Don't Cry For Me Tokyo Three Part Two

-o-
-o-

Bright colors lit up the sky above Old Tokyo. Two great shapes plummeted out from
the blazing display, limbs flailing. The air seemed to shimmer, and the two massive
humanoid shapes righted themselves.

WHOM!

Unit One slammed into the ground, winding down like a coiled spring, and sending a
shower of rocky splinters out. A small dust cloud formed around it; reinforced concrete
crushed to powder. Slowly it stood up, and pulled its ankles out from being imbedded.

WHOM!

Unit Two landed forcefully nearby. Its bones could not shatter so easily, but neither
could such massive shock be ignored so easily. That Eva let out a low grumble as it
slowly shifted to a more stable stance. Its fingers twitched, its four eyes glowed with
anger.

The Jet Alone and JSSDF representatives gulped in fear, resisting the urge to flee as
the two Evangelions loomed threateningly over them. A different kind of roar filled the
air. The two matte black VTOL carriers, henceforth to be referred to as the Hotaru or
Firefly-class carriers, each landed in front of their respective Eva.

The side doors opened. From one, emerged Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi. Their
hair was mussed, their walk unsteady. "Shaaa...!" said Misato, while rubbing her eyes.
"That was too close."

Even Ritsuko looked ready to murder someone. "If we were just a fraction of a second
too late, we could have been killed. Someone needs to suffer for this."

Both women looked up and very deliberately stalked over to the gathered welcoming
committee. The men all felt rooted to their spots, helpless before their impending
doom. Since the last time they were around, they had planned to be more welcoming;
given that assisting NERV made up the bulk of their allocated funding. In retrospect,
firing "Welcome!" missiles at those who had simply too many enemies (and making more
by the minute) could only backfire horribly.

-o-

Rei Ayanami and Maya Ibuki stepped out from the other carrier. They looked far more
composed. "Were you afraid, sister Ibuki?" the girl whispered aside.

"Oh, please. After what we've been doing... as long as you're with me, nothing short
of a nuke should faze me." the young woman replied, waving disdainfully at the idea.
"We still have a lot left to do."

"I am deeply touched by your faith in me, sister Ibuki." She bowed slightly. "As long as
Shinji-kun needs us, let us just refuse to die..."

"Yes, of course." She paused. The rotors were still turning and whistling. "Why are we
whispering...?" she asked. It was mostly by their contact communication that they
could even hear each other anyway.

"...so I do not need to defend us from snipers and militant psychologists."

"Oh."

-o-

Misato had already locked onto and seized the Jet Alone representative. "YOU ASS!"
she shouted into his face. "What the hell did you think you were doing? We could
have been killed!"

"Wha-what are you talking about?" he replied, while being shook about like a rag doll.
"It's just fireworks...!"

More colorful, patterned explosions happened above Old Tokyo. Yes, those were real
missiles with real seekers; the visitors knew. The JSSDF could afford to just waste
them in firing at an Eva. It wasn't as if their weapons were proving to be of any use
anyway.

"Leaving aside the hideous expense of stuffing missiles with such childish warheads
and setting them off... seriously, how much more money did they throw at you that
we could have used at NERV?" growled Ritsuko, her glasses glinting dangerously. "If
we had raised the AT-field, two things could have happened..."

She held a finger up. "The first. Our aircraft could have been destroyed in a variety of
ways; from being crushed by the AT-field, changes in air pressure, or being hit by an
inert... but still at mach-speed... projectile."

She then held up the index of her other hand. "The second. In thinking we were being
attacked, we could have just razed this place to the ground in a second. You don't
think that's possible?" She jabbed at him with both fingers up his nose. "WHO THE HELL
DO YOU THINK WE ARE? NERV -KNOWS- THE POWER OF ILLOGIC!"

"Um... Ritsuko...?"

"Do we even still live in the same reality as you people? Such reckless, dangerous
behaviour... you're infringing on our monopoly!" The scientist took out her digits, wiped
them on his expensive pinstripe suit and looked up at the Evas blocking the sky. She
feared being seen as useless by Gendo, and hated her emotional dependency... but
not until then had she realized there was such a variety of other and -stupid- ways
for her to die.

She began to cackle madly.

"Now look what you've done." said Misato, letting go of the man. "You broke Ritsuko. I
hope you're happy." she chided.

"Um... I had nothing to do with it!" He clapped his palms together and put his hands
up over his head, as if fearing she might strike out at him. He had the deepest respect
for Katsuragi, who after all had been brave enough to crawl into an unstable nuclear
reactor to shut it down by hand. "I'm just a messenger... don't shoot the messenger!
Ah!"

"Well, how am I supposed to put that crazy blonde back together? Give me some dye
and maybe we can wash some IQ back in."

Ritsuko abruptly stopped laughing. She groaned out and palmed her face. "Misato...
shut up. Just shut up." She sighed and smoothed out the folds of her dress. "It just
struck me that I can't picture what Gendo's reaction would be, if he was there with
us. It would be almost worth it to see him be in a situation he had no control over..."

Misato tried to picture it, but couldn't. Those around couldn't help but to try. They
failed, whatever it was it should be... unpleasant. Just how so was unimaginable.

"Well, in any case... please let us offer our apologies." The JA rep and all others there
bowed deeply.

From among those gathered there, a general moved forward. He took off his hat, and
exposed his shaven head to the air. That smoothness seemed to shine under the hot
sun. Everyone squinted at his approach. "No, if anyone's to blame... it should be me."
said General Akira. He put his cap to his chest and bowed. "I assure you we meant no
harm."

"Of course you didn't." replied Misato, smirking. "You wanted to see our air capabilites
too, didn't you? The Evangelion might be powerful, but if it has to -walk- to the battle
then it could run out of power before doing anything useful."

"The delivery system does seem to be an obvious flaw in the Evangelion as a weapons
system." Ritsuko added. "As it is the Eva is a purely defensive measure."

"The carriers themselves can't avoid conventional attacks. Right. You know that now.
Satisfied, general?"

"... yes. Please accept our apologies, Captain Katsuragi." That was such vast comfort.
The JSSDF, like the members of Jet Alone, also had a degree of leftover resentment
for NERV. They wanted a 'Hah! In Your Face!' moment to cut that wildly successful
behemoth down to size, to keep them from becoming too arrogant and secure in their
power. The display, childish as it may have been, was giving in that last temptation.

Pop. Whine. Sparkle. The fireworks were less impressive during the day, but it lent a
surreal atmosphere to the afternoon anyway.

"Shall we head on in?" asked the JA representive. "As soon as the pilots join us, we
can begin our demonstration of the new technologies available to the Eva..."

NERV did not exist in a vaccuum. It did produce its own power and had underground
facilities for the maintenance of the Evangelions, but it still required a bevy of goods
and services from the outside. At the same time, not everything that it produced was
allocated for its populace. Research, products and manpower also flowed back out to
serve the nation.

In another time, Jet Alone and its parent company would have been just a footnote in
the emerging final history of Man. Its self-destruction was complete, once its fatal
flaws were revealed. Gendo and NERV appropriated whatever loose assets it had for
their use.

Shinji Ikari's words changed that. Now these men and women were eager to display
their own worth, to test themselves against NERV again. They awaited with baited
breath their reactions, and to be known as not merely as discarded second-stringers
but as major players in the game.

But first, introductions! Politeness was never out of style. Their overblown arrogance
during the last test worked against them, hastening their fall.

"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Shiro Tokita, project director, and
in the name of New Nippon Heavy Industries Solidarity, welcome! May I introduce our
most honored guests... "; gesturing to each one. "Rei Ayanami. Shinji Ikari. Asuka
Langley-Sohryu. Captain Misato Katsuragi. Doctor Ritsuko Akagi. Lieutenant Maya
Ibuki."

He then turned to the other group. Makoto and the pilots slouched, depressed. They
weren't even worth mentioning. Such was the fate of the throwaway secondary cast;
was their thought. Not that they begrudged the others their spotlight, as they also
knew the keen expectations of those in the front lines. Those left unseen are often
also protected by ther anonymity.

It was still sad, though. To be treated like a mass of minions. "Sometimes, I think I
might even forget my own name..." muttered one of the pilots.

"Chairman Akito Kousou of the NNHIS is here on behalf of the Board Members. From
the JSSDF, we are likewise honored to receive General Kiyosato Akira, General Ryo
Minawa and General Sakata Asagiri."

They all bowed to each other. It felt like opponents measuring each other.

They were inside one of the massive hangars set up in a bulldozed plain in Old Tokyo.
It was an old airport, but they had to add even more open space still. If anything, the
old buildings made for convenient targets for prototype weapon tests.

"The Jet Alone project was intended as a cost-effective alternative to the Evangelion
Project. However! Shinji Ikari and Principio Eternus proved conclusively how flawed and
insufficient it was for the challenges ahead. Jet Alone was crushed!

We were already in the middle of constructing the first production model. Many billions
were sunk into the project, YEARS of development! Careers and reputations were at
stake! The Angels attacked and things were still incomplete. Jet Alone was on the
verge of total collapse...

And, it did collapse. The project died a sudden and unlamented death!" shouted out
presenter Tokita with perhaps too much enthusiasm. He lifted his mike up, and all the
workers and technicians watching cheered. He paced around with wide swinging steps.

"Oi..." said Gen. Asagiri to the rotund industrial magnate. "Is this all right? He's acting
like it's something great. I'm sure you people lost money on this. Why is he behaving
like a... rock star or televangelist from the last century?"

"It's fine." replied Chairman Kousu. "He did say he reached an epiphany a day after
that, while sitting alone in the cemetery above his father's tombstone. But really...
you'll see. This is good business for all of us."

"Jet Alone was discontinued. The parent cooperative, NHIS, instead signed up for an
industrial agreement with NERV. We would produce weapons and assorted parts for the
Evangelion, at fixed rates for a preparatory stockpile. It wouldn't make up the losses
and not nearly as much as what we expected to make from a successful project... but
it would let us survive as a business for a little while longer.

We in NNHIS... IN HIS... have produced weapons and parts that proved crucial in the
battles that came later."

He pointed over to the specific products put up to display.

"First off, the expanded battery pack, EPX-4 IN HIS name; Pauldron power module. The
Eva in the umbilical power cable has a feed of around eighty-eight minutes out of the
capacitors under Tokyo 3. Pauldron Mark One gives only fifteen minutes of operational
freedom but in our Mark Four we may extend that up to an hour. As requested, the
secondary modules are to be carried on the shoulders, where it was most convenient
and would not unbalance the Eva.

Then we have the Evangelion armor casting, IN HIS name; Fere Invictus armor module.
These secondary armoring are what forms the F-type equipment. As you can see, it
adds greater protection to the joints and angled armor over the critical chest area.
The neck regions over the entry plug have been reinforced appropriately, with shock-
dampener systems added.

AND most importantly the weapons. Evangelion armaments, IN HIS names; Great Bolter.
Heavy Great Bolter. Custom Cannon. Doombringer Rockets. Prog Javelin. Prog Spear.
Prog Bayonet." One by one, purposely darkened regions in the hangar were brought to
light. "IN HIS name, Prog CHAINSWORD."

"Oooh..." wafted through the structure. The sight never failed to inspire awe. Even
Asuka wanted one. After all; it was a weapon composed of several thousand biting
and vibrating blades, meant for ripping and tearing through... nearly anything... and
tall as a medium-sized -building-.

"Yes, yes... NERV went over our designs and every one of our products with every
eye to finding faults, and found none." He nodded in self-satisfaction. "No offense
meant, but you people need to focus on your Evangelions... when it comes to building
weapons, you just don't have nearly the same expertise or acuity."

Misato raised her hand. "Hey, no complaints here. It's not like we actually need to
pay for that stuff. The UN just delivers them and we have the option of sending it
back." So far, they had not.

He grinned. "Our weapons have served you well." He gestured to Rei. "Pilot Ayanami,
as long-range fire support, the Positron Rifle you use IN HIS name is the Big Shooter,
for it's nothing more than a modded version of the NERV Positron Rifle with improved
power cells and cooling. How do you find it so far?"

"It is sufficient."

He nodded. "But just not good enough! The JSSDF Positron Cannon is THE ONLY pure
human weapon that proved capable of taking out an Angel. That gave others hope of
mounting a fortified defense against the threat..."

"Without an AT-field, there is no defense." Rei replied flatly. "An emplaced cannon as
such may have only one chance before it is ruined..."

"And therefore wasting millions upon millions and all that time and manpower. Yes! We
here IN HIS service believe that the Eva's potential can be expanded even more with
the proper equipment. For you, we give... the first human-made, high-power, heavy
packed positron Eva sniper cannon...!"

Fhump! The lights went on over a massive tarp-covered flatbed. The covering was
dragged away by small forklifts below, to reveal a folded-up cannon with two simply
immense barrels. It stood beside what looked to be an Eva-sized backpack.

Tokita continued. "We still haven't figured out what IN HIS name to give it. Dual packed
positron beams and a cyclic capacitor... that right there is a miniature nuclear reactor.
Don't worry, it's MUCH safer than the one in Jet Alone. As a ranged combat multiplier
the risk of malfunction is less, but even then just dropping the reactor pack should be
easy enough."

"How safe is safe?" asked Ritsuko.

"Shielding's been doubled, and power generation relies upon a continued signal. At the
loss of that signal, it automatically shuts down." He grinned. "What do you think, Miss
Ayanami? Does Double Buster Rifle sound good to you...?"

The girl looked down. She took a single step to the left and just barely touched her
hand to Shinji's. Everyone looked on curiously... despite the simplicity of that motion
it still looked somehow very intimate. It had the expected effect upon Asuka; to prod
her further with the hint of deeper secrets, and making her long for that same sort of
unashamed connection.

'Two barrels. One for Gork. One for Mork.' said Rei in the unity of their souls. 'Did you
have anything to do with this...?'

'I might have made a passing comment to someone, who repeated it to other people,
who then put it to a few who needed ideas...'

'Thank you... you are too kind to me.'

'I didn't really have -that much- to do with it.' A small smile crossed his lips. 'Whatever
makes you happy makes me happy.'

"Thank you..." said Rei, louder. "Thank you for giving me... the Moonbiter."

"IN HIS name, the Gargant Moonbiter." Shiro Tokita nodded. "Thank you, it fits well.
There isn't really an upper limit to how much power we can feed into this, as long as
it discharges. Hey, why not? If we pump it up enough, we just MIGHT scratch at the
moon."

Ritsuko leaned over the railings of the raised platform they were in. It was actually on
top of a truck, and they moved from site to site on the mammoth hangar. "So, this is
what you wanted to show us? Interesting. I'm not certain of its ability to penetrate
an AT-field, but I can already tell it should cause massive damage to an Angel if the
other Evas can neutralize the field."

"No, not really." was the careless reply.

"What, there's more?"

"Indeed, Captain Katsuragi." said General Minawa, leaning on his cane. The old man
looked grimly amused. "Jet Alone is dead. But we threw into this thing more than what
we cared to spend on that in the first place..."

She chuckled back. "As a weapon against the Evangelions, you mean?"

"NERV cannot hold to the Evas forever, Captain Katsuragi. It must either be a weapon
for the sake of the world, or be made utterly useless. It will be ours, or no one's."

The observation minitower moved on. Soon enough, they stopped in front of two
great doors. Slowly, that section of the complex opened up. Lights only lit up a small
portion of the hangar, over a larger observation deck. They all got out and took an
elevator up to it.

Shiro Tokita spun his microphone in his hand. The long-faced prematurely-balding
man was not a scientist or a technician, more of a corporate climber. However, he
looked more eager than anyone else there. It was as if he absorbed the dreams of
their project into himself, and as such was the very lynchpin holding all the different
peoples, interests and priorities into one determined whole.

Waiting there was one of the division engineers, the project design chief; Engr. Saito
Hibana. The appropriate introductions were made. As soon as that was done, the
presenter moved away to the edge of the raised deck to face the darkness. A minute
or so passed in silence.

"Well?" asked Misato, impatiently.

He let out a sigh. "Do you... mind if I say something here? It's a bit... personal. But I
need to get it off my chest."

She looked to the generals, then to the NNHIS chairman. They seemed willing to take
cues from her. She shrugged. "Eh. Sure. Knock yourself out."

"Thank you. Jet Alone was the culmination of decades of effort. From the combination
of many of this country's top minds and top engineers, we thought of something that
should have been able to dominate the theatres of war for at least twenty years. We
staked so much on it... it held the pride of this nation, and we thought perhaps of all
humanity itself... a purely human-built weapon against forces from beyond the sky.

And we were wrong. Like a thunderclap, appears the Evangelion and Shinji Ikari out of
nowhere, and in one easy motion undoes all that effort. Can you imagine how damning
that was? How galling? How much it insulted everything we've ever done so far?"

"Sure we can." muttered Asuka. "Damn invincible Shinji."

"We hated it. We hated you, mister Ikari. You, your father, everything you stood for.
But in the end we hated ourselves the most. We were just -wrong-. We built it all for
the wrong reasons, we were too arrogant and too greedy and the Eva was just that
inherently -better-. We needed a serious slap in the face to see that.

-Principio Eternus- demolished Jet Alone. Those were dark days after that. We were
all shocked and stunned. It seemed like everything was at an end. Our world were
ending. Our jobs were in dire peril. Where else would we go? NERV already has all the
best that they needed... we didn't think we could bear being part of that. The shame
would be too much..."

He took a deep breath, and chuckled. He had to say it. He needed them to know just
from what uncertain depths they had clawed their way out of. They had their own
strength, their own true pride, and they could look at NERV without cringing.

"I was afraid. Very afraid. I'm a businessman, a manager, and when it all comes down
to it I saw I had very little useful skills. I stood high with Jet Alone, and once that was
gone I had nothing... as one of the face men in the project, telling about how great
and unstoppable it was, no one else would take me in at risk of tainting their own little
projects. I had mud on my face. I was a disgrace.

My wife and my child... they tried to cheer me up, but I couldn't see any way it could
possibly be better. After living the good life so long, I didn't know how to deal with
losing it all. An executive like me? What else is there? I can't go back to doing menial
work...! That was what I thought. It was so dark...

I wanted it to end."

"It wasn't just a few of us that contemplated suicide." added Chief Engineer Hibana.
"You need to understand, we -wasted- all that time and effort. Our product couldn't
even put up a decent challenge to the Eva, and against the Angels it was just a toy.
Our shame was absolute. We lost too much face."

"So what?" asked Asuka, revealing her unfamiliarity with that Asian concept. "It's just
work. Just get up and move on."

Project Director Tokita sniffed haughtily. "What is work? Without wages that's just
slavery. Without pride that just servitude. Miss Sohryu, think of it this way. You are
an Evangelion pilot. Do you think that once the war is over, and the Evas aren't
needed anymore... could you be satisfied with just flipping burgers on a hot grill
somewhere or saying 'Welcome!' to department store customers?"

"Wha... hah! That won't happen. I've got plenty of talents besides that."

"But what if all the good people saw you for was in piloting? And without an Eva, they
wouldn't have a use for you, turn away from you... and what would you do? "

She flinched. That struck a little too close to her fears. She gave up too much for the
sake of being the best in the Eva.

"I wasn't fired. Not yet. I knew it was inevitable. Jet Alone was dead and NERV was
picking at its remains. I didn't want to see that. We couldn't recoup our losses just by
making assorted spare parts... all that research and development. That was a damn
expensive undertaking. It's more than just a competition. It's a way of life. We failed
at -life-.

I went over to my father's grave. The old man died before Impact. He wasn't like me.
He was an architect, and he liked to get his hands dirty. I wanted to be rich. I chose
to tread the path of a salaryman and after Impact fought without scruples to get up
the business ladder.

He died of just old age. Most of the houses he had built are underwater now. In the
end we were both just failures weren't we?"

He tapped his mike on the ladder rung, and a screech filtered through the output. His
posture slumped.

"But the thing is... at least he DID something. He made it his life's work to preserve
people's happiness. He made things for other's sake, not cashing in tragedy. The most
important thing I remembered, though... was that the old man never gambled. Not
with money, not with his family. He didn't leave it up to school and TV, he made sure
to be there to raise me right. I had ambition because he was there to say that it's all
right to hope for the future. The best things in life are those you can just reach out
and take...

I was gambling on Jet Alone. I was gambling on humanity's future. Just for -money-, I
was ready to back something half-done and risking myself and my family and all that I
knew. We let the pressure get to us. We had to show something to the public, that
we were doing more than just wasting away time and money. We lived the high life in
that white elephant of a project. We played on the inherent suspicion of outsiders, of
the UN and NERV... this is our country. How DARE THEY imply we were incapable of
defending our homeland? What could they really know?

But it's more than just this place, more than just Japan, more than just the world. I
stood there over my father's grave and I felt like a hand on my shoulder. I heard a
voice whisper... it wasn't the end. As long as I was alive I could -do- something. As
long as there was still time, there was still chance. I had to believe, if I wanted things
to get better. I had to -do- if I wanted to live. That... was my moment of epiphany. I
had nothing else but hope, and nothing else to give but hope.

When I returned that night, my wife handed to me a package delivered from certain...
anonymous benefactors. In it, I saw the reason to continue."

He took a deep breath and willed back the urge to glance at the young Ikari. More
than just his recommendation to the JSSDF; they all owed the boy plenty. The ideas
they received... either he had NERV's think tank behind him (unlikely, else they would
just have built the things themselves, no need for secrecy) or the boy came up with
those strange but compelling notions on his own.

"This man went around pulling back everyone in the Jet Alone build team. So what if
the project was dead and we were stuck with building add-ons for the Eva? If that
was the last, best hope for humanity then we could still be the best as what we do.
As long as what we did was to -make things possible- for the rest of you." The former
JA engineer laughed. "You know, a lot of us tried to take a swing at him... he sucked
us into Jet Alone and promised us everything... and he was trying it again! But one by
one we went back to work.

We could hardly believe it. We couldn't even believe he was the same man we knew...
Really, Tokita..." turning to the project director. "You were kind of an ass back then."

"No need to mince words. I was an arrogant, selfish bastard. I wanted everything for
nothing." He looked over to Chairman Kousu. "You know, a high annual income doesn't
seem to matter much now if it turns out we won't last the year."

"Heh." Engineer Hibana continued. "Making weapons for the Eva was like grunt work,
unimaginative and repetitive. It wasn't until the proposal for a chainsword that things
began to get interesting."

"Because, seriously, it's a fucking massive chainsaw that you can swing around like a
sword." Shiro Tokita had to say. "How can anyone refuse to get excited by that?"
Even the old generals had to nod in agreement. Asuka too. Shinji, strangely, did not.
But then he already had a mini chain-sword of his own (which he hid well away from
Asuka; she already thought of him as enough of a psycho as it was).

"All men are boys..." mumbled Misato. "And boys are never too old for toys."

"We were Jet Alone. Sure, it may have failed, but we had to build that technology
from the ground up. NERV is unsurpassed in biological and cybernetic systems. When
it comes to hard machinery... Japan's Heavy Industry is still king over this hill. We had
to do something to put all that prior research to good use." Chief Engineer Hibana
wound up the threads of thought.

Shiro Tokita flicked his announcement mike on again. "The Evangelion killed all our
hopes for Jet Alone!" he shouted out. "Shinji Ikari and -Principio Eternus- demolished
decades of effort. But that's all right. We were building toys when humanity needed
weapons. We were after money when we needed to -win-! Victory means profit, that
should be obvious enough."

"Really? No hard feelings?" asked Misato.

"The data we got from NERV just showed how far behind the curve we were. The Eva
and Shinji Ikari... -Principio Eternus-... we couldn't hope to beat it. So we decided to
join our strength to it." He turned around and held his arm out towards the darkness.
"Everyone! Behold - !"

Flash. Click. Flash. Click.

Line by line, large lamps lit up the locale. Far below were several large blocky shapes,
placed along a white trace line, Eva-sized. Made out of thick metal, in dark purple and
garish green. Interestingly, letters and various symbols seemed to be traced out in
glinting silver and gold-like materials. Empty eyeholes in a great metal mask seemed to
glare up at them.

"Eva Type-T Equipment!" he declared, sweeping his arms out. "IN HIS NAME, THE
-TITAN MODULES-!"

Misato whistled. "Sweet."

Ritsuko groaned out. "Now he's bound to get a transformation sequence." She put her
palms over her eyes and shook her head from side to side. "What is it that I have done
to deserve this...?" There was all that blatant playing God and experimenting upon the
clones, but still- it was nothing compared to what Gendo had coming. It was like fate
and poetic justice... just... keeps... missing! The target! Collateral destiny damage.

Maya pulled on her immidiate superior's blouse. "Here, sempai..." She already had ready
several large-dose pills of aspirin and a canteen of water.

"Thank you, Maya." Ritsuko was all too grateful. Maya was all too attentive. The NERV
scientist and main conspirator doubted she could survive through the ever-increasing
insanity if she didn't have her faithful assistant by her side.

"What the hell is this?" asked Asuka.

"The... what we call here the -Titanicus Upgrade- adds armor even thicker than that
of Type F equipment, and uses the much more reliable Fusion Reactor supposed to be
on Jet Alone 2. Much of what used to be JA was repurposed here... note the simplistic
angles of armor protection, the grip-lock points, and the integrated weapons. This is
supposed to bring Evangelion combat capabilities to an entirely new level!"

Engineer Hisana eagerly dived into the discussion. "Thick slabs of armor for brutal close
combat! With the reactor, guaranteed FIVE DAYS of straight operation, pull as much
AT-field magic as you want! Even if NERV decides to use batteries instead, there's
room for six extra Pauldron power modules other than the two already on the shoulders.
That's at least fifteen hours of operation.

Modularity, always modularity! Jet Alone was an inflexible machine, Shinji Ikari-san was
right. It would take too long to refit it to emerging situations. Just pick up, slot in. We
tried to make as many of our known technologies cross-compatible. We took out the
new Ultra High Frequency Lasers... we call them Turbolasers... from the troublesome
mounts on Jet Alone's arms and integrated into the shoulders. There are many weapon
hardpoints, most on the bracers and thigh armor. Standard weapons loadout is...

IN HIS name Hellstorm Gatling Megabolter, right arm.
IN HIS name Master Chainsword, left arm.
IN HIS name Titan Turbolasers, left and right shoulders.
IN HIS name Titan Tornado air mines, on the back and left, right thighs.

And of course prog knives here and there. The hands remain free to weild whatever
other weapons preferred by the pilot. Sure, it adds a lot of weight, but the list of now
possible tactical opportunities just go on and on and on..."

The presenter nodded. "IN HIS usage of the Titan modules should extend not only an
Eva's survivability but its functionality. We made this according to exceedingly specific
combat demands."

"AAAGH!" Asuka screamed out and pointed angrily at him. "Stop saying that! IN HIS
name this, IN HIS name that! You're making it sound too... too... cultish. Shinji has
enough demented followers as it is."

Shiro Tokita laughed. "I'm sorry. That's just a coincidence. NNHIS is purely secular,
I assure you." Nonetheless, doing that was an easy way to piss off Gendo. They of
Jet Alone knew it could only be sabotage. The elder Ikari was highest on a very short
list of suspects. It was the younger Ikari who saved the project, even the lives of
some very talented and easily-depressed people. In his name, they would build. In his
name, they would give.

He turned to Shinji. "Well, Ikari-san? Do you approve?"

The pilot walked over to the edge for a better view. A winged skull was set into the
front torso, in goldlike metal. Upon the flat sides of the shoulder pads were etched
large letters. THE ENEMIES OF HUMANITY WILL DIE; was emblazoned on the left. Its
opposite proclaimed BY MY HANDS THEY SHALL BE BROKEN.

The front had PRINCIPIO over the right chestplate, ETERNUS on the other. Cheekily,
tiny and almost unseen, on the back was a license plate marked 01 IKARI1 - Tokyo3.

"Impressive. Most impressive..." he breathed out. "Sir... this is..." Evangelion. Your
new form awaits. May you be satisfied with this offering. May we defend humanity
with this newfound power, together. "Awesome."

Shiro Tokita stood beside him, staring at the fruit of many months brainstorming and
experimental construction. From scribbled lines on a page, to the practical solution.
Everyone worked so hard to make that fantasy into reality.

More than just fighting the Angels, it was his letter to the JSSDF that convinced many
to continue supporting what used to be Jet Alone. From just weapons and batteries,
slowly and inexhorably they all clawed their way back into respectability. It could too
easily have just ended up with the NHIS torn apart by rabid corporate dogs. They had
-earned- that. All they needed was the opportunity to prove themselves, and the will
to try.

Still, even the finest blade was worthless unless used. That was the entire point of a
weapon, after all. The JA labs were very accomodating to his requests. Shiro Tokita
made it his responsibility to keep the exchange of packages beneath notice. He owed
it to the boy. He simply couldn't imagine anyone else more worthy of those weapons.

In his name, indeed.

"I thought so." replied the representative, nodding self-satisfied, jutting his chin out.
"But that's not all we have for you."

"It's not? Hey, what about me? Is there Type-T equipment for my Unit Two?"

"Unfortunately, Miss Sohryu, since we cut apart JA-2 for this, we only have one set
of Titan modules. It should be cross-compatible among the Evangelions, but really so
far we've designed it for use by -Principio Eternus-."

Misato went over and slapped his back, overly friendly. "Ah-yep. I knew there was
something I liked about you guys when I first saw you." She put her right arm over
his shoulder and leaned conspiratorially on him. "How much is this gonna set NERV
back?"

"Nothing." said General Akira. "As per the terms of the industrial contract, it is the UN
which decides production. NERV only has the choice of accepting or rejecting the end
product."

"It's already been paid for?" commented Maya, running in her head the potential cost
of such a thing. Billions, at the very least. "That sounds like too good of a deal, doesn't
it?"

"Yes..." added General Minawa, hoarsely. "For all we spent on this, 'The Emperor's New
Clothes' just won't cut it. This uses the pieces of Jet Alone. So -what the hell- have you
been doing with our -goddamn- money?"

The men of NNHIS grinned. That, was the surprise they've been hoarding for so long.

"We promised the JSSDF something that they could use -with- the Eva, a weapons
system that won't be so useless on the field as conventional arms just end up being.
What could it be? Some for of super tank? A heavy cannon? Some new bomb?"

"Just shut up and get to it, Tokita." grumbled the chairman.

"All right. Follow me, everyone."

All went over back into the observation vehicle. They crossed the length of the hangar
over to the far doors marked EXIT. The truck stopped there. Once more, Shiro Tokita
stepped up to declaim in the name of his fellows.

"-Principio Eternus- killed Jet Alone!" he shouted, grinning. "From its ashes we are
reborn, like a Phoenix! Like a flash of lightning, inspiration strikes! We are no longer
Jet Alone... but we won't give up on our ideals! Humanity's own technology can stand
against the Angels. We can prove it!"

"Bold words." said Ritsuko. "Can you back them up, unlike last time?"

Ever so slowly the hangar doors opened, grinding and rumbling. Slivers of light seeped
through the opening. "Judge for yourself. Jet Alone is dead and gone. We give you...

Thunderbolt! Raiden! Tactical!

T-RIDEN-T!"

A strange block shadow moved across the space, blocking the light for a moment. The
doors opened wider, revealing more and more of that shape. It was large, boxy, and
painted bright robin blue. It bore proudly the skull and wings sigil on its chest, as in the
Titan torso. An upright white omega symbol bisected by an arrow like Neptune's symbol
was slapped onto its sides.

"-TRIDENT-! LAND! -DREADNOUGHT-!"

Whump. Whump. On thick stubby legs, it walked. Its left arm ended in a cylindrical
bracer-and-claw assembly. In place of its right arm, it had a MegaBolter module. The
six barrels spun wildly... and DAKKA!

DAKKA!DAKKA!DAKKA!DAKKA!DAKKA!DAKKA!DAKKA!DAKKA!DAKKA!DAKKA!

Everything lit up for a few moments, as the Trident Land-Dreadnought unloaded a
simply earthshaking volume of fire into a prepared target towering nearby. That
skyscraper-sized solid column of solid steel mesh and concrete blew apart with such
astonishing ease. The new weapons platform ran forward, its stunted stature capable
of moving with surprising speed. It made a short hop, slamming into what remained of
the column. Weighing in the same as an Eva, nothing could stop that much momentum.

Powder. Clouds of dust. It dug its squat flat toes into the ground to stop, carving up
the highway as it tried to slow down.

"Project T. The -Titan- Modules. And... the TRIDENT Land Dreadnought! Much more
robust and much simpler than the Jet Alone. It uses a compact fusion reactor, and
has armor thickness -three times- that of the Eva on its glacis plate. Modularity, as
always. This is humanity's tireless servant. Its workhorse of unnatural warfare."

There was nothing elegant or complicated about the thing; just thick slabs of metal
and reinforced joints. By comparison, Jet Alone was graceful. The Evangelions were
known for speed and brutality. This was meant not to defeat Angels, but just to hold
out stubbornly until the Evas could finish the job. Against conventional forces, it was
just overkill... Land Dreadnought was no exaggeration.

Once the ammo was exhausted, the bin dropped out of the cannon module. It walked
over to a heap of large ammo containers and manuevered to above it. From the open
ammo feed lowered an electromagnet suspended on thick steel cables. It clamped on
a large box and pulled it up. Adjusting the draw automatically, the crate then locked
into place. A panel within opened and fresh rounds were brought up to the six-barrel
assault cannon. The ammo could be Mega Bolt rounds or solid AP slugs. The process
of rearming, though the Trident had no hands, took only slightly more than a minute.

It was an inspiring sight. None of the Eva's curves, none of its sleek ease of motion.
It swayed from side to side, leaving crushed gravel and deep footprints in its wake.
It was indeed, humanity's own.

Until it reached where the two Evas were standing, and revealed itself to be at most,
waist-high to the other mecha.

"It's like a puppy." Misato had to say. "Like a deranged, homicidal puppy."

It alternated putting its weight from one leg to the other, waving its arm about as if
doing a strange little dance. The Dreadnought was all hard angles, and yet there was
something rather endearing about it. Solid, compact, and dependable... Misato's off-
hand comment was the closest she could come to that reassuring feeling in seeing
that thing.

"This is humanity's philosophy! Ugly, hastily put-together, but it works!" Tokita shot
back. "This, more than the Eva, is a WAR MACHINE. It's logistically sound and reliable
under all situations! It works! Really, really well! It works even better than it should,
actually."

"... what about the AT-field?" asked Asuka, unwilling to give ground even a little bit
from her Eva's own awesomeness.

"That's -your- problem. Without that, even this might be able to take down an Angel
or two. Vulcan Megabolter. Positron cannon hardmounted into the left torso. Missile
launchers. Hellbridge super flamer. I'm not ashamed to say that all we intended for
this is to hold the line until NERV can get going."

"Ah!" exclaimed General Asagiri. "So THIS is what's got the Prime Minister all excited.
This is to be put under JSSDF control! Hah! I approve! Can you mass-produce this
design?"

"It depends on what you mean by 'mass-produce'..." answered Chairman Kousu. "We
can assemble another one in a year or so, the most complicated part is a safe nuclear
core for a close-combat weapon. Everything else, really... as long as the reactor is
intact we can keep rebuilding it from whatever battle damage it takes. Right?"

"Indeed" said Tokita. "For this war and beyond. The Land Dreadnought is a paradigm
shift in the order of battle."

"I assume this one isn't remotely-piloted like Jet Alone?" Ritsuko noted.

"Due to the number of weapons systems we put in, that's no longer possible." replied
Engineer Hibana. "Granted, there is the risk, but what use is a weapon that goes out
of control and turns on its owners?"

Misato raised her hand. "We don't do that anymore."

"Well, it looks like you've learned from your mistakes." added Ritsuko, ignoring that.
"Instead of a having a complicated autobalancer, you just lowered the center of
gravity. Those mechanical joints should be able to deliver more power than the old
flexible limbs. Such a simplistic solution, it deserves points for merit. With the Angels
coming in all shapes and sizes, having a platform that's harder to topple is far more
practical than trying to keep pace with the Eva."

"The humanoid frame is your expertise, Doctor Akagi. However, as we found out with
Jet Alone, there just -isn't- enough space for all the systems we wanted in that."

"The Eva is just more efficient. The AT-field is impossible without certain biological
components." the blonde scientist replied.

"We don't even want the AT-field anymore. It sucks up too much power and makes
the Eva extremely hard to repair."

"As I've said, learning from your mistakes..."

NNHIS just didn't have the background to compete against NERV, as UN funds would
always be more and readily available than the pooled assets of a conglomerate. Repair
costs alone could swallow the entire Jet Alone project. However, in the case of the
Trident project, its brute quality was key. There was no fuctional difference between
its left or right leg, right or left arms - merely the way these were socketed in. In
comparison, an Eva needed much detailed effort in rebuilding lost limbs. As a complete
analogue of a human, its parts were not so interchangeable.

Efficient? In battle, yes. But expensive as hell to maintain. The last best hope was just
that - failure was not an option under such strained circumstances.

"Am I correct in assuming it has a crew of commander, gunner and driver? Or is there
more to it than that?" Ritsuko continued.

"No, that's pretty much it. It's not that difficult to handle. No sync ratios, no powerup
sequences. Just switch on, and it's ready to roll." Or the the technicians would say;
Push Button, Kick Ass!

Misato raised her hand again. "Do you already have pilots...? Crew?"

"Yes, Captain Katsuragi."

"May we meet them?"

"Of course. Let me get them on radio..." Tokita went over to a callbox propped up on
the moving platform. He opened up a channel to the Dreadnought. "Oh, it seems the
commander is already on the way. As this is just a demonstration, driver and gunner
are enough to handle the machine."

A few minutes later a jeep arrived. Footsteps on the aluminium frame. Shinji had no
need to turn around to know who it was.

"Hello, Mana." he said.

"Hello, Shinji-san..." she replied, smiling faintly at his back.

"What?" Asuka agitatedly swung about again. "Was ist Hölle? I knew there had to be
some ulterior motive to all of that hanging around baka Shinji. You again?"

Rei and Asuka clashed at an unseen level due to being such contrasting personalities
(and Rei's occasional need to examine the concept of humor further by poking at her
subtly until she just explodes). The two girls had reached a certain understanding,
though... they could actually call each other friends. Mana, however, was supremely
irritating to Asuka in that she could see just how much they were -alike-.

"Is it really that much of a surprise, pilot Sohryu?"

She shrugged, and followed Rei's cue to nod in familiar greetings. "Not really, I guess.
I -know- the reason why only we can pilot the Eva. Having others our contemporaries
in another battle machine just seems... convenient somehow." She looked at the other
girl, standing there so primly. "So what, are we rivals now or something?"

"... have we ever been anything but?" Mana replied thinly.

"There is truth there, pilot Sohryu."

The three girls considered each other. Those around them looked on amused at the
shift in the scene. So it is true; thought those not from NERV. There was indeed such
entertainment around Ikari. It's like some form of Evangelion Dating Sim, with Angels
winning the least worry among all the 'Bad End's. Heh; could he actually reach the
'Best End'?

"Shinji Ikari-san...?"

"Hm? Yes?" The pilot turned away from the sight. He was the only one who knew just
how stubbornly tough the Dreadnought could be. He had not been expecting that,
though. When he sent over the drawings and the wooden model, he only had in mind
that they could make a medium-scale combat platform... like oversized powered armor,
as a holding force inside the limited terrain of the geofront and its tunnels.

"If it meets your approval, we still haven't IN HIS named it. Could you give one to our
TRIDENT Land-Dreadnought?" asked Tokita.

"Isn't Trident already a proper name?" Maya pointed out.

"No, that's just the general project designation. A chassis mark, if you will. Just like
Unit One is also -Principio Eternus-, so do we need a recognizable standard."

"Wouldn't the commander be the best choice for that? Or let it just be earned later
on out of combat? Why me?"

"Why not? It's your d-" Oh. So that's a warning look. Interesting. How could narrowing
the eyelids just a fraction cause so much sudden dread? "... prerogative. Kirishima has
decided to waive that right over to you. Frankly, it would be better than whatever
pithy nickname the press could come up with later."

"Well, in that case..." he turned towards Mana. "Maybe we should... -" He stopped and
stared intently at her, his face dumbstruck. "Wow. Mana... is... that your dress uniform?"

She blushed and stared down. It didn't seem much. Black was a very basic color, and
the suit worn inside the Dreadnought was nothing more than a derivative of military
fatigues. For simplicity's sake, her dress uniform was a simple longcoat with golden
filigree. As long as it was kept pristine, she could look sharp even after hours spent
inside a cramped compartment.

She eep'ed as Shinji suddenly lunged for her breasts. However, he just buttoned up
her outer jacket up to the neck. He looked ecstatic for some reason. "Do you have a
hat?" he asked.

Mana shook her head, and Shinji moved aside to grab at a general's hat. "Excuse me."
he said to General Akira. While Mana was still struck by the impropriety of it all, he
smoothed her hair out (sending her blushing even more) and put it over her head. He
pulled the brim down to cover her eyes slightly.

"By the Emperor!" he exclaimed. He put his hands on her shoulders and began to turn
her slightly from side to side. "You're -perfect-! Kommissar Kirishima!"

Triumphant bells began to ring in her hearing. Behind them, four females from NERV
began to frown mightily. Ritsuko just sighed. Too much insanity in the air.

"Promote her." General Akira whispered to Asagiri. "Promote her NOW."

"Why? We don't even -have- that rank."

"Didn't you hear? By the Emperor- that's how our new Constitution starts. That's also
the opening line in a Formal Request. Besides, even if we don't the Russians do. If...
and more like when... they get wind of this, they'll give her an honorary commission
just to piss us off."

"We did side with China in the Second Manchurian Conflict." added General Minawa.
"The NRSSF would be gloating about not waiting until we tried to steal even that from
them..."

"Mainland bastards threw us out anyway. All right."

Shinji kept his hands on her shoulders. He grinned. It was just too perfect. "Mana...
the Dreadnought's machine spirit needs a name. It needs to know itself. But are you
ready to live in its light? Can you lock your will to this deadly purpose?"

"I'm ready to fight for you, sir." she said softly.

So he leaned over, uncaring of how it may look and all the 'Danger Ikari Shinji, Danger!'
instincts all going off all at once. He whispered into her ear. "Then listen well. I believe
in Mana Kirishima. Let your heart be as steel, and forever shall shine the name. Unseal
its might upon the enemies of man. In its name; fight."

"Awaken... -Magnos Tancred-." the girl said under her breath.

-o-

"Hey, we're getting a power fluctuation here." said Keita. "Did you try to override the
cyclic timing of the capacitor again?"

"It wasn't me! I did nothing! You can't prove anything!" The other teen raised his
hands high away from the weapons console. He looked up towards his friend sitting on
the command chair.

"Sashi..."

"No. I didn't do anything."

"Stop aiming at Ikari. It's good thing I have control over weapons safety here. You do
know that precision, at the sheer size of our guns, is impossible at such scales, right?
You'd just vaporize Mana along with the others."

With great reluctance, a red dot drifted away from Shinji's forehead.

-o-
-o-

Meanwhile, back in Tokyo Three, Kaji and Kaworu were off to a bit of breaking and
entering. While they were away was the perfect time to snoop around inside Katsuragi
residence. Understandably, the spy was reluctant to do participate in that. However,
even as much as Gendo thought of people as disposable, even so much more so did
SEELE enforce a Die Slowly And Painfully Clause into those that know of its existence.
He was a convenient tool, nothing more.

The fact that a SEELE member could traipse on about Tokyo 3 without Gendo knowing
about it was disturbing enough. "Hey, if you want to know what NERV is up to, why
don't we... you know... just break into -NERV-?"

"Ah, but NERV is just a front for that interesting little family drama that is the Ikari
Primetime Show." Kaworu replied cheerily. "If you want to know what Gendo is planning
then you need not look any further than his son. I'm sure it will involve him sooner or
later. Everyone else is just incidental to the issue."

"... you're insane, you know that?"

"Am I?"

"Yes, you are."

"Am I really?"

"Yes, you are."

Kaworu shrugged. "I guess I am crazy, then." He gave Kaji another secretive grin. "It's
nothing more than what Tokyo 3 demands. Come on, Mister Ryoji. Let's go to work."

"Tch." The spy flicked his cigarette away and clenched his fists. Taking orders from a
kid; the world was getting stranger by the minute. Not that Asuka was never bossy,
or that Shinji wasn't just... creepy in his own way, but the pale-haired teen had all the
signs of a developing murder artist. Helping the kid break into Misato's home? Not a
good feeling.

Disguised in well-meaning questions were all the threats that she would be harmed
anyway, if he failed to live up to his obligations. Kaworu would hardly hesitate. After
all, she was also very important to the younger Ikari. Kaji was in the business long
enough to know that no amount of vengeance can bring someone back.

"What about the guards and security cameras?" he asked. "We might get in on the
premise that I'm visiting Misato or Asuka, but staying too long when we know they're
not there will be suspicious."

"Do not worry about those, today. That problem's already been... handled." They were
waiting at an intersection for the pedestrian light to turn green. Kaworu seemed far
too relaxed that day, as if to say; surely you don't think I'm here -alone-, do you?

Kaji glanced aside meaningfully.

"Not permanently." the Angel hybrid added. "We don't want to leave any trace of our
presence."

Green. "Let just get this over with." Sometimes I think I'm just too damn curious for
my own good.

-o-

They simply walked in. The place seemed empty. The building security guards were
conspicuous absent, but then Tokyo-3 was a city that relied heavily on electronic
forms of surveillance and protection. Very few, other than elected officials, were paid
to just stand around in the off chance something important might happen.

The Katsuragi apartment was barely more than unsecured, despite the importance of
its occupants. The lock was very basic, and Kaji had no difficulty picking it open.
Kaworu pulled at the door slowly and stared into the apartment. 'So, this is Ikari's
castle.' he thought. In many ways, it was more forbidding than stepping into Lillith's
shell. The geofront was but a fading echo of an earlier age; and it was these lillim that
made new gods to walk the Earth.

"What are you, a vampire or something?" Kaji snarked, while looking nervously around
the empty hallway. "Just go on in so we can get this done already."

Kaworu chuckled briefly. "Apologies, mister Ryouji." He put one foot in. That was one
small step for a hybrid, one giant leap for Angelkind. He entered into the home. It was
so ridiculously simple; he thought. Just leave a bomb and the way would be clear. It
was all too easy, for they had not expected the enemy to wear the same form. Facing
young Ikari headon was a futile effort, but there were many indirect means of attack.
Lillim and their murderous ways; more dangerous to themselves than anything else.

Except, he did not feel that would solve any of his problems. If anything, that should
only make it worse; for only the role of the disciple is really necessary.

It was a modest place, but surprising. Kaji whistled as he poked his head through the
door. Misato had never struck him as the sort of person with an eye for style; other
than her own innate charm. It was all too clean, and the various furnishings were
tasteful without being expensive. The arrangement of the furniture and wall decor
seemed strange. Was that Feng Shui?

Kaworu frowned the further he got into the home. The air felt itchy. Logically, he
knew that he shouldn't feel too unwelcome. The young Ikari didn't have any special
powers outside of his nigh unstoppable Evangelion, and that strange symbiosis that
Kaworu could discern off the other Angel hybrid. Impossibly even Shinji, human by
all measure, was starting to ping off his own 'Angel radar'. The reverse might apply.

He needed to be careful. Kaworu Nagisa had ever been injured only once, and that
was from undestimating the stubborn cunning of weak humans.

He knew how the other thought; power easily gained is also easily taken away. It was
that which made him formidable. His power was within the faith of those that followed
him, not in relics or clever devices.

Still, it all felt stifling. Someday, they would need to meet face to face. On that day,
Kaworu needed to be the strongest he would ever be.

"Wark!"

Both intruders turned to see Pen-pen waddling over from behind the kitchen counters.
The penguin stared up at them with darkly hostile eyes. He turned away from Kaji, as
if dismissing him as unimportant, and focused on Kaworu. Pen-pen moved closer to bar
their path. He exchanged glares with the half-Angel. Long claws at the tips of his wings
twitched.

Kaworu kicked out with his right foot, and punted Pen-pen into a wall. "Wraak!" the
penguin screeched as his weight left the floor. A small and unseen flash of light shone
at the point of contact. Pen-pen slapped onto the separating boards, right under a
painting of sailboats, and slid down unconscious.

Kaworu smirked. Kaji shoved at his shoulder, making the teen face him and grabbed at
his shirt. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" the spy shouted to his face.

"That guardian animal could have been troublesome." was the calm reply. "It should be
just unconscious, no need to worry."

"What about not leaving a trace of our presence? You just kicked a penguin! Misato's
penguin!" He paused and looked at the slumped mass of black and white feathers. "It's
a penguin!" He had to drive that point in. What's the worst it could do? Peck at their
ankles so they would slowly bleed to death? "What's -wrong- with you?"

"It's just an animal, mister Ryouji. What would you risk for an animal? Better now that
it's out of our way now, than following along as we inspect this place. Go and set your
devices now, while no one can see where you may decide to place them." The pale-
haired teen unclasped Kaji's fingers with deceptive strength and ease. "It isn't dead.
It's not as if I'm going around killing kittens for no reason.

Do not bother me with trifles like this again."

"Boy... you better watch what you say. You don't want to see me pissed off."

"You are Kaji Ryouji. You met Misato Katsuragi while in college. However, this was not
due to coincidence. Her father was your mentor, and you felt you had a responsibility
somehow to look after her. You are a special inspector for NERV and the UN now, but
playing each side against the other. People don't trust you, mister Ryouji. Not her.
Not anyone.

And it's easy to see why. Over all that time, there were very few that you actually
trusted in return. They don't believe you know know the meaning of loyalty.

The only person that you concern yourself about is Misato Katsuragi. She told you to
let go, and you did. She is too important to you. You don't have anyone else alive
whom you believe would care if you disappeared. Believe me, mister Ryouji. Having me
pissed off is far worse than your little tantrums."

"Touch her and I'll kill you."

"Kill me and she dies slowly. To be frank, right now I do not even need to -harm- her.
All I need to do is to tell her just what you've been up to in the years you while you
were separate."

Kaji flinched, and lost that round. "Having little horrors like you makes me trust SEELE
less and less..."

"Did you really trust SEELE, ever?" Kaworu shrugged heavily and turned away. "What
we do is unpleasant, but must be done." He ran a hand across the dining table, in a
strangely coy motion. "I can -help- you, mister Ryouji..."

"Help? Hah. Yeah, right. Your Greater Good isn't much good at all if you need to use
threats just to get your way. The only difference between you and Gendo is that the
bastard isn't even -that- much of a hypocrite."

"All must serve the Greater Good in their own way. It is the only logical option. There
is no room for neutrality here." He thumped at the wood, like asking for good luck.
"Heroes should be unnecessary and martyrs a waste of potential. Threats stand to be
far more limited in scope than the stupidity they seek to prevent. And mister Ryouji...
I do not ask for much."

"I know how this goes. Bankers shoving credit cards look so reasonable and helpful,
until the interest starts piling up." The spy rummaged around in his pockets for another
cigarette, but didn't light it. "What's your deal? That kind of strong-arm protection, I
don't need."

"There is a reason your 'business' is called 'tradecraft', mister Ryouji. Think of it as a
system of equitable exchange. This is Tokyo 3. This is Ikari's land. None other than us
have the power and the resources to protect her from whatever plans he has. I would
have you remember, that the Evangelions would be nothing without our support."

"Ah. But who's going to protect her from -you-?"

Kaworu smirked. "Think about this. SEELE established NERV to prevent the Angels from
initiating Third Impact. Others are only offshoots to this idea. You are but one man.
We are Legion, and the masters of this fouled earth, and for a small service we will
grant you what you so want. Do you see the logic? Reason dictates that only we can
properly serve the Greater Good. Only with us, can you prevail. Only we can change
this world for the better."

Kaji was silent. Kaworu had neglected to mention that one can be logical, and yet still
so very wrong. One merely had to be fed false data.

He took out a pocket camera. "We have a job to do, mister Ryouji. Let us be done with
it so we will not need to suffer any more of each other's company."

Kaji grunted and went for Misato's room. Gendo and NERV hadn't bugged the Katsuragi
apartment for the simple reason that all those within were intentionally being kept in
ignorance of the larger picture. Kaworu snapped picture after picture of the trim and
well-maintained apartment.

Kaworu went over to a door, marked 'Shinji's Lovely Suite' in Misato's ironic writing. He
hesitated there, and only after what seemed to be a supreme expression of will did he
slide that door open.

He didn't know what to expect. Prophecies were human inventions. Religion was as
much a reflection of a certain people than as a system of beliefs. Such human notions
tended to be self-perpetuating, immaterial ideas as the only thing in perpetual motion.
The human half of him also -needed- to feed upon that legend. Shinji Ikari had to be
larger than life, for the defeat of his siblings in that way was a death notable even in
its failure. Epic failure was epic nonetheless; and eternity was the cloak of the Angels.

He sighed as he saw the compact neatness of Shinji's room. A single bed, a single
fauxwood study table, a single study lamp, one cello case. The only things that Shinji
had in multiples were books, pens and notebooks. It was all so sparse, monastic even.
For all his tendency to bestow lavish gifts upon those he loved, he spent very little for
his own comfort.

Kaworu stayed in the penthouse suite of a hotel. SEELE was unimaginably wealthy,
might as well take advantage of that while he still could. In such lavish surroundings
did the Angel pursue his plans. He played the part of a spoiled, unattended heir well.
He had also managed to impress Asuka by a 'simple' date in that hotel restaurant.
In the past few months they had known each other, in spaced meetings made more
precious by their uncertainty, he enticed her well.

It was all about deception. Like the pilot, and he himself, hiding the truth of their
power. Poking around Tokyo 3 had revealed just how many vines the younger Ikari
had strangling around the city. Kaworu spent more time trying to uncover the subtle
movements of the son, rather than the overy ominous designs of the father. SEELE
could wait. In the end, manipulations... stolen, undeserved power would fade away,
and only the one with a floating soul would matter.

He stepped into the room.

He felt a strange tingling. He looked around, and saw on the study table four plastic
figures. His eyes widened in surprise.

The half-Angel pulled out the chair and sat down facing the four. He absently ran his
fingers over Shinji's neat assortment of schoolbooks. School. Homework. Kaworu grit
his teeth; even such simple things were denied him. He was born with full awareness
of what he was, and was by all definitions; a genius. That was what SEELE wanted,
there was no choice in the matter. They had tried to raise him as their tool.

'So. As I feared, he has them now.' He stood over the four figurines and studied them.
'Just plastic and paint. Yet... these also carry the expressions of his soul, and should
bear the shadow of his existence.' Anger welled up from within. He too, had been so
lonely. Whatever how other Children had suffered, he believed he had endured greater.

However alone Shinji and Rei could have been, his was much more so. The old men
did not want an controllable Eva pilot. They wanted an Angel bound to their will; and
got it. The moment he unsealed his AT-field, he felt it - that great hollow within, that
great wrongess. The urge to recover Adam was absolute. He would do anything, to
rid himself of that.

As but a child, Rei died her first death. As but a child, he killed his first man. SEELE
wanted an absolutely unstoppable and untraceable assassin. They found it in him and
his AT-field. For Adam, he would do what they wanted. For the Greater Good...

Plastic things. He did not know toys. They had tried to get him attached to surrogate
parents. He killed them for their deceit. Unlike Rei, who was the soul of patience, his
every moment ached to return to Adam. More Angel than human, yet trapped in his
own flesh. He knew SEELE, even as Rei was privy to Gendo's plans. He knew each of
them, for he had served each in many disgusting ways.

Angels had no need to ask Why. The imperative was enough. Just to feel Adam nearby
was enough. He, who was tainted by the doubts of man, screamed out into the night
why he had to suffer so.

Deep in the ruins of London, after having chased down the former Number 12 of SEELE,
he found a caseful of the Greater Good. The other materials of the setting were there,
but lacking figures. He had read the works of man, understood their science, and held
it all in contempt. Yet that one... paper, ink, and plastic... it seemed to reach into his
soul.

The printing date he saw implied it either was finished in a hurry, or... Angels did not
believe in destiny. But they knew that their reality was at best, subjective.

"I wonder... is it possible? Can I believe I already know Shinji Ikari that much? Is my
hate enough?' He didn't know what to feel when Sachiel was killed. Stuck between
Man and Angel, holding the shattered remains of Adam's soul... he could only hope
that the others proved stronger than he.

Stronger, perhaps. But not wiser. He sought out Shamsel, who rebuffed him. That
other Angel saw him as even like the Evangelion, a twisted mockery of truth.

Shamsel died.

Ramiel was confident in its form. When an Angel dies, its soul dispersed into the others
that remained. Power was not transferred, but some knowledge and instincts. The last
moments, the final primal emotions of its life - that was what all others recieved, no
matter where in the world they slept.

Kaworu remembered the fear. He screamed awake, in his suite in Imperial Hotel Berlin.
That soul. Not like a Lillim. Not like an Angel. That was when he started to research
Shinji Ikari. Again, he touched the spines of the pilot's schoolbooks. Everything so far
pointed to the mundane. There was no reason for that power. It seemed undeserved.
Yet the moment he saw the other's picture... he knew. Those eyes, seeing through
the illusions of time and free will. Kaworu knew that he had seen his equal at last.

Adam's ancient memories whispered; here is the Destroyer.

Gaghiel sensed Adam's movement. It acted on its own.

Gaghiel died too.

Israfael had sought him out. It asked for his advice. Kaworu knew what he had to do.
Shinji Ikari must die; only one could be the Messiah. Kaworu knew where is loyalties
lay, and it wasn't with the small mortals. But one could learn from them. They were
the masters of the world.

Israfael, dead.

Sandalphon was desperate. It had searched out the other Angels, but they were in
hiding. Only one Angel may reach Adam; and whomever does would recieve its power.
It could not be shared. This was etched into their very DNA, to ensure that only the
strongest would become the new Adam and perpetuate their Race into the stars. He
was inspecting NERV China then, when out of the surf that Angel appeared to try and
nearly kill him; to compress him into an embryonic form as an attack that could pierce
through any AT-field.

Kaworu defeated the other easily, and taught the beast about strategy.

Sandalphon, dead.

He closed his eyes and listened. The winds outside. The crickets in midafternoon. The
distant roars of the main road. He opened his being to the possibilities. While he hated
young Ikari he also yearned to know him. In another time they could have been friends.
However, such power if left unchecked would only doom all. Adam's release and then
subsequent loss of power... did these Lillim believe all that would just fade into the
cold of space? The light of the soul was more than that.

Kaworu opened his eyes again. Sunshine had faded, falling onto the room in strips of
smoky shine. He brought his attention to the conceptual advisors of young Ikari.

'GET OUT!' he heard a female voice command in his mind. 'You have no place here!
Leave! NOW!'

'Ah, the Farseer.' he heard a distant familiar voice. 'How far do you see, ancient one?
Too far. Look too high to the night sky and stumble upon the pebbles in your path.'

Kaworu lightly touched the tip of the Eldar's helmet, and heard her scream. 'Your time
is done. Accept it and begone.' he said.

The scream intensified, and faded off into nothingness.

And his mind suddenly exploded with the possibilities. He began to hear the others
clearly. It did not matter if they were real or not, if they had actual identities or were
just manifestations of a disturbed mind. Kozo Fuyutsuki was a professor in metaphysics
and to him; a soul was a persistent form of identity. One could either believe it power
or the inevitable understanding of quantum physics upon the universe. Kaworu was an
Angel; impure and fallen - where once he was ALL soul he was trapped into the flawed
constraints of flesh.

'RAAAAAGH! STOMPS YOU! STOMPS YA GOOD!' he heard the greenskin roar. 'GRAAAH!
NEEDS! TA! -MOVE!-'

'I know you! Foul xeno, I -know- you!' bellowed the Space Marine. 'You dare defile this
sanctuary with your presence? By the light of the Emperor! Be -cleansed- in purifying
flame!'

Strangely, the Chaos Marine was silent. The tiny figure seemed to stand implacable,
staring up at the much bigger being in front of him.

'These are the thoughts in Ikari's mind. So like a lillim. So limited. So self-contradictory.
And at the same time, infinite in its potential.' The light of the soul leaves a wake, that
could not be detected with mere instruments. What was his identity? Each cell knows
not of the whole it creates. Plastic as composed of the same subatomic particles that
could make flesh. Life, was more than just matter. That was how Angels could live and
make decisions even when in just viral form.

Kaworu dimly remembered Adam's true power. Ritsuko had said that they were made of
material which had the properties of both wave and particle. Angels were all merely
realized -potential-. They were ghosts and miracles of themselves.

He turned to the figurines, and reached out to them. The concepts did not reside in
mere plastic, but in Shinji's mind. Only a Lillim could be so obstuse as to not know
what his own mind was doing. Angels did not have a conscious or a subconscious.

'Ah, Shinji Ikari.' thought Kaworu. 'If we could meet, if we did not need to see each
other's deaths... I would tell you about a boy that tried to know everything. A boy
born with the awareness of a being vast and endless, a boy who saw the injustice in
everything he saw. There was no being in this vast world that could call me friend...
until I found these relics. Do we have that much in common? I believe so. I believe we
could call each other friend... if only our potentials did not naturally leech from each
other.

There is no Justice, Ikari. Your kind usurped our home. Yet in the Greater Good, that
might perhaps be to our benefit. It will be ours again, not for revenge or for malice,
but because we are ones worthy of all that power. We were all in each our own way
Little Gods, and now you as well. But that is not enough. Our Mother was a sacrifice
for our own destiny. Like you, there is no hope for us but victory.'

'Worthy?' crooned the Thousand Son. 'Power that flows only from WITHIN. How much
more CRIPPLED can you be?'

Kaworu visualized it in his mind; these strange figures standing as monoliths to their
ideals. All different expressions of life itself. In countless eras, it always boiled down
to each different philosophy. 'Alone. I was so alone. Cut off from the others of my
kind, my soul bound to one form. I cannot imagine how you Lillim can bear this. Just
as you cannot imagine just how immeasurably grand it is to be one of us.'

'Souls forever locked in the material plane. I, even with the EYE of Tzeentch, cannot
conceiveof a more pitiful existence. The Bright Lord is the KEY to the universe, and he
will FREE it from the forgotten war that still rages in the heavens. Neither of Adam nor
Lillith; we are the masters of our own destiny. We are born of his soul, and even as
we converse, you know...'

'His presence fills us.' said the Space Marine. 'He is with us, always, even as -we- are
with him. We live not here, in these material shells, but in the vast expanse of his mind.'

'This is what you FEAR, little god. He is the warp. He is change itself. That is our way,
the yearnings of mortality. We creatures separate and small change the universe to
suit ourselves. We shall SPIRAL out into infinity, and erase your kind from existence.'

'It's gonna be da WAAAAGH! ta end ALL WAAAGH!s, lessen he finds out a way ta gets
us annoder yuuniverse ta stomps around in.'

He did not wonder about how it was possible. Where the knowledge came from. Adam
was ancient beyond ancient, for even as it seeded a world it sent another made in its
image outwards to continue the task. The memories, the souls... so much so that the
Endless Shaper in its incarnations no longer seemed self-aware; having seen and felt
and destroyed so many in its journey. Kaworu held the confidence common to his kind.
He knew, deep in his being, that theirs was a success. They were winning the war in
the heavens.

The lingering glow of Shinji's soul glimmered, fading slowly. It would return, in the
proper time, but now he knew that specific essence. Know the enemy, know thyself,
and the battle was all but won.

-o-

The screen door slid open. "Hey." said Kaji.

"Gah!" yelped Kaworu, in a rare loss of composure. He turned, glaring at the spy for his
interruption. "Why do you disturb me, inspector Ryouji?'

Kaji merely smirked in return. "Well, I'm done with my inspection. So... no. No secret
documents, no hidden spy cameras, no recorders. I did inject the monitoring virus into
Misato's computer." He jerked a thumb back. "So. We go?"

"Yes. I too am done with my observations." Kaworu Nagisa turned away from the table.
Kaji noticed the things obscured by his back.

"Toys?" He stepped closer to see. "... heh. I remember playing with Gunpla when I was
younger. What are these?" He blinked. "Hey, is that a chainsword?"

Kaworu touched the head of each. "Intolerance." of the Space Marine. "Arrogance." of
the Eldar. "Avarice." of the Chaos Marine. "Murder." of the Warboss. "I find it intriguing
why so many are so absorbed by such notions..."

"What's a good story without conflict?" Kaji replied, shrugging. He remembered Gundam.
"Perfect people just don't seem real. It's more than just cool explosions, you know. It's
also about getting past those, and the hero triumphing after suffering and learning all
that he needed."

"It seems such a needless waste of time. Some of those plot-induced lessons are just
so obvious."

"Hey, people aren't born perfect. Sometimes we just need a good slap to the face to
wise up."

Kaworu sniffed. "Indeed." He saw Kaji looked entirely too serious. "You... did not bring
back a souvenir from Katsuragi-san's drawers, did you?"

"What? No, of course not." Though he was really tempted to. In the end he stuck a
camera over her bed.

"Then, Sohryu?"

He winced. "Oh, gods, no! Asuka... she's a good kid, but really! Though she has been
a lot less clingly lately. Maybe Shinji's getting to her, after all." He rubbed his chin and
gave out a 'hmm'.

Kaworu chose not to enlighten him about how he had more to do with that. He looked
at the room one last time and turned to go.

"What about you? You were alone in this room for a long time."

The SEELE Angel squinted aside. "Just what are you implying?" he asked in a low tone.
"I would advise you to choose your words carefully, as well. Although..." he paused
and looked up. "I suppose Shinji Ikari is... very compelling in many ways." He blinked.
"But no."

Kaji made a face. "Let's just get out of here." Working alongside the boy... he was just
getting creepier by the minute.

-o-
-o-

The day passed into afternoon and towards sunset. The tour group took a refreshment
break, while the pilots prepared their Evas. Asuka waited outside in her Unit Two, and
sweltering from the heat. The plug was deep inside and cooled appropriately, but she
couldn't enter her Eva without intinctively reaching for a nominal level of sync. That
much she needed to at least look around, to percieve with its senses.

She looked around. The place was empty, due to the heat radiating off the pavement.
Everything seemed misty. "This bites." she said out loud. "Wonder Girl gets a new gun,
and baka Shinji gets a whole new set of gear. Don't I get anything?"

"Was it not you who lengthily insulted pilot Ikari, the JSSDF, and most of Japanese
culture over a public broadcast channel, pilot Sohryu?"

"Hah!" Misato's voice laid over Rei's radio link. "Sorry, Asuka, but it's surprising that
they're even so civil so far." Though she did find the bit about Girl's Day funny. How
Asuka knew about Ranma Saotome was a mystery.

"That's not fair!"

"Completely." the Operations Director replied further, grinning back at NNHIS/Trident
employee cafeteria. She sipped at her orange juice and let the sound of clinking ice
cubes carry over the link. Almost everyone else was under a large shady tent, with
buckets of cold drinks available for free. "Life isn't fair. Deal with it."

Eva Unit Two stamped its foot angrily. "How long do I have to stay out here?"

"Not sure. Hold on... hey, Maya! How much longer until they finish putting on the Type
T equipment?"

The lieutenant spoke to her headset, asking Ritsuko who was within the hangar. "Only
a few more minutes, Misato-sempai." she replied. The screen of her laptop flicked back
to the simulation data sent by the JSSDF. She giggled in anticipation of loading that
into the MAGI.

"This is unfair..." Asuka said again.

Shinji heard that, and the understated pain in the other pilot's tone. She felt neglected
and unappreciated. Asuka deserved better than that, from him. He opened up another
outgoing channel.

"Tokita-san!" said Shinji, as a small window opened up in the plug interface.

"Yes, Ikari-san?" replied the project director. He was looking up at the Eva, and to one
of the external cameras on the Titan exoframe. "Any problems with the connections?"

"No, not really. I do feel slightly cold, but that might be from the additional coolant
being pumped around the torso." There was something else, like at the edge of his
peripheral vision... but always fleeing as soon as he turns. That unidentifiable feeling,
he couldn't say. It wasn't the danger sense, that also felt different.

"It should go away when the batteries engage. It would be too dangerous to test the
reactor while in this first trial run." the man replied, really having learned from the Jet
Alone fiasco. Don't try too much too fast. Step by step, until you reach the conclusion
you desire. That this was Shinji's very own doctrine only meant well for both. "It isn't
too heavy?"

"No. The Evangelion can handle it. I'm not sure to what degree it will slow me down
in combat, but then this is why we try." He paused for a few moments. "But that's not
what I wanted to ask. Don't you have something for Asuka?"

"Ah... that." Presenter Tokita moved away from the view to talk to a nearby engineer.
After some time, we turned back to the screen. "Yes, we finished that. The device
has its own internal battery, but there's also an optional power feed to the Eva. That
isn't done yet..."

"But does it work? Is the battery installed?"

"Yes, sure. It's ready to go."

"Then I'd appreciate it if you showed it to Asuka."

Shiro Tokita nodded. "All right." At the very least, that was one more thing he could
explain/brag about. He moved away, and Shinji closed the link. The project director
went over to relay instructions.

-o-

Asuka saw the Trident land dreadnought emerge from the hangar, dragging a large box
behind it. The stumpy war machine went over towards her, and stopped right in front
of the Eva. Magnetic clamps disengaged and were rolled back under the Dreadnought's
primary armor.

"All right, Sohryu-san..." said Mana, sitting leaned back on her command chair. "Here's
a present for you too. You may stop whining now."

"What's that?" The Eva leaned over to poke at the war machine. "You want to start
something, shorty?"

A smaller video window opened up, showing Musashi's face. "Don't underestimate us!
If we were allowed to, we'd kick your ass!" He still hadn't gotten over how easily and
thoroughly she would beat him at every athletic pursuit.

Keita's own comm window. "Look, everything here's already too expensive as it is.
Please don't aggravate things further. Let's not have to repair things before we even
face a true combat scenario." He sighed. "I apologize for my teammates, Sohryu-san.
Please, see what we have here."

"Why are you taking sides with that bi-"

Keita hastily pushed a button. Silence, fortunately. The Dreadnought stood silent, as
its occupants bickered within. After a while, the red Eva made a shrug and moved past
towards the large metal crate.

It opened the container. Asuka gasped at what she saw within. "What... is this?"

"Ah, Miss Sohryu - this is something made specifically for you. While it is acknowledged
that the four eyes of your Eva make for greater accuracy and positional judgement, it
is in close combat that you really shine. I'm not maligning the Prog Knives that NERV
issues to you; but there are still so many other options available."

"Where are you?" he asked of the overenthusiastic Tokita.

"Look down. Near your left foot." Indeed, there on a small truck, the project director
was speaking into the radio.

"... shouldn't you be helping Shinji with his new stuff?"

"Bah, I'm no engineer. I've already done everything I should have done there." He then
pointed up and aside to the crate. "Please, pick it up."

Asuka reached into the crate. The presenter continued. "Even in close combat, range
is important. You know of the chainsword, a very... respected... close combat weapon
for the Evangelions.

However, even that isn't a perfect. It is awesome, true, but its utility is hampered by
the difficulty of making sure you don't slice your own limbs off while using it. It has a
guard on only one side, with the ripping blade held outwards. It's a weapon of pure
attack. You can only parry with the back of the chainsword, with the relatively thin
metal casing. I'd even go far as to say; you really -shouldn't- even try to parry with a
chainsword; bladeside or guard.

This, however..."

The red Evangelon brought out a great Eva-sized axe, painted red in its own colors.
Its edge was a series of ripping prog blades. Asuka turned a latch, and it roared into
furious activity.

"Evangelion CCW2-CA, IN HIS name, THE MIGHTY CHAINAXE!" shouted the project
director. "Now this, is a weapon with devastating attack while allowing for a measure
of defense. The flat sides are thick metal, and can be used to block. Look there, even
if the prog bits fail, the cutting face of the Chainaxe still has two sharpened edges to
bite into the enemy."

Asuka took an experimental swing. It was heavier, yes. Slower. Also, that much more
additional force with each blow. The cutting blades were always away from the weilder
and so such a terrible weapon was actually safer to use. It was convenient perhaps,
as a berserker barely had any attention to spare for anything other that eviscerating
the enemy.

"This is great!" whooped Asuka, slashing wildly. "Wow...! I like it! I really like it!"

Winds passed over the truck below, engulfed entirely by the massive shadow of that
weapon. Shiro Tokita laughed nervously. "We are pleased to hear that, pilot Sohryu.
We of IN HIS technologies live to serve." He then whispered to the driver. "Get us out
of here, now."

The truck hastily sped away back into the hangars, and far from the overexcited red-
haired girl.

"This is great!" Asuka cried out again. "I can't wait to try this out against Shinji."

"...how ungrateful can you get...?" drifted across the open radio link.

The Evangelion turned towards the Dreadnought, standing there jutting its hips out
contemptously (or as far is it was able to, which wasn't much). "What did you say?"
asked Asuka, her voice shrill. Holding a chainaxe... she felt so tall. So mighty. In fact,
it might even be said; high. "You have the guts now that I'm paying attention?"

"Then let me say it again..." Mana replied in a deliberate tones. She pulled on her new
gold-trimmed greatcap, and grinned out a bit. Her co-pilots were shaking their heads
and waving their arms about, trying to get her to stop. "You're an ungrateful little
princess. Shinji Ikari asked of that specifically for you, he even designed the form...
and what do you want to do as soon as you get it? You want to use it against him!
How much more self-serving can you get? It's like you can't be strong without pulling
down everyone around you!

You're -weak-, Asuka Langley-Sohryu!" You don't deserve him!

"You bitch! How dare you?" Asuka knew how much she'd suffered for the sake of the
Eva. For these of the JSSDF, getting too ahead of themselves, it was unforgivable!
"What do you know? You and all your useless arrogance, too! I'm the one fighting
against the Angels! I'm the one who endures all that pain to win! How dare you?

I'll carve you up!" How dare YOU? You don't know! You're no great prize either!

An ominous humm rose from the Dreadnought. "Do not preach to -Magnos Tancred-
about pain." Mana Kirishima said in a flat, remorseless tone. "Do you think we do not
know about pain? You're not the only one who can fight for humanity, Sohryu! Don't
think you're all that!" Without Ikari Shinji, we would have nothing! How DARE YOU
insult him, and his goodwill?

The chainaxe roared. The Evangelion's eyes flashed angrily. A thick plume of flame
erupted from within the Dreadnought's clawed left arm and its six-barrel megabolter
whined to a ready state.

"Hey! HEY!" Misato shouted into the comm channel. "We're supposed to be allies here.
We're supposed to be FRIENDS!"

"Friends?" retorted Asuka. "I'll never be friends with this arschkriecher!" However, she
was grinning. She just -thrived- in an atmosphere of competition. Things were getting
too boring and predictable back at Tokyo 3.

Spanish was a lovely language, whose beauty some say may even be magnified when
you don't know what it is you're really hearing. As an army brat, Mana Kirishima knew
it well, but for a different reason in the convenience of that tongue.

"Besa mi culo, puta!" she shot back.

"RIP AND TEAR!" Asuka shouted. "RIP AND TEAR!"

"GIVE ME FULL POWER!" Mana shouted, standing up and pointing out. "GLORY TO THE
FIRST MAN TO DIE!"

"Ooh..." Misato began to rub at her head. "Now I understand what just Ritsuko goes
through." She looked around at all the amused faces of everyone else and gripped at
the hand radio until the plastic began to crack. Don't they realize how serious it was?
It wasn't more than just girls circling each other for a slapdown. Those were deadly
war machines over there...! Such a break in discipline CANNOT be tolerated!

Misato turned to the generals, giving them a 'Shouldn't you be doing something about
this?' look.

They responded with a 'We're old men; what do you expect us to do about jealous
teenage girls? No, we're not that crazy or senile, thank you.' Misato was a woman.
They trusted her judgement in such matters.

"BOTH OF STAND DOWN! SHUT UP! THIS IS A -DIRECT ORDER- AND THERE -WILL- BE
CONSEQUENCES!" Indeed, later. As soon as she thought of something suitably slow
and humiliating.

The girls obeyed the first. The second; not so much. They continued hurling expletives
at each other.

Ritsuko arrived after some time. She first checked on Maya's tech readouts, and only
then noticed Misato's face twitching face. "What's wrong with you now?"

The purple-haired woman pointed out - towards the strange sight of the Eva and a
Dreadnought pacing and squaring off against each other, as if liable to plunge into a
breakdance duel at any given moment. It was made doubly amusing by the sheer
sheer size disparity between the two; stumpy, dwarvish against tall and spindly. She
held up the radiophone.

Ritsuko's lips twitched at hearing what's being batted about. She could understand
both languages.

"Do they even know what each other is saying...?" Misato asked.

"At this point... I'd say not. But does it matter?"

Misato groaned. "Why do we need these children again? Why should we even take this
headache? Oh, right. Or the world will end. Ungh. Life sucks." She slumped forwards,
putting her face to the table. She turned her head to the side to stare up at her old
friend. "So... what about Shinji-kun?"

"We've finished. Give me the radio." She took it out of Misato's hand and spoke in a
gentle, soothing tone. "Shinji's ready for you now... please be ready for the second
phase of the Evangelion proprietary weapons tests."

The two large mecha paused, and turned towards the mammoth sliding doors of a
hangar. Everyone in the mobile cafeteria also went out for a better look. The doors
slid open with grinding slowness. A vague shape was all they could see.

One step. Whumph.

Something gargantuan, seemingly hunched over, slowly emerged. Another step.

Whump.

The ground shook with every footfall. Such was its scale and its promise of pitiless
power. It was no longer an Evangelion. It was not a Titan. It was something both and
neither; and powerful beyond reason.

Titanicus! -Principio Eternus!-

It roared. The sound filled the air, sending even the aluminium walls to shaking. While
everyone knew that the Titan modules were merely worn over the Eva's normal armor,
it seemed as if the beast was now complete. Like it could never be anything else than
that magnificent, almost godly might. Its armor was thick and forbidding, its guns the
biggest and baddest there was. The winged skull shone under the sun. It retained the
colors of the Eva, in purple and green; but in muted, deathly shades.

The Titan, godslayer, walked past. Everyone on the ground shielded their faces, and
the tarp of the cafeteria tent snapped briskly. So massive was its armored form that
it created air currents with its every step.

"Holy shit...!" muttered Misato, looking up with nearly religious awe in her eyes. "We're
gonna win."

The technicians, the designers, the administrators... everyone who had ever worked
on the thing; were far less resistant. It took all their strength just not to bow, from
that overpowering feeling of both fear and awe plunging deep into their souls. Maya
clapped her hands together, to make a small prayer.

"I don't know. It is impressive" said Ritsuko. "I think the colors are a bit garish, though."

Misato looked at her as if she was crazy. The scientist gave back a twisted smile. Of
Evangelions; artificial humans wearing armor that had artificial muscles that should
improve even their own brute strength; mobile fusion reactors; and... is he trying to
lighten the load by pushing up with his AT-field? Is that antigravity... or just lift? Eh.

She chuckled. "I suppose I'm just getting used to this." How any of those little blue
pills did she take again? Six? Eight? Twelve? Ritsuko made a mental note; as a doctor
she could write her own prescription. However, best to let Maya regulate that. One
harmful addiction was enough.

On the other had, one Ikari-induced headache was already too much.

The generals were less generous in their impressions. Gen. Minawa winced at the very
sight. He was getting too old for that sort of thing to affect him. "You do realize you
just gave Shinji Ikari the means to flatten ALL OF JAPAN if he wants, right?"

"Fifteen hours." General Asagiri shuddered. "It was bad enough when he simulated our
total defeat in just under one hour. We'd have to use nukes now. All our nukes. And
would there even be a Japan after it's all done?"

"I hope your trust in the boy isn't misplaced." continued the stooping Minawa, whose
hands were shaking as he held his cane. It was too late to turn back. They had all
locked themselves into one course of action. He was going blind, but blind faith was
something he did not accept so easily.

"Believe. Not in me, who believes in him. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.
Does it really feel like we're putting our hopes into a hollow container? I trust young
Ikari. In helping him, we're as much fighting for everyone else.

Now we just have to ensure the elder Ikari doesn't manipulate this for his own benefit.
It's the Angels that are the enemy, and harming Shinji Ikari should be treason against
the whole human race. Later, we can think strategy." He smirked a bit. "But what can
just one boy do? What does he want?"

-Principio Eternus- roared once more. It -knew- nothing mightier than itself.

"Win. We have to win. The power of man is man in himself." General Kiyosato Akira
finished softly. "We have the tools. We have the will. Now all that's left is to see it
through to the end."

-o-
-o-

The day Shinji Ikari was dreading came to pass. Valentine's Day. In Japan, tradition
was for the girls to give the boys chocolates as a sign of affection. It was a day both
anticipated and feared by teenagers. Many had apprehensions about not having the
courage to make their feelings known or simply not recieving any. Social pressure was
intense, and even more so post-Impact and in Tokyo-3 First Municipal Junior High.
There weren't that many students after all, and everyone knew almost everyone else.

Humiliation was the most common source of teenage angst.

Shinji, feared it for different reasons. Back in his old junior high in Sendai, he was the
only freshman to get chocolates from seniors. Though thin and short in stature, he
was never considered geeky. The day he went into the school he became alpha male
instantly. The yankis and other troublemakers tried, but most were brought down with
just a long stare. There were very very few students that enter high school at the
head of their own private army. His thoughtful, methodical ideals ensured good grades.
His guardians weren't wealthy, but he had a treasure in connections; from the chief
of police, to town mayor, to the actual wealthiest people in town. One couldn't look
into the confidence in his eyes and not think; that this was a boy who would be very
important someday.

The notion was, that even if he was still scrawny, eventually he'd grow up to be the
perfect boyfriend. Kind, attentive, and still capable of kicking ass. Even back then, he
had a 'helping people thing', and the boyz trusted him with their problems. With fore-
sight, with courage, with manipulations, with exuberance - every life he touched was
made brighter somehow. Da Boyz believed in him utterly. As long as it's Da Boss, den
everything's gonna be okay. They believed he knew everything that needed to be
known, and so far hadn't failed them yet. Shinji was so well-read and so used to odd
trains of thought that he didn't notice when he was saying of things he could not
possibly have had any previous idea.

The young teens of course had elder sisters and parents who could see the signs of
that good influence. As such, his opinions slowly began to suffuse through the town
until it almost had the force of law. Not many realized it, of course. What they did
only seemed like a natural change of pace.

He had to eat all those chocolates, as to not insult their respect. They put their hearts
into it, and it was the least he could do to show his thanks. He had to be taken to the
hospital.

There were at least three times as many girls in Tokyo 3 1st Junior High. He still hadn't
figured out what to do as not to seem insulting. He appreciated them, as even fangirls
were people with real emotions and real fears. For the most, that was the furthest
they could go; too afraid to dare any more. All they wanted was some pathetic sliver
of his recognition, and he couldn't deny them that. Not all suffering was so obvious.

Still... what was worse was afterwards; when the ambulance had to take him out of
the school, the fangirls he'd gathered at age were so guilty they flooded his room with
flowers. When they were forbidden that, the front of the hospital started to look like a
shrine; with all those offerings.

"He's not dead yet!" one of the doctors shouted. "Stop making it look like a funeral!"

Which of course only made them even more stricken, as they were bringing off a bad
omen. Eventually he had to mobilize the Boyz to restore order and reason (or the right
and propa).

Ominous feelings were boiling inside the school cafeteria. The air felt heavy. Now and
then a certain chill passed over him, as segments of the student population would
slowly glance over to the center table. Turning away, only to have another section
turn their heads en masse to that direction. Now and then a nervous giggle wafted
through.

The focus of that attention was not, strangely enough, Shinji Ikari. It was directed at
Mana Kirishima, seated there with the 'inner circle'. In less than a month, she had risen
so quickly in the social ranks. 'Pilot a giant robot capable of destroying armies within
minutes to save the world' was the highest possible standing (literally towering above
even magnates or politicians). What was it about Mana Kirishima?

Her two friends sat slumped over, several tables away, alternating between looking
fondly at her and glaring at Shinji. So obviously - by her own merits was she admitted
to their clique. Even Sohryu, who looked annoyed, didn't seem to contest it.

Now 'merit' could be such a... suggestive... word. Kensuke was very enthusiastic, but
two boys with actual military training would just go berserk at any implication against
their beloved Mana. Hikari knew all of this. She had to keep the disgruntled masses
contained, specially before Valentines Day, or the school would just collapse.

Fortunately the colorful cults of Ayanami, Sohryu and Ibuki were ready to offer their...
assistance. Kirishima had to be worthy too, and anything else was an indirect insult
to their own idols.

Not that she wouldn't jump him given half the chance; but there were also defenders
waiting there.

The Kirishima fan club was still germinate, though the color green was decided upon.
A nice, restful color; reflecting her girl-next-door charms. She was such a normal and
likable girl, if prone to spacing out, and as such through her many could vicariously
fulfill their fantasies. However, that same modal appeal could also fuel deeper envy;
if she could have it, why couldn't they? What made her so special, really?

Day by day, Tokyo 3 was getting more and more insane. Shinji smiled a bit. Still, it was
a good kind of insane; of people cutting loose and doing things from the heart. They
were a vibrant generation, even as it might all suddenly end. There was something
about the spectre of death that forced people to enjoy the passing moments of their
lives.

He frowned slightly. Nurgle. Like many of the ways of Chaos, it brought what should
be a good thing to horrific extremes. That was why, given the choice, he made the
decision to side with the Emperor. Good won, because it was Brilliant. Chaos reached
its apex by stealing all that carefully-prepared strength. Shinji despised cheaters.

Given a choice, he made a mental note 'If you need me to be a God, then so be it.'
Considering the ten thousand years of the Imperium afterwards, a little worship would
be a small price to pay; considering that they had to end up worshipping Him anyway
to keep the Imperium together.

But that, as he mused, was besides the point. Surviving tomorrow would be his main
chore. He had his own ideals, and he would not violate them. Good was an object
that was always in motion, seeking a balance lest it twist into something more vicious
than mere shameless evil. His thoughts lately was drifting to such questions of what
he'd take or give up in the name of power.

Taking advantage of his fangirls, for example, would not be just an evil act - but a
pointless act. A wondrous future in exchange for temporary gratification...? Meh. The
real historic harem; he had read up about it, and these were more about political and
socioeconomic power than sex. Now just have no one ask him about wanting a harem
and he wouldn't have to lie...

These girls, he gazed at them fondly, were the ones he could truly trust.

"What are you looking at, baka?" Asuka said, turning her face aside.

"Just you." he said honestly. "You seem... more energetic recently. You have this
happy glow, Asuka. I'm glad to see that." Their happiness was his own, of course.

"We-well, don't think sweet-talking me will help you tomorrow. You're on your own,
buster." She turned to Rei. "Obligatory, dammit! Obligatory! Why do I have to do your
stupid customs anyway...?"

"We still haven't delivered the chainaxe..." Mana said in a sing-song intonation.

"Fine." No more insulting the culture of the people who build the cutting-edge toys for
her Eva. Negative reactions out of the people she'd only just met was more of that
long diatribe against all of Japan than just mouthing off against Shinji. She looked at
him intently; still lost at trying to figure out how he could evoke such loyalty though.
He had no problem with obeying her orders, and freely admitted she was better at
piloting.

That look, pondering, was easily mistaken for fondness.

"Oh to have such problems..." said Toji, theatrically. Seeing all that in anime always
pissed him off. Often of a wussy hero that didn't even deserve all that attention.
"Damn you, Ikari!"

Hikari took a shrimp from his bento, and began eating it with slow deliberate chewing.
She looked up and raised her left eybrow. "Hmm?" she said. "Do you really envy that
situation that much, Toji?" Her mouth twisted down a fraction. "Are you... bored with
me?" she added, her tone so soft and uncertain. "Is there someone else...?"

"No!" the teen quickly replied. "I'm not! I don't mean anything by it, really!"

Hikari smiled, beaming. "Good. Because if it turns out you were doing something like
that and not being honest with me, I will. Make you. Suffer." All he had to do was to
be honest. She was always ready to listen.

"You're all I need, Hikari." His tone was heartfelt. Courage to say what he wanted to
say. Courage to master his desires. That was the strength he'd discovered around
Shinji Ikari.

"Oh you say the nicest things!" The girl blushed and looked away, giggling.

"Now there's a healthy relationship." Kensuke remarked, nodding. Ordinarily he'd be
one of those afraid of being unwanted by women, but he had realized that not only
did he not care... it turns out that he -was- liked. To the fangirls someone in the
Shinji posse was acceptable second prize. It did not harm that he exuded an intensity,
a drive to perfection that he had never shown before. "But still... things could get
really ugly."

The glue holding the different color groups together might melt. It could be one big
battle royale. He would be the guy with the camera. You don't shoot the guy with the
camera.

Hikari calmly and with ladylike poise finished off her lunch. She wiped her mouth with
a napkin. She carefully put away her things on the table.

Then she stood up, stomped her feet on the table, and swung the by-now familiar
Inquisitorial jacket back onto her shoulders. "NOW LISTEN!" she shouted in a tone
that brooked no dissent. "BY SPECIAL ORDER OF THE TOKYO THREE CITY COUNCIL,
NERV OPERATIONS -AND- THE CULTURAL MINISTRY OF JAPAN... SHINJI IKARI SHALL
NOT BE HELD A PARTICIPANT IN THE CULTURAL EVENT COMMONLY KNOWN AS
VALENTINE'S DAY.

Who here wanted to give chocolates?" Most of the girls there raised their hands, a
few boys even. "This means NO. None of you must give him Valentine's Day boxes.
There are a few exceptions to this rule, but it's not necessary to say who..."

An uproar erupted in the mess hall. "Why not?" "That's unfair!" "They can't do that!
It's taking away our basic civil rights!"

Inquisitor Horaki weathered the storm of their complaints. "Think about it. Boxes would
be given by girls that he doesn't know all that well. There's a reason that the pilots
don't accept personal gifts... not just refusing to be bribed or to feel indebted. Any of
those Valentine's Day boxes could be a bomb. Or poisoned. Too many things can go
wrong. This isn't a popularity contest, people."

Mana Kirishima stood up, but only onto the bench. "Shinji Ikari's safety is of vital
concern! Even if it doesn't seem fair... would we really want to risk it? It could be
seen as a form of harrassment too, if we force it through."

The grumblings continued, but they got the point. "Send cards if you have to." added
Hikari, helpfully.

Both girls sat back down. The others in their table applauded.

"Thank you..."

"No big deal, Shinji." replied Hikari. "Sometimes we just don't think; that the things we
take for granted can be frightening things too." She patted his hand, oddly motherly
after just being a wall of willpower. "It must be hard to have such expectations thrust
upon you..."

He winced. Not half as bad as what he expected of himself. He knew just how easily
fame could be turned into infamy. So he must not make a misstep at any point.

And so it was Valentine's Day. Kensuke whooped with joy as he walked out the school
with an armload of brightly-colored boxes. The auto club, computer club, everything
that had to do with machines had him as their unofficial mascot of sorts. There were
more than a few girls in those clubs. His father, who had such fears of his son ending
the family name (either from dying in combat or just refusing to reproduce), would be
very relieved.

"Here you go, guys!" Mana said to her friends, genki as all out. "I just love you guys.
Here's your -obligatory- chocolate."

Musashi seemed to have crashed his personality OS at the l-word. He stood there,
numb and gripping the box tightly. Keita just sighed. "Did you have to stress the word
-obligatory- though...?" But the girl was already skipping off towards Shinji's group.

"I... I LOVE YOU TOO!" Musashi shouted suddenly, his brain rebooting. Unfortunately,
Mana was already away so had the effect of shouting this at Keita's face. Murmurs
and squeals began to rise from around them. The boy, at realizing what he'd done,
promptly crashed his consciousness again; his jaw slack as if screaming out in horror.

Keita palmed his face. "Idiot."

Mana brought out her box of chocolates and bowed deeply. "Please accept this!" she
asked, nearly begging.

"Thank you, Kirishima-san..." he replied gently, and taking it. "I really appreciate it."

"Yeah, yeah..." Asuka muttered aside.

Mana looked up, and saw that Asuka had a white, red-ribboned box in her hands too.
"Is that yours, or did someone give that to you?"

"Hey, I already gave Shinji my OBLIGATORY (this with another hard look at Rei) box
first in the morning. He just gobbled it right up, so greedy." She huffed. At the same
time, also gratified. She'd done the traditional thing and made it herself.

"Then who's -that- for?"

"I understand, with your continued denials of any affection for pilot Ikari." Rei said to
the red-haired girl. "I will accept. But you are supposed to give such things to a male."

"Gah! This isn't for you either!" Asuka held the box away. At that, Mana looked...
intrigued, as that was a part of the pilot group dynamic she hadn't seen before. "Hey,
it's not as if Shinji is the only boy I know...

Do I need your permission, oh Shinji-sama?"

"If it makes you happy, don't let me stop you, Asuka." Again that serene smile. The
girl twitched, holding back her irritation. Trying to make him jealous could only backfire
horribly.

For all his intelligence and personal magnetism though, Shinji was still just a young
teenager, with all the internal confusion that implied. The only thing he feared was his
own heart. In the strangeness of emerging maturity, it was just easier for him to set
that aside and focus on the developing mind. Ignore, ignore; urges and feelings, could
it be better to live as a creature of pure logic?

Asuka had Gendo's peculiar favor within NERV. Unlike Rei, as a distinct personality, she
could never be replaced. Shinji opened his heart to the girl, and now feared both for
and of Asuka. He delighted in seeing her so free, and knowing he couldn't touch that
without putting them both under someone else's control.

Mana then turned to Rei, who had her hands empty. "Ayanami-san, I'm surprised. Did
you already give your chocolate (obligatory or not) to Shinji-?" With a respectful nod
to him; as it was considered impolite to refer to someone as if he wasn't there. The
military, oddly, was full of old-fashioned formality like that despite the radical newness
of their approach. At least she was relaxed enough to cease putting the -san after
his name (though perhaps now herself before bullets).

Meanwhile deep in NERV, Ritsuko contemplated a box of chocolates. "Insanity." said
she. She opened the box and took a bite.

"Tradition dictates that a worthy offering on Valentine's Day be hand-made. Cooking is
a skill that I lack." said Rei. "So I have decided to offer something else instead. It is
also said, in gift-giving, it is the thought that counts..."

"Eeeh?"

"Hey! I call bullshit on that. What's the point of tradition if you're just going to change
it whenever you feel like it?" Asuka retorted. After all the hassle had went through by
being called a foreigner, the nadesico one just decides to up and abandon the task?

Still, because Rei couldn't cook, she wasn't so perfect after all... she just looked the
part. Little things like that made being around the other pilot bearable. Little things like
that also made her all the more irritating. It was also almost sisterly banter, innuendos
aside, and they both liked that. It was harmless contradiction, playing upon their own
separate characters. They had accepted that it would be impossible to change the
other. Friends. It wasn't as if Rei was trying to seduce her... was she?

Her and Mana; now that was more acerbic. Their rivalry was born of a series of
misunderstandings and a similar stubborness in the idea they were the one in the right.
There wasn't the softening effect of being team-mates; Mana was unwilling to defer
to Asuka in the same way Shinji and Rei would obey their team leader. Simply; the
soldier girl wouldn't recognize a civilian's special authority over her outside of combat.

Asuka thought the other pretentious. Mana thought the other arrogant. Too often it
was 'tone' that sparked fierce debate rather than a conflict of factual analysis.

And while they bickered another walked away with the prize...?

"No... no way..." mumbled Mana. She clutched at her hair, and looked down at the
ground as if stupefied. "It's not one of those things..." The image, as seen in manga,
rose to the forefront of her mind. "Something like..."

'Ikari-kun, the truth is... I don't really have a chocolate present for you...' Rei would
say. And perhaps...

'There's something else?' he would say.

'Yes... and that is...' She would pull down on her blouse to expose her shoulder and
hint at her lacy bra. '... ME-.'

Mana pulled at her hair and raised her face to heavens to let out a soundless scream.
She had considered something like that, but had for some reason had passed out in
the middle of speculating over the daring thought.

Unfortunately, Shinji knew exactly what she was thinking about. He looked to Rei, who
alas, had grown quite adept at hiding her thoughts when embarking upon some basic
naughtiness. No help or hope there.

"Hyou!" Toji greeted, approaching them. "You people look like you're having fun."

"Did you get into any trouble today, Shinji-kun?" asked Hikari.

"No, no trouble. Everyone's behaving." He noticed how Hikari and Toji had apparently
switched jackets. Though free to accept others' chocolates, his other admirers were
too afraid to approach an obviously claimed Touji... for no readily discernible reason,
really. To have them expelled or tormented just from that would be of disappointing
pettiness upon Hikari's part. She had authority simply because she wouldn't abuse it.

The jock was carrying a green plastic bag. A large white box bound with red ribbon
was in, and was presumably Hikari's gift. Toji reached into the bag and took out a
small, fist-sized box. "Here, this one's yours."

Silence and deep stares met that statement. "It's from my sister, okay!" he added,
shouting to anyone that might be wondering. "You know, she's still serious about her
marrying you someday..."

Shinji winced. Toji's tone was actually... consenting, if not insistent.

Hikari rummaged around the bag to take out a similar package. "This is from Nozomi.
You're half of whatever she says nowadays." The little girl's crush was tempered at
least by her knowledge that she had to be strong enough to stand with him. Da Boss
don't need no weepy useless bints.

Shinji took them. Three Valentine's day chocolates; two from little girls and one from
someone he already liked. They were the obvious exemptions. It was a good plan.

The group began to walk to the front gate, having banal conversation; a good ending
to a good day.

A truck beeped loudly. It stopped in front of the school, right in front of the gates. It
had a stylized H made into a sparkling treasure stash. A large, suspicious-looking man
in blue work overalls got out of the back of the truck.

Hikari and Mana immidiately put themselves in front of Shinji. The former spoke sharply
as the delivery man approached. "What do you want?"

"We've got a delivery for Shinji Ikari. Chocolates from his hometown. A letter, too."

"Authorization papers." Hikari challenged further. "Don't think you're not being observed
right now. NERV security should be around." She looked behind him, and saw several
black-suited men step out from behind the trees across the street.

The Houko worker brought out several stapled sheets of paper. He handed them over,
and briefly glanced at Shinji; at his dark questioning stare. He purposely kept his eyes
to the ground after that, as Hikari looked over the permits.

NERV security clearance, military pass, AND a Health Board inspection. The girl licked
her lips and for a moment considered her duty. More than just making sure the pilots
were free from hassle, she was actually the one responsible for their well-being (both
physical and emotional) outside of NERV facilities. A misjudgement on her part could
also be the trigger for a disaster of nigh apocalyptic proportions.

"Hikari?" asked Touji.

"It should be safe." she replied. "Why do you need a truck? Is it some world record
slab or something?"

"Well, according to the young miss; what Ikari-san would like wouldn't be a Valentine
all on his own." They were from his town, and had driven from there overnight. They
remembered well his pitiful overdose. "We brought chocolates for everyone in the
school."

Shinji chuckled. "That's thoughtful of her. Please tell Minase-chan I really appreciate
this..."

"Minase-CHAN?" Now Asuka was curious. She'd never heard him refer to anyone in
such familiar intimacy before. "Who's that? "

"She is a girl I know, from my hometown." he replied, in disarming honesty.

"A girlfriend?"

"Not, really, no. But you could say we were close friends."

Mana's mind reeled from all the possibilities, in spinning black and white. She felt like
fainting. Someone... an old childhood friend. That was the most common of all the
plot points, the most stable of relationships. Often when the pairing is not the one
that's chosen, the parting is the most tragic and bittersweet. She pinched her nose.
Shinji was thankfully looking away from her.

Two more workers got out, gently bringing out a large gift-wrapped box. A third man
emerged with a white cardboard box, marked with the Houko logo. He went over ahead
and laid that down. The teens tensed as he brought out a utility knife, but he just cut
the seals on the box. He took out several smaller boxes molded in plastic faux ebony,
ribboned with strips of gold foil.

"Please accept these with our compliments." he said, bowing and holding one out to
Asuka.

The girl hesitantly took it. She opened it up, running her thumb to break the airtight
seal. Inside were little cubes of dark chocolate. She took one and popped it into her
mouth. "Gurk!" she gurgled out.

"Is something wrong?" Mana asked, having gotten a box too.

"What the hell? This is Belgian Dark Chocolate!" Asuka had another piece. "Mmmm..."
After savoring that, she frowned at both Shinji and the delivery men. "This is great
quality chocolate." Store-bought. Screw tradition! "But... for everyone in the school?"

Nods all around. "May we?" they asked Hikari.

"ORDOS CUSTODIANS!" the girl shouted into schoolyard. "TO ME!" Several boys went
running over, instantly breaking off from whatever they were doing. The lined up in
front of her. "Get everybody to line up... this is Valentine's Day and and EVERYBODY's
getting chocolates from IKARI."

"Really?"

"GO!"

"Yes, 'mam!"

And off they went. "How many boxes do you have in that truck, anyway?" she asked
the deliverymen. "There might not be enough."

"Let's see..." the transport team leader considered it. "About twenty packs to one big
box. We've got about a hundred of those..." The school population was less than six
hundred students. "More than enough. Put it this way... we have more than a ton of
these things inside that truck."

Touji whistled through dark-stained teeth. "Niice."

"Who is this Minase person...? This is too extravagant! I'm suspicious." Asuka had to
comment. Mana had to agree.

"Let us use logic." Rei began. "Clearly Shinji-kun has the attention of someone with
some wealth. They knew each other from childhood. Were you classmates?"

"Since fourth grade elementary." Mana flinched visibly at that.

Rei turned to the deliverymen. "If she has obvious regard for Shinji-kun, these boxes,
expensive as they are, would be insufficient. Is that larger package for him?" At the
positive response, she faced him next. "I must admit to being curious as well. May we
see it?"

The Houkos held a land opportunities company, dealing in properties and construction.
Their venture into properties in Tokyo Three had paid off handsomely, as the Evas
continuing victories was giving people confidence to attempt settling back into the
city. The creation of industries for technical and manufacturing support also helped.
However, they retained only nominal holdings within the city proper after their great
gamble. After having bought and sold at great profit, they invested towards less...
destructible assets. That was at Shinji's suggestion as well.

A truckful of chocolates, hell; an entire fleet of them, was but a pittance compared to
what he'd brought to them. He did not even need to remain in someone's presence to
promote an insane level of loyalty.

Shinji leaned unwrapped the gift, and peered inside. He began laughing.

"What is it?" Asuka and the others crowded over to see. They were confused, save
Rei; who hid her mouth behind her hands and just grinned underneath.

It was a slab of red chocolate, in the shape of a strange winking skull with a large
jagged-toothed maw. Da Sign of Da Boyz; recognized Rei, Toji, and Hikari. If the latter
needed any more evidence of who Da Boss was, she had it now. Shinji noticed a small
white envelope taped to the inside of the box. He took it out and opened it up.

Inside was a calligraphed sheet of paper and a picture.

That strange contented smile was one they'd never seen before, and the sadness in
his eyes faded before the blissful memories of a more innocent time. Asuka peered
over his shoulder to read:

THOSE DAYS WE HAD

FOR THEM WE LIVE

OUR LOVE FOR YOU

Please don't forget us;
Houko Minase
Mitsugane Ayane

The picture showed the two girls smiling at the camera. Minase was tall and poised
as usual, while Ayane had a distinctly conniving grin. Both had grown into beautiful
young women. He'd been gone for only half a year, but it felt like forever. Even he
knew... that the gulf of his experiences and his plans had separated him cleanly from
the shy young boy that they had seen. Still, they knew him well.

"They're pretty." Asuka said flatly. She plucked the picture out of his hand and let
everyone else see it.

"You've been holding out on us, man." Toji said with a smirk. "Who'd have thought you
would leave behind such beauties. So cruel of you." He turned to Hikari. "Hey, I can
look, can't I?"

Mana was shaking. Fitting together things in her mind, according to plot the highest
chances for getting together was whomever the protagonist met first. The girls they
knew best and vice versa. She knew her role by those terms; she was the girl that
just comes out of nowhere to latch onto him. At best, serving to add jealousy...
unless the competition gets bumped off.

She shook her head. No. Such selfishness was unworthy of him.

Shinji gained another Level in awesome, to his peers in age. Sure, he was impressive
enough in an Eva, but saving the world could lapse into 'and what have you done for
us recently?' It was just too big, too impersonal, and they could fear him as much as
revere him for that. However, such simple generousity proved that he did care for the
happiness of the people around him. Such a guilty luxury, they could never have found
that taste on their own.

"You know what..." one of the students remarked. "We don't need a Student Council
President. We need a Student Council Emperor! Shinji Okami, Ikari no Tennou has a
nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"I take severe issue to being ousted over a mere box of chocolates." the currently-
elected leader said. "But..." It was true that whatever he could do, Shinji would likely
get it done faster and more thoroughly. He had too much of a political advantage.
"Look, this job is as much a hassle as it is a post of respect. Hey, sorry guys... but I
don't think you should be wasting his time like that."

The chocolates were distributed, teachers and students alike, and were reserved for
those who had already left for home. There were still plenty of leftover boxes. Shinji
decided to split that grace between NERV and the nearby newly-constructed military
base to house the Trident Land Dreadnought and secondary JSSDF operations. They
saved a few extra, of course, for Misato.

The truck was away, and with all the day's weirdness apparently done the students
then wanted to head home.

Rei asked for them to wait, specifically Shinji. Out of their own curiousity, the others
also decided to stick around.

Soon enough, a metallic shriek in the distance. At the school gates, they saw a large
black motorycle hug the street's t-shaped bend and curving sharply towards them. It
went at them in reckless full-speed. Rei remained calm, and because of that her friends
stayed.

Screech!

The motorcycle spun about to a halt, pushing a thin cloud of dust and the scent of
burning rubber towards those waiting there.

After most everyone had put their arms down out of fright or trying to shield their
eyes, they saw the rider get off. She stood over the matte black motorcycle of
uncertain make, clad in tight black leathers, and slowly removed her helmet. Under
that, she wore dark sports sunglasses that lent a mysterious air to her features. She
ran a hand through her short, neck-cropped brown hair and then approached Shinji;
swaying her hips with her step.

Every male teen there seemed hypnotized by that, tilting their head from side to side.
Shinji matched her thin smile. She stopped before him, and took off her sunglasses.
"Hello, Shinji." said Maya, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Hello, Rei."

"Good afternoon, sister Ibuki." she replied, nodding a bit.

"MAYA?" Asuka shouted, and pointing out with a shaky finger. "It can't be! You're
Maya?"

"I'm hurt, Asuka-chan. After all the time we spent at the labs, I thought you'd be able
to recognize me by now."

"Well not like that, I'm not!" was her retort, while waving down at the woman's garb.
"What's up with that get-up? Since when were you a BIKER?"

'So, this is Maya Ibuki...' Mana thought, her eyes narrowing. 'She's very... formidable.'

Maya's tight black pants seemed almost painted on. Her midriff was exposed to the
world; from her black tank top. She had on a baby leather jacket in aviator-brown;
covering her arms, shoulders, and reaching down to only just above her waist to
accentuate all her curves. Maya Ibuki stood with the lithe, alluring confidence of a
realized woman.

The Cult of the Color Brown, the weakest of the three due to her absence from the
scene, just got a large dose of renewed life. Blue, Red, and Green were such cute
girls. Ibuki was drool-worthy. So daring, too; to come before Shinji-sama like that.
How inspirational!

'How insane...!' Asuka thought. Perhaps Maya's attentions were not so sisterly after all?
"What are you doing here?" Asuka asked.

"Have you come to bestow obligatory chocolates to Shinji-kun?" asked Rei, opening
her arms to show she had not.

Maya laughed. "No. I already gave a box each to Misato and Ritsuko-sempai to mess
with their minds." She was already infected with Rei's brand of psychological torture
as a device for humor. She looked down at Shinji and leered. "Four boxes? You know,
I expected more from you."

"One is a BIG box, to be fair." added Rei. "Would you like some?"

"I don't have much of a sweet tooth." Maya admitted. She was nine when Second
Impact happened, and like many her family became unwilling refugees. Mental trauma
from watching a dentist operating with crude instruments and no anaethesia from
inside an evacuation center was to blame for her aversion. That, and her parent's
use of ginger root as a replacement for tea and coffee... her sweet buds seemed
scarred for life. "Were -you- expecting some from me, Shinji-kun?"

Ooh. More ammo for the personality cults.

He shook his head. He already had their absolute trust. They were as already as one
without the need for physical joining. Even without contact their souls sang to each
other.

Mana put her palms over her eyes and began to sway from side to side in denial. It
couldn't be what she was thinking. Nooo... !

"I've got something better." She pointed behind her to a thermo box latched onto the
back of her bike. "I've got round ham, pastries, ice cream, and since Rei-chan here
dislikes meat, several types of salads and tofu substitutes. If you don't have anything
too important to do, Shinji-kun, let's go ride around a while."

"I am invited as well?"

"Of course. What would this be without you?" Maya grinned at the girl.

A sunset picnic... how maturely romantic. Ibuki was truly beyond the clumsy yearnings
of mere girls. The press club began to cluster around and mutter to themselves about
the Ayanami and Ibuki Alliance, taking advantage of the Sohryu and Kirishima border
situation.

Maya put her arm around Shinji's shoulders, chummy. "So, should we go?" Behind that
smile, her eyes for a second turned hard and deadly. They needed to talk, and in such
a day when all expected such vapid silliness was one in which they were free to just
converse with each other. They had to further an impression.

"Asuka... could you please just head home ahead and tell Misato-san I might be a
while? I'll be back in time to cook dinner."

"Sure, sure." Asuka replied, making a careless gesture she copied from Misato. Though
it irked her to have others continually breaking out of the mental box she put them in,
it would be better for her. She could go and search out Kaworu-kun without having to
give excuses of her own.

As Maya slid back into her bike and Shinji in sitting too put his arms around her waist,
Mana made a vow to increase her own service to him. She was a pilot now, too! Even
if it wasn't an Eva... she could stand with him. But Maya, a commanding officer, was
someone she couldn't bump off the rankings so easily. Rei sat and put her arms around
his waist. Arrgh. Envy. Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts!

The motorcyle roared off. Everyone else went on their way.

-o-
-o-

They sped out to the city outskirts. Monitoring devices and street cameras watched
their trip. The motorbike went up to the bluffs overlooking Lake Ashino. There, under
the pale golden glow of the setting sun, Maya spread out a thick blanket for a sunset
picnic. The sky was was red as blood, and oddly appropriate for an end to the day of
hearts.

They sat there and waited, basking in the peace they brought to the world. The wind
was slight, and added the reminder that soon it would be too dark to see... as such
the lingering light was all the more precious.

A black car parked just right up the road. Agents Kentaro and Jiro went out and joined
them, taking off their shoes before stepping onto the cloth.

"Were you followed?" Shinji asked them.

"You had other watchers while in the city, but we told them to take a breather. We'd
handle tailing you out here." replied Agent Jiro. "Got any ham sandwiches?"

Maya handed one over. "Well, are we secure here?"

"This is a random spot. I don't think there's any prepared monitoring devices here. A
directional microphone might be used... but we can see all around. Nobody else is
here." replied the older agent. He was already helping himself to the small flask of
hot coffee. "We can't be sure though. We. Not you."

"Rei?"

"Your hand, please." The girl clasped his, and passively sent out the AT-field. "There
is no one with an intent to observe this way. I must admit that recently my senses
no longer carry so far..."

"I think that's because we're trying to discern -intent- instead of just feeling for their
locations." he replied. He didn't want to explore direct mental contact. The slope to
mental domination was just too slippery... and too easy.

Agent Jiro perked up. "That's interesting. So you can read minds?" As they shook their
heads, just emotions; he asked then "So what, is that some sort of soul radar?"

"... in principle, yes." said Rei.

Both agents looked to Maya, who held up her hands as if warding them off. "Hey, don't
look at me. I don't have any idea either how it works. I didn't even tell Ritsuko-sempai
of the possibility. She's got enough to analyze already."

"All that matters is that it works." Shinji grinned a bit. "We're here. Let's eat."

And so they sat in repast, and spoke of things trivial and non-trivial. They spoke of
the things they had done and experienced, for it was weeks since the conspirators
had last been able to speak so freely with each other. The food was not expensive
or presented with much flair, but very filling nonetheless. Perhaps it had something to
do with the location and the company.

"It's... really peaceful, isn't it?" said Agent Jiro. The sun was already half below the
horizon. "The last Angel attack didn't do any damage, the economy is good, the people
are happy. It's really peaceful..."

"Too peaceful." added the other.

"I wonder how long this will last?"

"It will last until we no longer have the life to defend it!" said Shinji, firmly. Angels and
the conspiracies of the dying... these people didn't need all that. They had meaning
enough in the days of their lives.

After some time, when they were nearly done, Agent Kentaro said unto to him "Sohryu
is seeing Nagisa, you know."

"I know."

"Aren't you going to do something about it? Even if you don't like her, she's still your
comrade and he's still SEELE."

"But I do like her." he replied, and even such a bold statement hardly fazed the two
women with him. "It makes her happy, but even as I know it can't end well... cutting
it short would put her at risk. If she is of no further use to him, then I can't ensure
her safety." He sighed. "Did you not say to me, that a living spy was far more useful
than a dead one? She won't believe me without proof, and I can't offer that proof
without revealing what I'm up to."

"I have not seen this Nagisa." said Rei.

"And that's something else. Rei's passive AT-field extends over four kilometers around
and over Tokyo-3. If he can sneak into the city with that..."

"Even the MAGI's detection system is less reliable." Maya had to admit. "Just a boy
evading our attempts... either you two are that lucky, or he's deliberately letting you
spot him."

"Hey."

"We know it's possible." she added, with their obvious subject. Shinji could do that
too. Being deliberately in view was his best defense for when he would need to just
up and disappear.

The two agents felt annoyed anyway, as if their competence was in question. They
had freely chosen to follow young Ikari. The thought that someone else had such a
prodigy was... disturbing to say the least. "You accomplish more just by sitting around
and going to school than many others running frantic." said Agent Kentaro, and as if
the words pained him to admit.

"What are you talking about? You're all doing the hard work..." he replied, quizzical.
"Please don't ever think I don't appreciate it."

"And don't think we don't know that. A good commander -knows- how to delegate. It
is a poor leader of men that tries to be everywhere and do everything all at the same
time." He shrugged. "Unless you attempt at being God."

"Then he would be a God of sheep and automatons." Rei put in.

Shinji frowned. "Reason and faith are not mutually exclusive concepts. A god should
only be as powerful as its people... giving strength instead of taking it, and that way
triumphs in all the ways."

"Absolute, unrewarding obedience was what led to ruin in the years after Impact..."
the elder continued. "Heh. Religions or state, crusade or living space, it doesn't matter
- they sacrifice their people either way."

"... why are we talking about this?" asked the younger.

"That's how we in the service operate, too. Orders aren't meant to be questioned."
Tch. At least here we know -why-. Kid, after all my years, you can't imagine just how
freeing that is." He had lost everything; his family, his identity, even his own ideals
after Impact. Working for the boy was vastly more satisfying than scheming for his
father. "Even if we can't follow Nagisa, we already know all the SEELE plants in this
city."

"I have confirmed their subjects, Shinji-kun." said Rei. For those who had no actual
malicious intent and just being manipulated by the old men, there was Maya's magic.

"Good."

"Shinji-kun..."

"Yes?" Maya, looking so shy, it was specially endearing even more in her brazen outfit.
"What's wrong...?"

She shook her head. "Nothing's wrong." She huffed out. "That's the problem." Maya
explained that she was nearly caught with unathorized use of the MAGI only once.
Ritsuko had noticed the odd processing rates of the system, despite being given what
seemed to be basic tasks. A lot of of processing power was being directed to external
monitoring, which was supposed to have a battery of secondary computing systems.
There were active scripts leading everywhere, but the idea of the MAGI being infected
by a virus of some form without her knowing about it was ludicrous. The system was
supposed to be self-maintaining. That was the most likely cause. Like a cancerous
growth, in digital form.

So, she decided to tighten up the system. The scientist cleared most of all Maya's
carefully-placed work; excused as garbage processes.

"I see. How much control of the MAGI do you still have?"

Maya looked up, her face confused. "That's just it. I have all of it. My outgoing nodes
are still there. They're just completely invisible to the system now. MAGI is making two
self-updating system reports; one to NERV and the other to my external terminal. Even
its own hardware gauges are spoofed. I can get away with nearly anything now!"

"... that's good isn't it?" he asked, confused too.

"You don't understand. It's not supposed to be possible. That goes deep into core
programming, and even THAT isn't open to Ritsuko-sempai. It's writing itself, it's even
optimizing my own grafted codes. Sometimes I don't even have to type my password
anymore. The interface just vanishes afterwards, and compiled when I need it." She
winced. "I don't really believe all this machine spirit business, but apparently the MAGI
can distinguish between me and Ritsuko... and that just scares me. "

"Have you been spending more than the maximum recommended two hours in the
presence of assistant Aida?" asked Rei.

"... wait, are you saying the MAGI is now sentient?" Shinji asked.

"Oh, now that's just bad news." Agent Jiro had to put in. "How long do you think it
would be before that superintelligent machine brain decides it's such a good idea to
KILL US ALL?"

"... three brains. Three laws, kid."

Rei moved closer and clasped both Shinji and Maya's hands. "This is something that is
easy to prove." she said, and followed the connections of their spirit. Interestingly,
there was indeed a similar feel to the MAGI; identical to how she percieved the four
lifeless plastic figures that proved so important to Shinji Ikari. "It knows, sister Ibuki,
but is not aware. The MAGI's biological systems are kin to the Eva. It is not too far-
fetched. At least they already have their own names."

"... ghost in the shell." Agent Jiro muttered back.

"So what does this mean for us?" continued the other.

For a moment there Shinji had a silly vision of the MAGI, three wise men, preaching
and converting computing machines all over the world into some form of Omnifaith.

Maya shifted in her position to sit formally, in seiza. From an inner pocket she took out
a flat plastic card, and presented it to them. She bowed low, touching her forehead to
the ground, while pushing it forward.

"Look!" she said excitedly, despite the pose. "Look at this! Have you ever seen one
like this? This is a waay better present than chocolates. It's sweeter than pure sugar!"

"... well, yes I have. It's a master account keycard. What's special about this one?"

It was used when a certain amount was spread over hundreds of other smaller dummy
accounts, and the total used as a working statement. Only a select few computers
were agile enough to handle that supposed trace-proof pattern of shifting access and
wash-dumping.

Maya sat back up, and grinned as he took and inspected it. "I thought you might want
to see what one billion US dollars looked like."

Everyone paused, and measured Maya's cheerfulness. Agent Jiro put down a dollop
of jam back into the bottle. "You're joking, right? It's a trick!" he said, slapping his
own thigh and laughing. "A billion dollars don't actually look like anything. That kind of
money doesn't exist! There aren't enough bills in any one place to let you see... and
its electronic existence is of course is invisible and intagible!"

Agent Kentaro just sighed. "I vowed to myself never to be surprised by anything that
happens while under his service..." gesturing to Shinji with his spoon. The agents had
to help in eating the chocolate.

"She's kidding, right?" Agent Jiro asked. "That's not possible..." Sentient scifi super-
computers, he could deal with. That, not so much.

Europe had the most intact power plants and industries after Impact, but the common
euro currency had not had the time to stabilize that time around; each nation fought
to shore up their economy. The dollar retained its status as international measuring
stick if simply because the US was still a producer of so much surplus food so needed
then by the rest of the world. The Continental Divide didn't help matters any; what
with the UK seizing land in northern France, mob uprisings of all sorts in the Russian
Federation while diverting so much food and resources to fighting off a desperate
starving China, and the rapid deconstruction of all peace in all nations south of Turkey.
Nuclear fire kissed the lands for the first time in fifty years.

Maya was grinning. Everyone else turned from her to stare flatly at him. The Section
2 operative's eyes bulged. He took a deep breath and... "Are you... are you serious?
Are you saying you actually HAVE -ONE BILLION- DOLLARS?"

"I don't. It's for Shinji-kun." Maya felt along her sides in a sinous motion that had the
men springing to attention. She flicked out with her open hand, turned that palm over,
and like a magician spread multi-colored plastic cards onto the plaid cloth. "And he has
six."

"Goddamn." breathed Agent Kentaro. "Okay. I'm surprised."

"What the fuck? SIX BILLION? How did you pull that off?" The younger agent then
turned to Shinji, and frowned. "You... you're not suprised. WHY aren't you surprised?
This is SIX BILLION DOLLARS here, man! That's SIX, followed by NINE zeroes."

"A thousand is already too much for me." Shinji replied calmly. "This much, for myself,
I will never end up using. So I take it you were able to trace a SEELE account?" The
money was incidental. How much did they already own of NNHIS again? Wealth was
not its own measure of power. Like a sword, worthless until put to use. "Do you know
the identity of SEELE?"

"One of them, at least. The others are still uncertain, but there are a few more leads."

"Who?"

"Names are meaningless here." Rei put in. "The who is unimportant, for man recreates
the self to suit himself. Lies may have the same consistency as truth."

"Ah. Better question, then; where. And when?"

Maya groaned out. "Paris. Right now." The MAGI was stretching its influence. The
other MAGI-class supercomputers had less external capabilities, but eac locally could
crunch through a bevy of aliases and false information. "That's the bastard poking
around in Tokyo 3. I've had enough of him making my nights more difficult."

Shinji sighed. He put his plate down and turned aside. "Do you need it to be an order?"

The Section Two agents, and his first link to an expanding network of illicit knowledge
and immoral dealings, nodded. Maya looked pensive. Rei sat in total acceptance. He
sighed. Such simple words... but it would change everything. Him, the others. The
line he saw, once he crossed that he could no longer turn back. He would be willingly
walking into hell, showering in sin.

I am no God; thought Shinji, nor a force of good to bring peace into their world. I am
at best, a sword to separate the wicked from the innocent. A shield against the worst
that sought to destroy man.

"Then hear my command. Send the assassins. Plant the evidence. All the things we
talked about before ... let it be done." He sighed again. "Begin The Purge. Protect my
city."

-o-
-o-

The next day, Matariel arrived in Tokyo 3.

-o-

-o-

-o-

-o-

-o-

-o-

end Cry For Me, Tokyo 3 part two

-o-

-o-

-o-

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-o-

Next up; battle, battle, BATTLE!