A moment later, Misato's vehicle continued on its way, and both girls went to their rooms.
"They're amazing..." Shinji began.
"Nonsense! I was better than them!" Asuka muttered.
"Me too! Did you sleep through their attack?" Misato asked in surprise. "I've never seen such coordination and fluidity of movement, not even from you.
" "It's not our fault we're working with old-type Evas..."
"They're not old, they just had different construction methods in America!" Their guardian sighed.
"I think there's more to it," Shinji added.
"Possibly, because they didn't cool down at all, and all those other elements of their construction...
" "And I think they'll lose us the commander's respect because of them," Asuka snorted.
"Surely, if this continues...
" "The next Angel will be mine." Asuka giggled, wondering what the newcomers' faces would look like then.
"Miss Misato?" "Did you know they were coming?" the boy asked.
"Yes, but they were supposed to be a few hours later and we didn't expect them so soon.
" "And now we've made fools of ourselves." The girl sighed.
"From now on, you'll get your act together and analyze all your mistakes. "
Misato pulled up in front of their apartment building.
"And if the commander wants to throw us out and only leaves these two..." Asuka didn't finish.
"Then we'll be out of a job.
" Misato slid out of the car and looked at the sun rising above their heads. "And I hope not, because all three of us would lose our purpose in life..." Once they reached the apartment, Asuka immediately went to shower. Misato turned on the answering machine, which had Kaji on it. He was saying something about a meeting tomorrow, that she should show up, but nothing more. Shinji turned on the TV and listened to the news for a moment, but then, unsure why, he got up and locked himself in his room. The defeat they'd suffered today burned in his chest like an unbearable disease. He couldn't believe what had unfolded before his eyes. Those movements, every nod, were so fluid, you'd almost say their Evangelions were dancing. And his number one? He probably moved awkwardly next to them, like a sick man. He sighed, staring at the ceiling... He hadn't felt like this for as long as he could remember. After all, when he and Asuka had lost, it hadn't been this bad. But two defeats in one day; that was a bit much.
"Shinji! It's dinnertime, will you eat with us?" Misato asked, knocking on the door.
"I'm coming..." He quickly got out of bed and went into the cozy kitchen.
Asuka sat at the table, staring at her plate as she poked at it with her fork. Shinji joined them and began eating sushi. Misato's penguin, Pen Pen, watched them with interest, as the apartment had never been so quiet.
"Do you think something like this could happen again?" the boy finally asked.
"No!" She denied vigorously. "It can't happen again, next time I'll be the one getting praised by Commander Ikari.
" "I hope you're right," Shinji agreed.
"Sure! Next time I won't miss the opportunity to show them who's the best."
Misato looked at Asuka with a smile. Then she pulled a beer from her fridge, which she immediately opened and drank while watching the TV.
"For now, calm down and sleep it all off. And we'll talk in the morning, after school.
" "No!" Shinji groaned wearily.
"You didn't fight that hard today, so you can go tomorrow.
" "What about Toji?" Were the launch exercises a success?
"It's not so bad so far, although there are some worrying problems."
Misato nodded, sipping her beer. The next day, nothing interesting happened. Shinji, Rei, and Asuka went to school, wondering what awaited them this time. However, the day passed quietly. They were only surprised that they had suffered such a defeat and that new Evangelions had arrived. Shinji explained rather reluctantly. So Asuka did it for him, twisting the truth to present herself in the best possible light. They knew nothing about the new pilots, so they couldn't inform them. Nevertheless, they had heard that they would soon get to know each other well. Probably by moving in together, and they weren't particularly fond of that idea. Especially Asuka, who felt herself blushing whenever she thought about it. Misato also had no idea what was going on with those mysterious girls. After all, they had appeared so suddenly. Then, without explaining anything to anyone, she and the commander went to his office to talk privately. She searched all the Nerv personnel records.
Name: Lynn Achika
Position: Pilot No. 07
Date of Birth: June 16, 2000
Note:
Graduated from high school with honors, exemplary conduct, impeccable. A dutiful and diligent student, easily follows orders, dedicated and quiet. Pilot No. 07, excellent combat tactics, very good results. The girl has health problems; she should be careful with her lungs, easily gets bronchitis, and may contract other illnesses. Otherwise, her physical condition is good.
Name: Lynn Ryoko
Position: Pilot No. 06
Date of Birth: February 24, 2001
Note:
High school started, good grades. Behavior is impeccable. Carefree, courageous disposition. She takes risky actions, especially her controversial behavior. Loyal and devoted, very well-matched with her sister. Orders are carried out without any objections, she ruthlessly obeys orders.
"Nothing interesting," she thought wearily, shutting down the computer. So far, it's clear only that they are excellent Evangelion pilots and that there's little to criticize. I'm worried about my students; Shinji and Asuka have been through a lot. It's a shame it all came crashing down on them so quickly. Oh! Asuka's already here; she'll probably want something to eat.
"So, how was school?
" "Pretty good, apart from our failure yesterday.
" "But Asuka, if you think about it that way..." Misato began to comfort her.
"So?! The commander hasn't said a word since yesterday, and we've always heard something!" We're sitting here, and he's probably talking to those new girls right now.
" "You're exaggerating."
"I don't believe I'm exaggerating. So please explain this to me...
" "Miss Misato?!" Shinji entered the room unexpectedly. "The Commander would like to see you. There was supposed to be some kind of meeting.
" "Oh, yes! I'm sorry, Asuka, we'll talk some other time."
Misato grabbed her jacket and ran out of the apartment. Asuka was even more upset by the defeat than yesterday, but Shinji felt it most painfully.
"How could they? Those idiots from America really got positive points with the Commander. Can you imagine that!?" she shouted, pacing the room. "But I'll show them, you'll see..."
Shinji wasn't particularly bothered by the girl's threats. He didn't even react when Asuka left the apartment, heading, like Misato, for Nerv. When she arrived, she headed for the hall where all the Evangelions were standing. There was no fluid in here yet, as the damage was being repaired. When Asuka arrived, it was lunchtime, which was convenient. With a smile on her face, she approached number six.
"Now we'll see how you pilot..." she whispered to him.
She easily changed into the plug suit and then slid into the Entry Plug. Everything was fine until a substance called LCL began to flow into the chamber. Suddenly, Number Six stirred and convulsed violently. As a terrified Asuka tried to keep it under control, the Evangelion lifted its head and roared like a crazed animal. With a single swipe of its powerful hand, it destroyed the walkway leading to the Entry Plug. Staggering across the vast hall, it slammed its fists into the wall, destroying everything in its path. Trapped in the Entry Plug, Asuka was repeatedly struck by electroshocks caused by the timing anomalies. She unconsciously tugged at the controls, screaming horribly. Pain seemed to rip through every inch of her body. Terrified people began to gather at the windows, from which the Evangelion could be seen thrashing. But no one knew how to help. Achika and Ryoko were changing in their cabins. Both immediately recognized the unmistakable roar of an Evangelion.
"It's impossible," Achika whispered.
"Who was crazy enough to—"
Ryoko ran toward the door, and both girls found themselves in a hail of falling metal parts and pipes. Achika stepped back with a groan, and now she could only stare at Ryoko, who was slowly making her way toward her Evangelion.
An Evangelion? What was it? Where did it get its strength and energy...? They had once been told it was a synthetic biomechanical machine created by NERV's genetics labs from the remains of the first Angel. The Angel that crashed in Antarctica. They had also been told that they were mysterious, their protective system consisting of heavy armor and a force field called the "Field of Absolute Terror"... But was that enough? Now that this robot has come to life and is doing what it wants?!...
Suddenly, amidst the crash of falling pipes, she heard Ryoko's scream: "Calm down!"
Her Evangelion quickly turned towards them and slammed her fist down hard on the spot just below them. Achika only managed to scream, but Ryoko didn't move. She just stared at the struggling creature.
"Could you run for the doctors?" Ryoko finally asked.
"Are you okay?
" "He's my Evangelion."
Meanwhile, number six, clutching his head, groaned in pain.
"Easy, calm down..."
Ryoko repeated, jumping onto the Entryplug, which swished out with a whistling sound; then it fell to the ground with a thud. Ryoko's Eva slowly stopped working, freezing on one knee. The girl showed no interest in Asuka; she was more worried about her robot. Ryoko pressed her cheek against his and remained silent for a moment. Downstairs she saw Achika running with a few people to the Entry plug where Asuka was sitting, because Ryoko was sure...
"Don't worry, no one will touch you again," she whispered and jumped down onto the ruined scaffolding.
While Asuka was being taken to the hospital in an ambulance, they called Commander Ikari.
"I couldn't believe it when I heard about what had just happened," he began.
"Well, we didn't expect it either," Achika muttered.
Commander Ikari fixed them with a sharp gaze and was silent for a moment, astonished by their brazen audacity.
"Damn it, it's not our fault! What's going on that made Evangelion go so crazy!?
" "Asuka got on it!" Ryoko screamed.
"It's like this with us, everyone gets on—"
He didn't finish, because Achika slammed the table angrily.
"Commander!" Ryoko joined in. "Asuka is lucky to be alive; we're all lucky to be alive—"
"Excuse my tone! I don't tolerate such behavior in my presence!" You may be Evangelion pilots... but that doesn't entitle you to anything.
"You're right about that," Achika agreed, giving her sister a meaningful look. "However, we ask that no one enter our Evas' Entraplug. Otherwise, something much worse than what happened today could happen. Please forgive our reaction, but in America, such situations simply don't happen...
" "This isn't America. And I assure you, one more outburst like this, and I'll escort you home!"
Ryoko struggled to hold back her sharp tongue, knowing her sister was now trying to smooth things over.
"Commander..." she began. "You know the truth and the reason we came here. So please forgive us, but as pilots, we must obey our commander's orders first and foremost, and our order is to protect you. If you refuse to accept this, we will unfortunately have to leave for America sooner than we expected."
"You won't have any more problems because from now on you're under my command...
" "No!
" Ryoko groaned spontaneously, turning pale. "How could he? They had become his guards, and now he wanted them under his command?! They refused to believe it, because after all, Commander Rokubungi was in America; he'd given them specific orders they had no right to break! But now, far from America, what rights did they have, what choice did they have?" An ominous silence fell on the office.
"We agree."
The older girl finally nodded.
"Achika!" Ryoko groaned.
"Great."
The commander smiled grimly and nodded at Misato.
"She'll take care of you; your parents will return to America.
" "Not that!" Ryoko shouted.
"Calm down!" her sister hissed angrily.
The girl left without saying goodbye to anyone. When Achika went downstairs, she realized with dismay that the conversation hadn't quite gone the way she'd hoped. The commander proved to be a composed, yet very level-headed man. On the way to the hotel to collect their belongings, the two girls didn't speak to each other. Achika found it somewhat tiresome to constantly wonder if she was doing the right thing. Eventually, they'd have to get down to business... Once all the formalities at the hotel were taken care of, Misato began the conversation.
"I don't think you'll fit in my apartment. There would be room for two, but you understand...
" "I'll move in with Rei," Achika said.
"What?! You won't leave me with them..." Ryoko looked at her pleadingly.
"We'll see each other, don't worry about a thing." Her sister smiled in the rearview mirror.
"Are you sure you want to move in with her?" Misato asked uncertainly.
"Of course.
The woman muttered and glanced through the window, beyond which the illuminated buildings of Tokyo 3 raced by. When Misato stopped the car in front of a huge apartment building, Achika lost confidence in whether she was doing the right thing. But she couldn't back down now. She couldn't show Ryoko how hard it was. She had to endure all of this until their commander allowed them to return.
"See you tomorrow, little sister." She smiled as brightly as she could at that moment.
"Achika..."
The woman whispered, and then the car moved off, leaving her sister alone in the dark parking lot in front of the building. Achika slowly climbed the first steps of the building. Only after a few floors did she take the elevator, which reached the eleventh and therefore the top floor. Then she looked for Rei's apartment and rang the bell. Unfortunately, it was broken, and the door was open, so she entered after knocking. As she had expected, the room wasn't very inviting. Then Rei entered the hallway.
"Konnihiwa."
Achika bowed low and began explaining the situation to her.
"Was that an order from Major Katsuragi?" Rei simply asked.
"Yes." Achika nodded.
The girl didn't react, but with a wave of her hand, invited Achika into the warm apartment.
"I have a room I don't need at all. If you tidy it up a bit, you could have it," Rei said in a flat voice, opening the door to the small cubicle. Achika smiled gratefully and thanked her warmly.
"Thank you very much.
" "You don't have to," the woman said, approaching the kitchen. "Tea?
" "I'd love to..."
Only now did the girl understand what she'd gotten herself into. It was crazy to live with such a pilot, who never knew what she was thinking. It was going to be hard. Pilot number seven, she threw her bag into the corner and looked at her room with resignation. She'd put a bed under the window here, a dresser there, and hang posters on the walls—it would look something like this. If only Ryoko were better off than hers...
Meanwhile, silence fell over Misato's apartment. Asuka listened in stunned silence to their guardian's words, and Shinji seemed to have no opinion on the matter. Misato tried to smooth things over, but somehow she couldn't. Because Asuka almost shouted out her thoughts. Ryoko swallowed, very nervous and anxious, unsure of what to expect from these strange threesome... Just like Achika, she was thinking about her sister now, having no idea how comfortable she was here. Misato smiled as she led her to the room she'd prepared earlier, right next to their nanny's. Ryoko had a rough idea of what she meant, though she was sure she'd never complain. Her pride wouldn't allow it. Now she stood in the middle of the cozy room. It was bright and pleasant, with potted plants and a bed in the corner. A wardrobe stood against the wall, and shelves lined the walls. Ryoko thought that maybe everything would still work out. Even though she really missed having a sister who knew what to do next. With a quiet sigh, she changed, wished everyone a good night, and went to bed. She considered this the best option, as the events of the day had taken a toll on her.
As soon as Asuka was sure the girl was asleep, she went to Misato. Shinji didn't mind talking to her about it either.
"We have to get along," their nanny smiled as she served them dinner.
"Sure, but why does she have to live here?! If she always acts so superior, I'll start screaming!
" "Asuka!
" Misato groaned, looking at her bandaged head.
"You've had that accident, but you haven't changed a bit.
" "It wasn't my fault...
" "No, whose fault is it?" Shinji muttered, sipping his tea.
At the same moment, the girl gave him such a punch that he choked on his hot tea, coughing.
"You have to understand that it's not easy for them either. They were sent from America. Dragged halfway across the world, only to have to fight some Angels they shouldn't care about at all. We can't look down on them. After all, they just arrived... Could you give them a chance?"
The pilots stared at her in silence for a long time, until Shinji finally nodded slightly. It wouldn't be difficult for him, since he wasn't friends with anyone here, so he wouldn't make a close acquaintance with her either. But Asuka hesitated longer. She'd hated them from day one, so what was she supposed to say now? Welcome, or something like that?! No, she couldn't quite imagine that... But maybe it would really be worth befriending them and learning the secrets of their skills. It was quite a good idea! Oh, it would be wonderful to see their surprise when she truly showed what she was capable of...
When Ryoko opened her eyes early in the morning, she couldn't bring herself to... As she'd already guessed, she'd have to go to school, and this would certainly be the perfect opportunity to talk to Achika. After changing and washing up, she glanced uncertainly out the door. Nothing was happening in the guest room, so she decided to take the opportunity to watch TV. As she sat down on the ground and turned on the television, she heard the door creak open and a still-sleepy Misato entered the room.
"Konnihiwa!
" "Oh, it's you!"
Misato pulled back the curtains.
"How did you sleep? I hope you're okay...
" "Of course. It's so quiet here, completely different from America.
" "That's good.
Their new babysitter must have been a nice girl." Ryoko followed her with her eyes as she hummed to herself and put food in the microwave.
"Shinji and Asuka will take you to school...
" "I hope they don't mind," the girl whispered, turning off the television and helping her set out the plates.
"No! Where did you get that idea?
" "Just like that." She shrugged.
"Ryoko-san, listen. If you want to talk...
" "Thank you, Mrs. Misato, but I don't think it's necessary.
" "I'm glad. Will you wake them up?"
Ryoko glanced at their guardian with a startled look at first, and only then slowly and reluctantly knocked on Shinji's door.
"Konnihiwa..."
She began hesitantly, opening the door a crack.
"Breakfast is ready, so if you could get up...
" "It's already done."
Shinji looked at her calmly, sitting down on the bed. Ryoko smiled at him gently and closed the door behind her. Then she went to Asuka, who was sleeping in the next room.
"Ohayo, breakfast is ready. Could you come over?
" "What?" the girl asked in surprise, rubbing her eyes. "I'm getting up already..."
Ryoko breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Misato, who had been watching her the entire time.
"You're doing well.
" "I'm not sure we should be here. I'm getting the feeling more and more that our place is in America...
" "The day will come when you'll return. For now, stay positive."
Meanwhile, Achika was getting up with an unpleasant pain in her neck. Since she'd arrived, she hadn't had time to find a bed and was now sleeping on the floor. Maybe the Japanese didn't have a problem with that, but she was dying from lack of sleep. She heard the sound of running water behind the wall; Rei was probably taking a bath... She should tidy up, too. After changing and combing her hair, she left her room for the kitchen. There, a pleasant surprise awaited her. The table was covered with a tablecloth, and on it sat bowls of sushi, rice, and fish. "I never thought Ayanami would help me..." She thought with undisguised relief. She was hungry, but she decided to wait for Rei to eat breakfast. When Rei finally left, Achika gave her the most beautiful smile she could muster for this strange girl. Then she went into the bathroom and, having washed up as quickly as she could, went to the kitchen. Rei was waiting for her there, already slowly eating her breakfast. Achika thanked her very warmly for it, but Rei didn't say a word. Then the two girls went to school. However, it was a class one step higher than the one the other pilots attended. Achika was welcomed very warmly and caused quite a stir among those present.
"What Evangelion do you pilot?
" "Are you from NERV?"
"Who are your parents!?"
"How long will you stay here?
" "Do you know Shinji and the other pilots!?"
At first, Achika blushed. She only answered some of the questions. Only then did the students start asking them one by one, so the girl could answer them. But it wasn't easy, and during the next break, Achika went to the school roof. From there she had a wonderful view of the playing field and the nearby hills. Here she could rest for a moment and listen to the silence. When she heard footsteps, she turned and saw a boy behind her. She didn't know him; he had a grim face, sharp and unpleasant features. A muscular body, short blond hair, and dark eyes.
"I didn't expect you here..."
the boy began, leaning on the railing next to her.
"I don't have peace in class.
" "It was the same with Shinji once; he came to the roof then, and I punched him. Now I regret it, because he's a nice guy.
" "My name is Achika, I don't think you're in my class.
" "Yes, I do go with Ryoko, though. My name is Toji."
They both smiled at each other and narrowed their eyes as the sun began to peek out from behind the clouds.
"Are you one of the pilots?
" I'm piloting number four.
"Oh, right? I haven't seen your Evangelion yet.
" "That's true, it's still in the middle of launch trials.
" "You're not thrilled about it?" the girl remarked, looking ahead.
"Of course, how could it be otherwise? When the Angels attacked the city, my sister was very seriously injured. She had a terrible operation and was in the hospital for several days. And I found myself here.
" "I see that each of us is here for different reasons."
Toji looked at her and then looked away, staring at the clouds above them.
"We'd better get to class, classes are about to start..."
The boy straightened up, but Achika held his hand.
"I have a favor to ask of you. I'd like you to look after my sister..."
Toji was surprised at first and didn't know what to say, but then he smiled and nodded, confirming her request.
"Thank you, thank you very much..." She whispered happily.
"Let's go now.
Ryoko has already returned home. Misato left a message that she'll be back later." So the girl went to her room, turned on the stereo, and started listening to music. Suddenly, Ryoko heard the front door open. So Pen Pena apologized and walked to the door. Asuka was definitely not, so it was either Shinji or Misato. After a few moments, she dismissed the second option as well, leaving only Shinji. She began to wonder what she should do. She had to get to know him and somehow break the ice... She slowly slipped out of her room, wondering if she was doing the right thing. She looked at the ground as she walked to Shinji's room, and suddenly... She ran straight into the boy. With a groan, she sat down on the ground, looking at his surprised face.
"Sorry..." She whispered, standing up.
"I was the one who was distracted." Shinji spoke up.
"Are you back from training already?
" "Asuka was just supposed to stay longer. It was because of that accident with number six...
" "It was a stupid thing."
Ryoko's voice trembled a bit, and she remained silent for a moment.
"We've heard a lot about you.
" "Really?
" "Yes, you were the only pilot who defeated so many Angels without training or training. The whole world was talking about it; even our commander was very proud."
"I don't want to believe it..."
He said, seemingly indifferently, though there was something different, more friendly in his voice.
"And actually, calling these creatures 'Angels' is, in my opinion, a kind of blasphemy. Because they don't do any good; on the contrary, they cause destruction and seem to have only evil intentions...
" "I think so too. "
She nodded, genuinely interested in his views on the matter.
"Here in America..."
She didn't finish, as they were interrupted by Asuka's entrance, who threw her bag onto an armchair with a thud and opened the refrigerator.
"Are you already here?" she asked, surprised, looking at them.
"Yes, you know we didn't have practice today," the boy muttered.
"Well, yeah..." Asuka sighed and looked at Ryoko. "And you? Do you exercise too?"
"Of course, five hours a day." Ryoko nodded.
"Five hours?!" They exclaimed in unison.
"Yes, it allows us to develop the physical strength of our Evangelions."
"Amazing." The girl smiled wryly. "And when will you start?
" "Not today. We have a few things to take care of first.
" "What?
" "Um, some stuff related to the riots..." Ryoko waved her hand carelessly.
And so began a rather interesting conversation, which was interrupted by Misato entering the apartment.
"Good morning, Mrs. Misato," Shinji smiled.
"Hi. What interesting things are you doing?
" "Oh, we're talking about number six."
"Shall I make you dinner?
" "Sure!"
They exclaimed in unison, smiling brightly. Misato sighed with relief and went into the kitchen, where she pulled a beer from the fridge. Then a call came for Asuka, and she had to go to Nerv again. Shinji and Ryoko went into the boy's room and continued talking, as getting to know each other was becoming increasingly enjoyable. They talked until 11:00 that night. Shinji offered the girl hot tea. Ryoko lay down on Shinji's bed, staring dreamily at the ceiling. When Shinji returned, Ryoko was already asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he decided to spend the night in the girl's room. In the corner was a bed, on which sat a phone with an unanswered message. He pressed the button, thinking it was for Misato. The message came from the commanders of numbers 07 and 06.
"Achika, Ryoko, this is your commander. You know the danger my brother is in. I would like you to be placed under Commander Ikari's care, as he wishes. I know you may not like it, but this man's safety is our first and last priority in this war. I've decided you can stay in Japan and defend Tokyo 3. Girls, this is my last order... Defend Commander Ikari. And share your experiences with Shinji, which will help him in future battles."
Shinji stood for a long time, listening to the dull tone of the answering machine. His thoughts were jumbled in his head, uncomprehending. So they were just pawns in a game, just like them. Pawns that could always be thrown away, because they would never return to America, never again... And him? What did he have to do with all this?! And why would Achika and Ryoko defend his father?!
When Ryoko woke up in Shinji's room the next morning, she was terrified. How could she have fallen asleep in his room?! Where had he slept? Surely not in hers?... The girl cautiously entered her room, but found no one there. She saw only fresh sheets. She groaned in fear.
"The phone," she ran to him.
There was a message on the answering machine. After listening to it, she had to sit down in a chair to rest. Her legs were trembling. How could this be possible? They were supposed to stay here? Forever?! She didn't want this, she wanted to go home. To her family and friends. To the people she protected and loved... And now she was supposed to leave it all for one man?! Oh no, no... And Achika? Did she already know about this too!? Or maybe she wasn't informed yet. The commander only knew the number they were supposed to call at the beginning of their fight. Ryoko felt unsure what to do. Should she go to school, or maybe it would be better to talk to Shinji?! No, it would be even better to talk to Achika. Ryoko pulled out her cell phone.
"Hello?" She heard a girl's clear voice.
"This is Ryoko..." she began.
"Is something wrong?
" "No, don't worry about me...
" "Are you referring to that message from our commander? I spoke to him. Unfortunately, we've been ordered to remain in Japan." He probably wanted to get rid of us...
"Achika!" Ryoko groaned. "That's not funny.
" "What can we do? We have to stay. There's no way around it.
" "...I'll miss them. All of them..." Ryoko whispered after a moment.
"Me too... "
For a while, neither of them said anything.
"I think Shinji questioned my secretary.
" "Great.
" "It wasn't much on it, but still.
" "We'll have to talk to him so he doesn't cause any trouble. By the way, did you talk to him already?
" "Yes! Last night all night, and with Asuka too.
" "That's great... Listen, I'm off to school now because Rei's leaving. If we ever meet up, we'll talk again..."
Meanwhile, Achika sat in front of her computer. She also reluctantly wondered what to do with her free time. She didn't feel like engaging in pointless conversations among her friends about boys and their opinions. She had to think too often about the guy she'd left behind in America. And yet, when they said goodbye, she'd promised him she'd come back... Now she'd only sent him a text message, which, unfortunately, couldn't express everything she felt for him... She'd cried for a long time when the commander called them yesterday, refusing to believe that all this was happening. She didn't want to, and couldn't. Then she cursed everything that had happened, that she'd agreed to it...
She casually began reading a website about the Second Impact. "It all began with a great catastrophe – a meteorite impact in 2015, which resulted in the annihilation of over half of Earth's population. After the big bang, our planet began to be attacked by alien invaders called Angels, who successfully managed to exterminate almost the entire remaining population. Only a small handful survived in the old part of Tokyo, where they formed a secret organization dedicated to sabotaging the Angels. Thanks to their highly advanced "NERV" factory, the Earthlings managed to create biomechanical robots codenamed "Eva." They are the only weapon that can oppose powerful invaders...”
Achika decided not to read any further. It made no sense to her. If she weren't a pilot, if she weren't alive now, if she weren't here, she would never have said it was even possible...
That very night, sirens suddenly rang out, rousing everyone from their sleep. Achika didn't quite understand what was happening, but then she heard a sudden movement in the next room.
"Achika, get up!"
The girl didn't hesitate long, and a moment later both girls set off for Nerv. Neither of them said a word along the way...
There was an unusual commotion in Misato's apartment. Everyone began to get dressed. Once there, they were ordered to immediately transfer to Ev in their plugsuits. There, the pilots were to wait five minutes for further orders, which arrived with a strange delay.
"Ryoko and Rei are staying. We'll leave them in Tokyo just in case.
" "But!" groaned the pilot of the number. The sixth.
"Easy, I'll manage," Achika smiled.
The Angel attacked when they least expected it. The earth shook violently.
"Ryoko, are you alright?"
"Yes, Shinji says they're ready..."
"Okay, let's go," the seventh pilot nodded.
"Good luck. We're sending you to the surface."
The Evangelions positioned themselves on special elevators built into the wall. And a moment later, all the robots appeared on a footbridge near the city.
"Nothing to see..." Shinji muttered, looking around.
"This is paranoia!" Asuka hissed. "We won't see him.
" "Easy, it should clear up soon," Misato informed them. "We've prepared your Evas for just such an eventuality.
" "Major, target detected..." Maya interrupted her, sitting at the computer.
"There's nothing more we can do for you, good luck," Misato added
. Let's go, there's no reason for us to stand here. - Asuka was nervous.
Three Evas walked side by side through the red land that once resembled a city. But nothing happened; silence fell everywhere.
"Why risk all the Evangelions if only one can get hurt?" Asuka grumbled.
"There's no point in playing hero. We're on our own, don't tempt fate..." the boy suddenly spoke up.
He didn't finish as his Evangelion, knocked over by the Angel, tumbled down the slope.
"Shinji!" squealed pilot number two.
"Careful, he's here somewhere...
" "He probably has a special field..." Asuka muttered.
"We have to break it. Will you help me?"
At the same moment, they noticed that the Angel's careless step had kicked up clouds of dust. They both simultaneously threw themselves at him, crushing him beneath their weight. But almost at the same moment, they felt a paralyzing pain that shot through their bodies like electricity. Achika screamed, involuntarily tightening her grip on the invisible Angel's neck. Asuka jumped away from him. She gasped for air, her lungs beginning to contract rapidly under the attack.
"Now..." She heard the pilot's muffled whisper.
"Asuka!" Misato screamed. "Get the spear!"
But the woman remained motionless, only watching as Achika's Evangelion shook under the attack.
"Asuka! Attack!" Misato shouted.
Achika understood what was going through the woman's mind, yet she no longer had the strength to attack herself. The only option left was to strangle her opponent. Minutes passed like an eternity.
"Shinji, please... If you don't help me, there's no salvation for me..." Achika thought, her hands tightening around the Angel's throat. However, it suddenly rose abruptly, easily throwing off Evangelion Achiki, which fell at its feet with a crash. At the last moment, before crushing Number 07's head, Shinji interrupted him, shooting the Angel accurately.
"Thank you, Shinji..." the girl thought, breathing heavily. She couldn't breathe. The fight wasn't over. He lunged heavily toward Number 01. Only then did Asuka lift her spear from the ground. With a scream, she jumped upwards, extending the sharp spear high above her head. Her Evangelion hovered majestically in the air for a moment, then swished down directly onto the Angel, piercing it with a powerful force. Red matter spurted from its interior, completely engulfing Asuka's Evangelion. Only her ragged breathing and nervous laughter could be heard over the speakers. A deafening silence fell in the command center, broken only by Maya.
"It's over." Angel's Death at 5:07 AM.
- Miss Misato... Number 07 is heavily damaged!
- Alright, Shinji. Move it to walkway M109, we'll take care of it...
Shinji looked towards room 02, which stood above the bloodied Angel.
"We're going down, okay?" he asked tiredly.
"Already," she replied in a flat voice, turning to him.
When they both reached the catwalks leading to the Entry Plugs, they met Ritsuko, Misato's close friend.
"Good job.
" "Thank you."
Asuka smiled condescendingly. And then she spotted Ryoko and Rei at the back of the room. "Could they blame me for what I did?! I can't believe it! We finally won!" she thought, waving happily. "
Shinji? Are you okay? Your fall looked serious," Ritsuko asked. "Are you okay?
" He touched his bloodied head.
"I'd better take you for observation. It won't hurt you. And you all go back to bed!"
"Anybody know what's going on with Achika?" Shinji asked as they walked alone through the empty corridor.
"She's just been taken to the hospital."
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