Interludes After the Eight Angel, Part 2
Note, the parenthesis indicate languages other than Japanese, in this case, English, German and Interlac.
Please Read and Review. I'd like to know what I'm doing right (to keep doing it), and what I'm I doing wrong (to correct it).
Hot Springs Resort
1 Day after the Eight Angel
12:35 P.M.
"(You are doing quite well, Boy Wonder.)" Asuka nodded sagely at Shinji. The young pilot was kicking water, his hands were held firmly by the German girl's hands. While the redhead walked backwards around the shallow end of the pool, Shinji held his head barely above the water level, while trying to coordinate his breathing as Asuka had instructed.
Meanwhile, around them, a very happy Pen-Pen swam to his heart's content. Sometimes gliding on the surface like a duck, and sometimes diving below the surface, like he was hunting for his food. He knew it was just make-believe, but he was enjoying it immensely. It was the first time he had had the chance, and he would do it for as long as possible.
In the edge of the long pool, Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi talked, reminiscing about their school years together. Ritsuko laughed at some of Misato's antics back then. 'Gods, I've missed this!' she thought. There was a simple warmth in sharing memories.
While they sunbathed, Kaji arrived, holding a tray containing several bowls of snacks, and cans of beer and soda. "Hello, pretty ladies. I thought you'd want something to eat." He put the tray on a table, easily reached by both women. Misato took a can of Yebisu and downed it in a few gulps. "Ah, yessss! This is life!" she yelled, startling Asuka, who released Shinji's hands. The young pilot sank immediately, but kept his head and stood on the bottom, coughing a few drops of water out of his throat as his head surfaced.
"(Oh, damn!)" Asuka muttered. "(You okay, Boy Wonder?)"
Shinji nodded, waving a hand. "(Sure, no problem.)"
"(Let's take five, okay? Hold to the edge and practice if you want.)"
"(Uh... sure...)"
Asuka swam back to the other side of the pool, with all the grace of a mermaid. Once she arrived to the other side of the pool, she grabbed the edge. "Kaji!" she yelled, waving at her crush. "The water is great! Come and swim with me for a while!"
"Sorry, Asuka. I just ate." He smiled at her, and took a chocolate cookie from the bowl. "And I want to talk to Misato and Ritsuko for a while. We need to catch up, and we haven't had the chance back in Tokyo-3." Dr. Akagi pushed her glasses up her nose, but didn´t say a word.
"Oh, well..." Asuka pouted, "Your loss." And she returned to Shinji's side.
Right then, Makoto and Tomoyo entered the pool area. Both wore the swimming suits Kaji had procured for the group. Simple trunks for the men, all were green with red stripes at the sides; while the women's were one pieces, green at the front, blue at the back. Asuka had protested loudly about his choice, as she would have prefered her red and white striped bikini. Misato was actually relieved, as the one-piece covered the ragged scar she had below her breasts, a souvenir from Second Impact and a painful reminder of her strained relationship with her father, even a decade and a half after his death in Antarctic.
Makoto and Tomoyo sat next to a lounge table, and while Makoto gazed dreamily at Misato, Tomoyo looked at him in exactly the same manner.
Kyoto General Hospital
June the 6th, 2001
"Congratulations! It's a very healthy boy." The nurse put a tiny bundle in her hands. Carefully, Yui Ikari unwrapped an end. She uncovered a delicate head, with a few strands of brown hair. The baby was sleeping, tired from the long hours of the delivery.
Yui herself was also very tired, but found the strenght to hold the baby close to her heart. As she rose her eyes, looking for her husband, she glimpsed a strange figure, looking at her from the other side of the window. She gasped. It was a face she had seen several times. A tall man of western ascent. A man whose eyes were always in shadow, wearing a blue fedora and a long blue cloak over his black suit.
Before she could do or say anything, the door opened, and Gendo ikari entered the room. There was no way he could have missed the gaijin as he entered. The man had been standing right at the door!
She rubbed her eyes. 'I'm seeing things... It must be the anaesthetic...' She shook her head to clear her mind, and smiled at her husband.
"Say hello to Daddy, my love." Carefully, she moved the baby's tiny hand, waving at her husband. She missed the jealous scowl that darkened Gendo Ikari's eyes for a moment.
She also missed the face that apeared at the other window as the swinging doors closed, it belonged to a teen of around fourteen years, who looked at her with pain filled eyes.
A Possible XXXIst Century
Frontier of the Almeracian Empire
Legionnaires Diplomatic Mission
1 Day After Diplomatic Contact
"(Okay, I think our course is clear. We recover the mechanoid and drag it back to United Planets territory, all expenses will be covered by the UP. Is that acceptable, Ambassador Max-El?)", Brainiac-5 tapped a few commands on his Omni-Comm unit still looking at the Almeracian envoy.
Almeracian Ambassador Lana Max-El uncrossed her arms, and put her palms on the table. "(On that point, yes. We demand a complete report on the research, and for the presence of an observer from both the Almeracian Empire and a neutral party. I suggest a Tamaranian. They have kept peace in the Vega System for centuries.)"
Brande nodded somberly. The reappearance of Unit-01 was a big shock to him. 'I wonder why it is here, so far from Earth.' He shuddered. The last time he had seen the purple cyborg had been...
"(However,)" Lana Max-El continued, interrupting Brande's introspection, "(Lord Kon-El must present himself at the ThroneWorld immediately. I'm afraid that point is not subject to negociation.)"
Triad nodded. "(I think that is a decision he must agree to, we can't take it for him.)"
A flash of anger crossed Max-El's eyes, but she recovered control immediately. "(I... understand.)" She shook her head imperiously, and her long red hair came to rest over her right shoulder. "(I need to contact the Royal House and notify them that the Lost Prince has been found. These news will bring great prestige to my branch of the family.)"
Gates clicked his beak in disapproval, but at a reproaching look from Sensor (accompanied by a telepathic nudge), he held his tongue. Sensor spoke through her telepathic link. "(In the name of the Orando Royal Family, I offer to help in instructing Lord El in basic royal etiquette.)"
Lana nodded, "(Your generous offer is noted, and I will ask for agreement in my message to the Royal House.)"
Sensor bowed respectfully. "(As it must be done, so it will.)"
The door to the conference room opened, and a half-asleep Superboy entered the room scratching his chest. "(Sorry, I overslept. What did I miss?)" he plopped down in a chair.
"(Not much, my boy.)" Brande smiled behind his white moustache. "(We just had reached a rough agreement about the robot. We will work the details later, but we have a solid groundwork for anything else. The rest of the discussion concerns you, and we were waiting for your input.)"
"(Just let me wake up, okay? Is there any coffee?)" Right then, he noticed Lana Max-El had dropped to one knee next to him. "(Oh, so I didn't dream that? I'm really a prince?)" Except for Sensor, Gates, Brainiac-5, and Max-El, everybody else chuckled.
"(Yes, it is true, My Lord.)" The redheaded ambassador insisted. "(You must present yourself before Her Royal Imperatrix, Queen Lois Max-El III, long may she reign; as soon as possible, to reclaim your place in the Royal House.)"
Ultra Boy slapped Superboy's back. "(Don't forget your friends, Conner! Tinya and I would like to be at your party!)" He winked back at his wife and laughed openly while Tinya facepalmed discreetely. "(One of these days Jo will start a war or something...)" she thought, "(And I will be still at his side.)"
"(Ah... sure, Jo; I guess everybody is invited. Uh... Your Ambassadorness... Could you... um... stand up? There's no need for you to kneel before me.)"
"(You grant me great honor, My Lord.)" and she rose. Superboy didn't notice it, but her cheeks had a slight blush.
Gotham City
Iceberg Lounge
May the 25th, 2001
Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot was a man with multiple talents. Not all of them were obvious. For starters, his ability to modifiy humble umbrellas into multipurpose tools. Hidden knifes, guns, gas pumps, flamethrowers, grappling hooks. Even minicopters! And usually two or three gimicks per umbrella!
Next, his charisma, he was one of the select criminals who enjoyed a very low rate of betrayals. His henchment usually were very loyal, thanks to a mix of discipline and paternalism. They knew he was not to be triffled at, and also that the boss would help them when needed. The Penguin rarely left a man behind for long. Sure, maybe a couple of months in prison, sometimes years, but he took care of their families, and ensured the men in jail would be well treated.
Also his tactical mind. It had allowed him to rise in the ranks of the criminal who infested Gotham City. His capers and robberies were always well planed and executed. The only real impediment in his path was the sharp mind of the Batman, and despite the inconvenience, with the years he had come to enjoy the contest of minds. However, He was tired and sick of the jail, so he had turned his sharp mind into a different direction. He was a crook, true, but he was a clean crook. Once he had decided to, he became a... legitimate bussiness man, meaning a crook with good PR. His public dealings were always scrupulously clean, untouchable by the law. Under the table, although he had retired from active larceny, he used the Iceberg Lounge as a cover for a whole catalog of crimes and misdemeanors. He was a contact man for most of the criminal underworld of Gotham City.
However, at this time, he needed to use one of his understated talents.
Contacts.
Contacts in unexpected places.
Established thanks to the most diverse circumstances.
Only a few people knew of his short stint with Task Force X, best known (to the few who even knew of their existance), as the Suicide Squad.
Since then, he had carefully cultivated several of those contacts, not only with the flamboyant criminals who made up the bulk of the team, but also with the Squad's support net, and through them, several high ranking individuals who held the keys to unexpected doors.
It was this capacity to establish and grow contacts that made him smile a little in this black day.
He had finally tracked down a rumour.
So, he opened his Little Blackmail Book, and looked for an unlisted number. He dialed it, and patiently, waited for an answer.
"(Hello, Senator. Yes, it's me, don't say my name.)"
A few moments later, his smile widened.
"(Yes. It is time for me to collect on that favor. Don't sweat it, my dear Senator. It will be merely a feather in the wind for somebody of your caliber, I am sure.)"
"(No, it won't endarger you or your family. Waugh! I think it will actually be a feather in your cap. You get to kill three birds with a stone, if you will. You pay me the favor you owe me, you look good to the press, and those pesky environmentalist might let you breathe a littler better.)" he laughed.
"(Ever heard of... Project Cadmus?)"
"(Yes! The very same! Glad to see we understand each other, Senator.)"
"(A little bird told me that are diversifying their output, a new project, this one called Noah. I want to put a few cuckoo eggs in that new nest they are building. If you ensure it gets done, I'll call it even; and you will not heard a single chirp from me ever again.)"
"(Good, good! Here's what I want you to do.)"
Senator Westbrook hung up the phone, both relieved and worried. It was too simple a thing to add another species to the list. He shrugged, he saw no damage on it; and if it got Cobblepot off his back, he would call it a good day.
March the 24th, 2009
Quintessence Plane
The old wizards shoulders sagged. His eyes had lost the spark that normally lurked there. "(...What can I do for you, old friend?)", he said.
The Phantom Stranger held his gaze respectfully. "(I have need of your wisdom, Shazam. Second Impact. It was deliberate, and unless we act, it will be followed by a Third Impact, erasing all Mankind ever was, is, and will be.)"
The old wizards sighed, helpless. "(I wish I could help you more. My champion would jump at the chance... but...)"
"(He did what he felt was needed. He saved the children.)"
"(Yes. He did.)" The pride in Shazam's voice was very clear. He had always had a soft spot in his heart for children. "(He did.)" He repeated, letting the sadness he felt tinge his pride.
"(I could tranfer his power to a new champion, but doing so would kill him.)" He shrugged, sadly, "(There is still hope he will awaken. I will not abandon him in his hour of need. I have a friend keeping vigil over him.)"
"(Lord Daniel keeps his soul in his realm. Neither you nor I can enter there without grave risks.)" The Stranger waved a hand and the image of the Earth appeared in the black void. "(At the moment, we can only hope.)"
Shazam sighed again, "(Yes... hope.)" he straightened. "(Tell me, what can I do?)"
The Phantom Stranger waved his hand again, and images of scrolls apeared between them. "(These are known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. However, they predate human civilization, at the very least, maybe even life on Earth. So far, my enquiries with the rest of the Quintessence so far have given no fruit. Maybe you can tell me something.)"
The wizard looked at them, carefully examining every line. "(Hmm... No. I don't recognize the language.)", he waved his fingers in complex patterns. "(They don't feel like any magic I've ever... encountered...)"
He furrowed his brow. "(There's something strange about these... There's power in the words, but no magic as I know it. Strange, very strange; they have the taste of technology. Who else have you asked?)"
"(So far, Lord Zeus, Ganthet, and you, my friend. Each one is trying to find something about these writings, but none have so far.)"
Shazam looked at him. "(Then... I think it is time you contact Highfather. His race might be even older than Ganthet's.)"
"(It will be difficult. Once we isolated Earth after Second Impact, Apokolips launched a new war upon New Genesis.)"
"(Still. He might be your better chance, unless I or the others can discover something.)"
The Stranger nodded once, and both mystical beings disappeared from the plane, leaving behind an image of the Earth, floating serenely in the black space.
Author Notes
I though the nameless tech could do with some characterization. And as one of Evangelion themes is lack of communication, I thought her having a crush on Makoto, whose crush on Misato is quite well known, would add a new layer to an already tangled web.
How could the Phantom Stranger miss such an important event as Shinji's birth? Eventually, We will see this event from the Stranger and Shinji's POV, but that will be in the future.
BTW, I'm not sure of exactly where Shinji was born. I couldn't find it, so I settled on Kyoto, I thought it wouldn't be a stretch to think the Ikaris would stay at the city for a while after college.
If you have reference about Shinji's birth place, please PM me and I'll correct it.
I'm having fun preparing ground in the XXXIth Century. The Legion of Superheroes is one of my favorite series, and I love the intricate universe available.
I promised a Secret Origin, and I will deliver a Secret Origin!
Just what happened to Captain Marvel? That's a scene for another interlude.