Gendou Ikari sat in the tall straight back chair at the end of the long table once again, on the receiving end of more chastise from Seele. It seemed like when he progressed they just = bickered at him even more. He didnt care. They were not the reason or the motivation behind his work. Just the monetary backing. They didnt control him; it just looked that way because he wanted (to an extent) what they wanted. That is OK. They are just a means to an end. Just like everything else. It matters not how one gets there. Just that one accomplishes his goals, and satisfies his destiny. It disturbed him for a moment that he would think that way, but then realized that there wasnt anything wrong with it, and let his attention drift back to the council members.
"We understand that they show great promise, however, I dont want to rely upon them. Ikari, you are going to have to step up the timetable. We cant let them get the best of us due to lack of preparation. It seems that they will come quicker than we anticipated, and I want you as ready as possible to intercept them."
The image of a broken Shinji, lying there babbling, attempting to make rational thought appeared in his mind, and he wished that there were another way, but they had to test scenarios to be ready for the onslaught they would soon find themselves in.
"I understand. A possible end is near. And our fates rest on a boy and a girl." Gendou thought to himself. No, not a boy and a girl. A man and a woman. They are more than children now. They are stronger than I am.
The lights went out, and he was alone.
Over the next week, the inseparable pair of Eva pilots trained for hours both in simulation, testing against possible Angel configurations, = and in reality working and honing their AT field control. It allowed them to grow closer if that were possible. The Magi computer was acting up. It had started showing signs of true decision-making capacity, even personality. Sporadic, but present, it caught everyone off guard a number of time.
A full investigation was made into the matter. Caspar seemed to be the only one affected. When asked for a diagnostics report on itself, Caspar would not issue one unless the controller said please. It also would object when Commander Ikari tried to log on. The objection would = be shot down of course because the other two computers would not agree on it. Some good things did come out of it. Startup sequences and activation times were shortened due to the computer taking over some of the more mundane checks and connections. Maya found that rarely if ever would she have to type an order during startup. She would begin, and then the computer would take over.
Near the end of the week, Commander Ikari was meeting with Ritsuko, mostly to find out what has been happening to the Magi.
"It appears that a personality has chosen to inhabit it. Possibly one of the captures?"
"That is possible, however I think we both know who it is, dont we?"
"Yes, sir. It seems that nothing is out of your ex-wifes grasp."
"From now on, I do not ever want you to refer to her in that manner. Yui was my life, however she obviously was the savior of this project. Maybe not at the time. We thought that it was a major setback when she was absorbed from us, but now, in her present place, she has saved us a number of times."
"Yes, sir."
"Now, I believe you have something you need to be doing?"
"Y-yes, sir. Right away." Ritsuko turned, and walked back to the door set in the shadows.
Gendou sat for a long time, thinking over the little predicament with the computer. He logged on his terminal, that linked into the supercomputer, and found the usual debate over whether to allow him access. "Yui, why are you refusing me? And how did you do this?"
As if in answer the screen blanked, and two words shone on the darkened screen in yellow letters. FOR SHINJI.
Gendou sat back in his chair, and silently contemplated the situation.
As the two pilots entered the cage, they stood looking at their Evas. Both had been miraculously cleaned and repaired since the last battle. Shinjis chest plating had been deeply scratched and the armor on the backside of his neck had been torn away. He wondered about how they = attached the armor to the Eva, making it form fitting, and not more of a hindrance to the unit that it was worth. The pinkish liquid was draining slowly, moving at around a foot a minute. During emergencies it could be speed emptied by special pumps that carried the millions of gallons out of the way a thousand at a time.
The talked for a few minutes, and had a laugh over a joke that Asuka had heard recently. Gendou watched them, interested in what his son would be talking to her about. It had not escaped his attention that Shinji had taken up an interest in Asuka. Since about a month before, he had noticed that they suddenly spent a lot more together. He also noticed that Shinji came to headquarters smiling more. At first he thought that this would be a detriment to the mission, since Shinji had to be thinking a certain way so that he would act a certain way, so that certain things would happen. He had already arranged for the Marduk report to say that a certain class member that Shinji had become god friend with would have a "bad experience" in his Eva. Shinji had to be thinking right for it all to work. The Dead Sea Scrolls had already prophesied on the coming of the 13th angel. It would be named the Bardiel. The Angel of Hail storms. It would infect the newest Eva somehow, but he knew not how.
He hated doing the things he did, but they were for a reason. For Yui. For the rest of the world. For Seele. What did it matter. He didnt like hurting his son because of it.
He was proud of Shinji. Not just because of the things he did in Eva, but because he was his son. A living representation of his continuance. He decided to leave them the way they were. There was = nothing he could do about it now except make it worse.
Shinji and Asuka departed and went to the lockerrooms to change. Asuka changed into her plug suit, thinking about how she had treated and mistreated Shinji over the months that she had known him before she had "awakened". She felt bad for him, constantly having to endure the burden of someone chiding and making fun of him at every turn. She wanted to make it up to him, but she didnt know how. When guys wanted to make it up to their significant others, they bought flowers or candy. She didnt know what would happen. As it was, their lives were run on a day to day basis.
She finished dressing, and left, the door shutting silently behind = her.
Shinji was standing against the railing, looking out of the city through the windows. He turned around, and saw her. "I was just wondering something, Asuka, do you ever take off those neural connectors?"
"Well, no. I like them because they show off my status as an Eva pilot. I want everyone to know it. Also they make a fashion statement. I almost look android-ish. Thats what you anime freaks = like right?"
"Well, most of us do like the exotic femmes, but you are the one that I like." Shinji mentally noted Oh, yes, score one for me.
Asuka moved closer, and took his hand, and they walked back to the pilot loading area again. It was empty, but the techs would soon begin arriving, so they went ahead, and seated themselves in the chair/consoles to await insertion into the entry plug. Soon the techs arrived, and the chairs were hoisted on the arm and placed in the plug. After finally being inserted into their respective Evas, the activated, and readied themselves for launch.
"Do you know what we are doing today?" Shinji asked Asuka
"Well, I was told earlier that we would be finishing up the AT= field tests today. It is supposed to be an endurance run. How long can we do it? That kind of thing."
And so with that, they started to sleep, and began working with the AT field. After 8 hours, they were still going strong, and the technical staff at headquarters was starting to get bored. Actually they were very bored. Maya had finished doodling on her 17th sheet of paper. Shigeru was writing music, but he found he was just not talented enough to get the right sound. Makoto was just not there. He had wandered off long ago. Ritsuko was beginning to fall asleep, and Misato was trying to find a way to have beer delivered to her house rather than have to stop on the way home and get it.
"Ok, thats enough. Guys, it looks like you can keep it up indefinitely. Lets shut em down, and go home."
The pilots awakened, and let out huge yawns. They had been under for = a long time, controlling the AT fields were not that hard to control, so = they were not tired or overly hungry. They moved their units to the = launch buildings, and put them back in the restraints, and were = withdrawn back into the Geofront.
After deactivation, they showered, and met Misato to be taken home. Once there, they ate, and Misato went promptly to bed. Shinji and Asuka, finally alone, began talking about their recent activities.
"I dont think they know whats going to happen next, Shinji."
"What makes you think that?"
"The fact that we arent even going to school because we are always training. I mean, yesterday we had a harmonics test, and more AT field testing, then we had sim runs on new angels, and different = situations. It is all a little too much."
"I know what you mean. They must be unsure of the new threats = that we might have in the future. Its kind of scary."
"I know. It scares me too. I dont want to die, Shinji."
"What? You wont die. There is nothing to be afraid of." He moved closer, and held her. This is the most vulnerable he had seen her in a while, and he needed to console her.
The embrace turned into a kiss, and then into a melding. They moved from the livingroom where they had been seated, and into Shinjis room. Asuka, a look of happiness in her eyes lay on her back on the bed, and beckoned to him.
They made love that night. The best that either had experienced. It lasted for a long time, and they were tired when it ended. After a while, they talked.
"Shinji?"
"Yeah?"
"Why do you love me?"
"Lovedoes not have a reason. It just happens I guess. I like being near you. If that were all I was allowed to do, that would be heaven in itself."
Asuka took a moment to think this over. It had all started so suddenly. It had not been more than two months since they had first realized their love. The old Asuka would have beaten him to death for some of the things that he had said and done, not because they were wrong, but they went against her personality. She had realized, though, that a person couldnt function well without love. Without companionship, and togetherness, she was incomplete. But, with Shinjis soul a part of hers, she was a completed person. The feeling of life no longer had the emptiness in the center. She woke up in the mornings full of vigor, unable to wait for the day to start.
"Shinji?"
"Yeah?"
"What did you think of me the first time you saw me?"
"Ulp! Uhh...well that is The first time I actually saw you, I got a pretty good panty shot from you," Asuka smacked him on the head. "But, you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Before that, Misato had been my epitome of a goddess. But there were qualities about you that set you apart. You lack of alcoholism for example."
"Mmm. Asuka lay against his breastbone, and fell asleep to the rhythmic lub-dubbing of his heart. Shinji too went to sleep, and they met in the dream realm once again. This time they made love on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean, the sun setting on the horizon, painting the sky with reds and purples that no one had ever seen.
Far above, several forms lay dormant in the vast reaches of space, waiting, pondering, and preparing. They had never had this big of a force against a single foe since the Great Division. This would be a =day long remembered. The day when enemy vanquished, they would converge of the prize, the object for which they were searching, hidden away beneath the ground. The ground that they would reclaim after it had been lost for so long.