Neon Senshi Evangelion

Chapter 32

"SERIOUSLY?" Setsuna Meiou sighed.

Mari Illustrious Makinami grinned at her, "Oh come on. Live a little."

The two women were on their way to Fan-Con, as Mari had whined until Setsuna agreed to go. Sadly, Setsuna had not agreed to go dressed as Sailor Pluto.

"No, Mari," Setsuna said firmly.

"You would look AWESOME though," Mari teased.

Setsuna just rolled her eyes. "I can't believe NERV and Japan Heavy Industries are involved with this," she muttered.

"Unlike some people, they like having fun," Mari teased.

"Haruka, Michiru and Hotaru will be there apparently," Setsuna mused. "We'll have to avoid each other, for security."

"Seriously, Setsuna?" Mari rolled her eyes.

Setsuna blinked as a VERY well built young lady strode by dressed in a skin tight, veryrevealing replica plugsuit.

"Nice!" Mari gave the woman a thumbs up.

Setsuna facepalmed.

"If you get away from the stiff older woman, call me," the lady purred to Mari as she looked her over, "You're cute."

"You got it," Mari started before Setsuna dragged her forward.

"We are going to check on the others, then leave," Setsuna growled.

"Yeah, yeah," Mari trailed along willingly. She pointed, "Hey, I see Sailor V dojin! Wanna bet they're r-rated?"

Setsuna just made an annoyed sound.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Hey, I don't have this figure!" Misato noted excitedly, still dressed in her Sailor V cosplay, her short skirt riding up as she looked.

Hotaru Tomoe GLARED at the guy who was looking at Misato's ass. He paled and backed off.

"Miss Katsuragi, that skirt is WAY too short for bending like that," Hotaru sighed.

"Ha, I have a leotard under it," Misato chuckled.

"Still!" Hotaru said.

"And call me Misato," she added to the younger woman.

"Okay, Misato," Hotaru noted as Misato put the box the figure came in down.

"I think it's a bootleg," Misato admitted with a sigh.

The dealer protested that claim as Misato turned and walked away, even as Hotaru asked, "How could you tell?"

"The face looks off, poor paint job and the manufacturer seal were wrong," Misato said, sounding like an expert.

"Huh. Interesting," Hotaru admitted.

"Look! Sailor V BODY PILLOWS," Misato pointed excitedly.

"What," Hotaru blinked.

What followed was a whirlwind tour of very unique anime merchandise. Fan comics, full manga, toys, mecha, film cells, figures, body pillows, LICENSED SEX TOYS and even a mouse pad with an arm rest based on Sailor V's breasts.

"People actually BUY these?" Hotaru had to ask.

"They're surprisingly popular," the woman selling them noted.

Hotaru just shook her head in disbelief.

"Could I buy one, dear? My wrist could use the support," a familiar voice asked.

"NO, Haruka," Michiru sighed.

"Haruka! Michiru," Hotaru turned around to see them.

"Wow, nice Sailor V cosplay," Michiru noted, smiling at Misato warmly.

"Misato, this is Haruka and Michiru," Hotaru introduced them.

"We're her parents," Haruka added cheerfully.

"I see the resemblance," Misato joked, noting Hotaru's goth look vs her parents, both of whom she realized were women.

"Heh!" Michiru chuckled.

"We adopted," Haruka added. She shrugged, "Impact Wars..."

Everyone nodded, no need to say more. The Impact Wars had orphaned a lot of kids and done a lot of damage... it had been a crazy time.

"Haruka, stop checking her out," Hotaru scolded softly.

"Come on, she wears that Sailor V outfit REALLY well," Haruka noted.

Misato just laughed, "Thank you."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ritsuko Akagi was monitoring the remote Angel Lab, along with Maya Ibuki.

"I wanted to go too," Maya admitted sheepishly, the boyish woman sitting at a console.

"Really?" Ritsuko asked, surprised.

"Hmm," Maya nodded, "I was a big PreCure fan, plus I wanted to get some Nanoha and Dear Brother merch."

"Well, it's still on tomorrow," Ritsuko pointed out.

"I know," Maya conceded. She smiled wryly, "I heard Yui gave Gendo a shopping list of Doctor Who items to look for."

"Ha," Ritsuko smiled.

Speaking of Yui, she strode into the remote lab, nodding to the lab techs.

"Director Ikari!" the woman saluted.

"At ease, Kaede, Aoi," Yui ordered. "How is the subject?" she asked, studing the sleeping/frozen Angel in the armored chamber.

"Still dormant," Kaede Agano replied, smiling slightly.

Aoi Mogami added, "We're attempting to get a skin/shell sample, but so far nothing we've tried will cut it."

"Or at least nothing we can get into the lab," Yui agreed.

While the Angel did not have a AT Field in it's dormant state, it was still incredibly tough. After all, at least one Angel had survived a point blank detonation of a N2 mine...

"We are getting LOTs of good readings," Kaede added cheerfully. She sighed, "If only we knew what they meant."

"We'll figure it out," Yui nodded.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Shingo Tsukino nodded to Mana, "Okay, if you want to look around the con, it should be fine."

"Thank you," the tall, boyish young woman smiled.

She hurried to the NERV booth, and smiled as she saw Asuka knee a guy in the groin. Rei Ikari was in a NERV uniform, looking sheepish. "Hey, Mana," she smiled.

"Someone got handsy?" Mana asked.

"Yeah, tried to grab my ass," Asuka, dressed in her plugsuit, growled.

"You're... gonna let her just... do that?" the injured guy wheezed to Satsuki Ooi.

Satsuki just pointed to a sign, 'NERV STAFF ARE NOT BOOTH BABES. UNWANTED TOUCHING WILL BE PUNISHED.'

"Oh," he winced.

"You mind if we?" Mana asked the two women.

"Sure, go on," Satsuki waved.

They toured the nearby booths, Rei lingering at the 'hard science' booths mostly. Not unexpected, of course. There were even some science fiction novelists and such who were set up along one wall.

'Whatever Happened to Sailor Moon?' the banner sign said above the booth. An attractive redhead was sitting behind the table, and she had books in front of her.

"That's interesting," Rei blinked.

"Let's take a look," Mana agreed.

Naru Osaka was explaining to a customer, "She was apparently only active a few months, and disappeared when Second Impact hit."

"She looks like Sailor V," the man noted.

"There's a popular fan theory that she was Sailor V, in a new identity," Naru agreed, "I think she was younger, though."

"May I?" Rei asked, gesturing to the book.

"Sure, take a look," Naru smiled, "She admitted, "I self published... I felt after she saved my life as a girl, people should remember her."

"Aww," Mana nodded, taking in the painted posters, including the group of five. There was a odd... twinge she got, looking at the tall brown haired girl.

To be continued...

Notes: Yeah, I had thought of killing Naru off, but decided to reveal she lived.