Changes
What could have happened 3 !!!
Hello out there! First of all I want to apologise for any possible fault or bug in my story regarding the original Neon Genesis Evangelion story.
Story Outline
Part 2 of Wchh dealt with a surprise battle against an angel in a last minute rescue of Asuka by the only partly recovered Shinji. In the aftermath of the battle when Asuka was hospitalised, both children admitted their respective feelings for the other. Part 3 now will focus more on the developing emotions of Asuka/Shinji. Although I will change Shinji's behaviour slightly. Don't be afraid! He will still be the sweet baka we all had learned to love from NGE, but after reading a book about the changes of soldiers in a war situation I thought it would be appreciated.
During the development of this story the character of Ikari Gendo will change in some important ways. That means he will not be a totally heartless bastard of a man.
Chapter 3 Changes
Location: NERV Hospital Room 679
Time: 4 weeks after the last battle
To say that Asuka was bored, was more than an understatement. She was actually royal bored, and to make it worse, she had no one to talk since Shinji was released 15 days ago. Normally Shinji would have visited her daily for many hours, but for today he had to perform a long time synchronisation test to perform with his Unit-01.
Shinji. Asuka still had some difficulties to think about them as a couple, but the more time she thought about it the more it felt right for her. Actually, now she had come to a point were she missed him deeply whenever he would not be with her. Right now was the fact, that he wasn't with her the main reason for her to be bored.
"Damn you Ritsuko! Why did you have to make him do those f*****g tests?" Asuka said out loud.
"Well Miss Soryu, those tests are necessary to uncover the secret of Unit-1's self-activation four weeks ago!" The voice of Dr. Ritsuko Akagi said from the doorway to Asukas room.
'SHIT! Now I'm in for a tough time. She wasn't supposed to hear that.' Asuka thought.
Putting a cheerful expression on Asuka turned toward the door to face Dr. Akagi. "Oh, hello Doc! Haven't noticed you were staying there. So, can I finally get out of that hospital, or what?"
Deciding to ignore Asukas little outburst before Ritsuko told her "Actually we are going to release you in about 45 minutes from now on."
'45 minutes? What the hell?' Asuka thought.
"Doc. Why in 45 minutes?"
Ritsuko had now a big grin plastered on her face. "Because your L O V E R B O Y requested to be present for your release."
"My what????!!!!" Asuka shouted. "Ritsuko, you better never again refer to my Shinji in such a way, or I'm going to crush your sorry ass the next time I'm inside my Unit-2!"
Still grinning Ritsuko turned around as if to address someone behind her. "You were right, she goes right away ballistic when you're mentioned as her sextoy."
The voice of Ikari Shinji was now audible from behind Dr. Akagi. "My, my Dr. Akagi. I would never have guessed, that you have such dirty thoughts in that beautiful head of you." With that said Shinji stepped around the Doctor, to see Asuka. "Ready to leave this torture cabinet my dear Asuka?"
Asuka couldn't help to smile. This Shinji in front of her had changed quite a lot in the time she had known him. Almost gone was the shy, fearsome boy, instead of that person now a fine young man who's eye's contained a sparkling that wasn't there before. "As ready as I ever could be handsome."
AN: If anyone out there have an idea for other names those two could call themselves, please let me know. I'm open for suggestions.
"That's good to hear sweety. Misato will arrive in about 10 minutes to take us back home."
Again Asuka smiled at that. Since Misato was informed about their feelings for the other, their guardian had to be convinced during very long and sometimes very loud sessions, that Shinji and herself could stay together at the same apartment.
"Shinji, the commander wants to see you in 10 minutes, so what does the two of you want to do, mmh?" Ritsuko asked the two teenagers.
"Well Asuka, my 'father' normally talks little with me, so if you want you and Misato could wait at NERV HQ for me, or you two could drive home alone and I grab an express train to the surface when I'm finished. So, what do you want to do?"
"Mmh, waiting for you a few minutes at HQ or driving alone with Misato through Tokyo-3 and waiting for you while Misato drives me crazy. Yeah, really hard choice I have to make her. Of course I will wait for you at the HQ."
"OK Asuka, I will leave now so if you and Misato feel free wait for me. Ritsuko did the commander mentioned were he want to talk with me?"
"He expects you at the personal parking lot BETA9. Don't ask me why, he didn't told me."
"OK, Ritsuko PL-BETA9 it is. See you in a while sweety."
"Bye handsome."
Location: PL-BETA9
Time: 10 minutes later
When Shinji arrived at the PL he couldn't see his father, the supreme commander of NERV, immediately. It took him a while to see him standing near a covered vehicle he couldn't identify. While he walked toward his father he thought about the reason for his father to see him. What happened when he stood in front of his father shocked him to no end.
"Hello Shinji." His father greeted him.
At first Shinji was totally shocked. His father greeting him? Addressing him by his personal name? Third impact must be happen within the next seconds, 'cause even in his wildest dreams he wouldn't have believed it possibly that his father would act so ... familiar.
"Dad? What do you want?"
"Have you forgotten what a day today is my son?"
'My son? What the hell?' "What do you mean, with 'today'?"
"Today, 15 years ago you, Ikari Shinji, was born. So, happy birthday Shinji."
'My birthday? I have totally forgotten that it's today.' "Thank you father, it means a lot for me that you have remembered it:"
"I although want to say I'm sorry for my behaviour during the last years Shinji. After the death of your mother you could say that I had lost it literally. I know it's quite late for that, but would you please accept my apology and let us start a new?"
'Apology? New start? Is that the same men that tricked me into piloting Unit-1?' "Dad, I don't know what I should say, that's quite suddenly for me."
"You don't have to answer me right away Shinji. I understand fully that this must be quite a shock for you. Regardless how you will decide about my offer, I want you to have something. Your uncle had told me about something you said a while ago, and I thought I could make that wish of you come true." With that said Gendo stepped behind the covered vehicle and in a quick motion he removed the cover revealing Shinji's surprise. "Again happy birthday my son."
Again within a few minutes Shinji was totally shocked. He had always dreamed about it, but he never believed it would become true. How wrong he was. There, right in front of him stood now his dream for real.
A wonderful pre-second-impact Motorbike.
A Honda CBR 650 Fireblade in a stunningly beautiful red-white-blue colouring.
"How did you know that? I never told anyone about my dream."
"You're wrong Shinji, you had talked about it."
"When Dad? I can't remember."
"Your old teacher told me in one of his weekly reports. Maybe you don't know it, but sometimes you talk while you're asleep."
"I see ... wait a second! My teacher gave you reports about me?"
"Of course Shinji. Even when I had abandoned you I was concerned about your whereabouts. At first it was out of shame about me leaving you, but after a while it was for your protection. Nobody knows that, but the comite was once very interested in your person, for reasons beyond my knowledge."
"So for all those years you kept an eye on me?"
"Yes Shinji, even when I have to admit that I never looked out for you personal, for the last five years you were never alone or on your own."
"Than, perhaps it's OK."
"OK?"
"Yes, OK, let's give it a try, an earnest try with us two."
Now positions were changed. At the start Shinji was speechless, now Gendo was at a loss of words. It seems both Ikari's would take turns in being surprised by the other. (Guess who it is now. Right! It's Shinji's turn.)
Right in front of Shinji Ikari happened one of the most rare wonders in the known galaxy. Ikari Gendo with a soft smile across his face. 'Damn, my father is obviously still good for a surprise.' Shaking his head lightly, to clear his racing thoughts, Shinji reached out towards the face of his father with his right hand.
Gendo stiffened at first a bit, but after a second he was his old stone cold self, his face never betraying any visible emotion. That cold exterior lasted only three more seconds, the exact amount of time Shinji needed to take the tinted glasses from his nose and to look right in his eyes. Now Gendo was trembling lightly, 'cause he knows that his glasses were his last defence of not showing his emotions to others.
'Something is definitely wrong here. These can't be the same eyes who inflict such thread in my heart so many times over the years.' Shinji thought. 'Why has he now such a warmth in them? He looks almost as if he would actually care for me.'
"Dad?"
"Yes, Shinji."
"We have a slight problem here."
"What kind of problem?" Gendo asked his son, now sounding obviously irritated.
Shinji looked now sheepishly down to his feet, grinning all the time. "I have no idea of how to handle this beauty."
A stunned silence followed this statement. After a few moments Gendo started to laugh wholeheartedly shocking Shinji, who never believed his father as able to laugh this way, scrap that, he thought he wasn't able to laugh. Not knowing what to do else, Shinji joined his father in his laughing. If anyone would had walked by those two, would have turned and raced immediately to the infirmary, to let his mental health be checked.
When those two were able to quite their laugh attack, both Ikaris looked serious again at each other. Not surprisingly it was Gendo who spoke first.
"If it's OK with you, I thought it would be good when Major Katsuragi teach you how to handle a motorbike."
"Ugh, Dad. I don't think, this would be a good idea. I mean, have you ever visited her driving style? She's more deadly than Unit-01 in her berserk mode."
"Point taken Shinji." Gendo said, after a few seconds of hard thinking he came to a conclusion. "Than I will teach you personally, Shinji."
"What, you know how to drive a motorbike dad?"
"Is this so unbelievingly Shinji? I wasn't always the commander of NERV. Before I met your mother young one, I was quite a wild teenager. You could say I was some kind of party lion. NO girl was safe from me, and I mean it!"
"My dad the lady's man, who would have thought. So when you're going to train me how to drive I have a small request."
"What kind of request?"
"This whole situation will be our own private little secret, up to the point were I'm able to drive."
"If you want it Shinji, I have no problem with it, but I if you allow me to ask, WHY?"
Looking his father into the eyes, smiling like he was the happiest boy in the universe (what he at this point was) Shinji replied. "I want to surprise them."
And with that father and son, after years of loneliness, felt for the a small period of time like a real family.
Location: PL-PSI 182, Major Katsuragis Parking Space
Time: 4:23 PM
"That little bastard. He better get his damn ass up here before I hunt him down with Unit-02 and kick his ass from here into the next dimension." Asuka screamed in her rage. It was now 48 minutes since Shinji left her to speak with his father and she was getting inpatient.
"Asuka, when the commander want's to talk with Shinji you have to step out of the way and let him have his way when you want to survive the night." Misato told her companion.
"I don't give a damn about what the commander wants!" Asuka screamed in rage, not caring the least about bystanders who might be listening.
Misato was about to say something to calm her down when her worst case scenario in the person of Ikari Gendo came true.
"Pilot Soryu!" The ice cold voice of the supreme commander of NERV boomed through the parking lot. "It would be well advised if you keep your temper under control, if you want to avoid some free time in the brig. Have I made myself clear Pilot Soryu?"
Asuka know that badmouthing about someone always hold the possibility of trouble. Badmouthing about a man like Commander Ikari was only to survive when the person wasn't within hearing range. So it really shocked her, that the Commander hadn't shoot her right there.
Turning around real slow, carefully avoiding any sudden movement, Asuka faced the commander. When she was terrified already by the simple presence of the Commander, her shock level jumped up another notch at the image in front of her. Right in front of her stood not only the commander, but although the pilot of Unit-01, Ikari Shinji, and both Ikaris were wearing the same cold expressionless face.
"Crystal clear commander, it won't happen again." Asuka had her expression under tight control, but those who knew her well enough noticed, that her voice carried an frightened undertone.
The commander fixed her for a few moments longer with his hard & cold gaze before he turned to his left to face Shinji. "We will met again tomorrow 8AM sharp, a driver will pick you up at Major Katsuragis address. Until further notice you're hereby freed from any school duties, understood?" After a nod from Shinji he went on. "The necessary equipment for your training will be delivered to your place within the next 3 hours. Make yourself familiar with the correct usage and don't forget, that this project is TOP-SECRET."
Turning around again to face Misato and Asuka he said. "This means Major Katsuragi, Pilot Soryu you're not allowed, under any circumstances, to question Pilot Ikari about the training he receives. Any disrespect of this order will be punished as high treason against NERV. Understood?"
Snapping out of their trances both woman shouted "YES SIR!" as if they fresh recruits in a boot camp.
"Very well, dismissed! Until tomorrow than Shinji."
"I'm looking forward to it father."
Nodding at that, commander Ikari left the small group, who was to 2/3 absolutely shocked by what had happened during the last few minutes.
After a few seconds of looking at the retreating form of his father and supreme commander, Shinji looked back at his two friends, who where still in some kind of catatonic state. Wide eyed, gaping at the scene they had to visit a mere minute ago. Not surprisingly it was Asuka who was the first to speak again.
"What the hell happened here Shinji? What kind of project are you involved in? ..."
"Asuka, it would be good for you when you just keep quit and forget about what happened here." Misato interrupted her young charge, remembering the threat of the commander quite vividly. Ikari Gendo was quite someone, but he was also a men who never would made empty threats. She was sure that, if they would disobey his orders, he wouldn't waste even a second to make them suffering.
"What? Forget what happened here? Are you out of your mind?" Asuka was now a few seconds away from one of her famous temper attacks, fortunately for her someone, no one expected stopped her.
The calm and, noticeable only for his close friends, cold voice of Ikari Shinji made herself noticeable. "Asuka, for your on sake, please keep quite now before something happened what we all will regret."
That was now the last straw for Shinji's female housemates. First the sudden appearance of both, the commander and Shinji together. Second the surprisingly familiarity between those two. Third the stone cold expressionless face of Shinji. Fourth the mysterious secret project which involved Shinji's participation. Fifth the fact, that Shinji was looking forward to the next meeting with his father and Sixth, the fact that he had spoken against his girlfriend.
"I know this must look quite suspiciously for both of you, but you have to trust me on this case. This is something between me and my father and no one else is allowed to know a bit about it until both of us are ready to reveal the secret. Even second commander Fuyuzuki doesn't have the smallest piece of information about it. You will know everything, but only when the time is right for it, understood?"
"All right Shinji," Misato said. "but you better inform us as soon as possible about this little project."
"Of course Misato, I would do nothing less. So you two lady's, ready for a nice evening alone at home with your favourite pilot of Unit-01?"
Momentarily forgetting her surprise and anger about the whole situation, Asuka and Misato couldn't withstand the strong urge to laugh after that little statement of the usually shy and friendly EVA-Pilot. Not surprisingly the evening was quite nice for the small rag-tack family, after a little starting problems (as usual) Misato got herself filled up with her beloved beer cans while our two lovebirds remained on the couch watching a nice movie and simply enjoying each others company, relived that both were finally out of the hospital and together with the person each one of them loved most in the world.
In the evening although arrived the mysterious delivery commander Ikari had announced earlier the day. Not surprisingly Asuka wanted nothing more as to tore the package open and sniff through the contents, dying for information about the secret project of Shinji, but the was quite forceful restrained by a momentarily sober Misato, who not wanted one of her charges court marshalled by commander Ikari.
Alone is his room Shinji looked trough the contents of the delivered package. Not surprisingly he found all the necessities one would need driving a motorbike, a helmet, biker boots, gloves and ...
"What the hell does a plugsuit here?" Shinji wondered out aloud. It looked a lot like his normal standard suite he wore while piloting Unit-01, but the left forearm looked quite different. Attached to the fabric was a little flexible LCD-Display, who resembled something like a touch screen in Shinji's eyes.
Attached to the suit was a little note from his father.
'Shinji, this is your new plugsuit, it's refitted to be used like your normal suit with a little extra gimmick. I'm sure you have noticed the little touch screen at the left forearm, it controls a new safety feature. Activated it will pump up several protection pads like a professional biker combo, although is one of the latest high tech achievements included. We call it the Chameleon, it allows you to change the outer appearance of the suit. Currently are three possible outfits programmed, your school uniform, the Motorbike appearance and the classical plugsuit colour scheme. I hope you will enjoy my little present Shinji and I'm looking forward for our first training session. Good bye my son. Gendo'
"Whenever I think I have finally understood my father, he pulls a new prank." Shaking his head wile a silly grin was plastered on his face Shinji started changing into his new suit, not noticing the fact that his door was slightly open and two pairs of eyes were peeping through the crack.
Looking up at her guardian Asuka said. "Do you have a idea what's happening here Misato, 'cause I have no one?"
"I'm as clueless as you Asuka, but I think when he is ready to tell us we will be informed. Unless the commander makes his treat true and have us court marshalled for spying after Shinji."
"The only one here who's spying is you Misato. I'm just checking after my boyfriend, that's a little different. Wont you agree?"
"Always looking for ways around the rules, NE Asuka? Let's give him some privacy now Asuka. If I'm not mistaken you still have school tomorrow and you're not excused to bail out."
"OH Misato! That's not fair. Hey Misato, don't go. I'm not finished with you yet. Misato? Misato?!"
The End
For NOW!!!
So. What do you think? Please keep in mind, that as a German my English might be not so well, so please don't be to hard with me. Any comment or well meant criticism is highly appreciated.
PS: I'm really sorry for the real late posting of this story, but my life was during the last month's a real personal hell.
You're wondering what will happen next? Well ... that's a surprise! Until next time. Mav Phönix/ DJähn
