly though it tried, pulled away from him.

'A Spirit?' Daniel thought as he corraled the little Framework back towards the ground, beginning to return to the floor alongside the at least nominally sentient construct before him. 'Not overly intelligent. Likely meant to be a simple construction.'

As his feet once again touched the metal grating, he began to build another Expression. A simple, but effective one. 'Let's see if you have any memories that you can show me.'

After a moment, a geometric pattern, constructed of stars and connected by luminous lines, faded into existence over the little Spirit, a dome-like cage with stars connecting to its prisoner for a singular purpose; to find any information he could on the intruders that had placed it there.

After long moments, the center of the Expression glowed, the Spirit projecting through it as prismatic, blocky constructs resolved themselves into semi-transparent, seemingly holographic images of the intruders he'd scared off.

'It's a security camera,' Daniel realized as one of the figures, the one who used Allomancy on him, began to speak.

"We're still behind schedule, Aami," he said rather impatiently to the black woman, who stood over the controls of one of the tanks. His voice echoed slightly, as if at the end of a tunnel. "Is there any way we can take more out of this shipment?"

"We risk discovery already," Aami replied with a quiet sigh of exasperation. "If we take more, then we will be found out. Be patient, Tavis, and no one will ever know we were here."

Tavis nodded, his expression a nervous grimace. "We're already running up against the time when this substance will be actively used."

The other woman, sporting a rather more elfish pair of ears than when he'd last seen her, sighed and shook her head. "You still haven't fully told us why we're stealing this liquid. What purpose does it have in securing our cause?"

"It will be the fount from which our legions spring, Ymris," Tavis said, stepping over and cupping her cheek tenderly. "Your heritage should allow you to consider the long game better than any of us. We just have to be patient, dearest."

Ymris sighed quietly and nodded. "I suppose I can't ask for much more than that, can I?"

"In the service of a better universe," Tavis replied, "our patience will be rewarded. It all begins again here. With us."

As the pair embraced, Daniel felt a flickering of dread in his gut. A better Universe…

He glanced over at his Expression, peering inside at the Spirit. This was all taking its toll on the little thing, the Frames degrading quickly. He looked back at the trio. 'Come on… just a little more.' he hoped. A hope that was paired with an earnest desire for his fears to be unfounded, to let the past remain dead…

"We're done here," Aami said, drawing the pair's attention back to her. "Kauri's confirming things on his end."

Tavis nodded. "Alright. Let's make our exit now. Just one more step on our path to uplifting these fallen worlds. We need only keep the faith."

He smiled slightly as Ymris began to grow transparent material on her hands and forearms, seemingly tracing the bones of her hand as the image began to degrade more and more. Just a few seconds more…

"Guidance to Unity, my friends," Tavis intoned reverently.

"Guidance to Unity," Aami and Ymris replied.

Then, the image, along with the Spirit that projected it, was gone. Daniel let his Expression disappear, his heart pounding in his ears as he stepped back to lean against the LCL tank, his breathing quick and heavy as he put a hand to his forehead, a phantom burning searing the flesh under his brand. 'Guidance to Unity…'

They had to be mad. They had to be ignorant of the past. They had to be… anything but dedicated to the cause that had taken him and…

Daniel did his best to marshal his thoughts, deep breaths bringing him back from the edge of unthinking panic. He needed to deal with this… later. Now, he just needed to be anywhere but here.

. . .

From an unseen door at the back wall, a man who was very much not supposed to be where he was watched Captain Daniel Theisman stumble back out towards the door, his eyes wide from the spectacle he had just seen.

'What was that?' Ryoji Kaji wondered as he slowly emerged from the part of the facility that no schematic showed, that only a few people knew about. In his hand was a bulky briefcase, which contained perhaps the most important living being on the planet Earth. At least, to his current client. 'Some sort of hologram system, maybe? But unless Daniel has cameras set up in here I don't know about… and 'legions'? Is that what's been happening to this place's LCL?'

He emerged into the hallway, calm and composed. 'Either way, I doubt the old men are going to be happy there's yet another scheme to probably take over the world. If they even find out about it.'

He was going to have to talk to Daniel about this. He couldn't risk an unknown this big getting tangled up in his current web of allegiances and missions. But later. Trying to prod at what was clearly a touchy subject right now would probably get him nowhere.

There was one thing that was certain to Ryoji, though. The world just got that much more complicated for people like him.