[Ranma][NGE][HPL][AMG][Fusion][Fanfic] Sic Semper Morituri Chapter 12:
Realignments Part 1 of 3
Disclaimer:
I do not own any of the characters from Ranma 1/2, Neon Genesis
Evangelion, Ah My Goddess, or the Lovecraft Cycle involved in these
stories. And I'll put them back when I've finished with them.
C&C , MSTs are welcome
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(These are the original versions)
What has gone before:
About Book 11, Akane and Soun Tendo throw Ranma out of the house,
Nabiki, in the guise of a wish, follows him. They meet EVA pilots
Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami, Asuka Soryu Langley and Jeffery Davis.
Formation of the `eyes and ears`. Ranma faces his fear over cats.
Something rescues Rei from the Cthonians, by killing them all. SEELE
arranged for General Tembris, the Meliorist's nemesis, to arrive in the
waking world. Admiral Simson has agents in the Dreamlands, his daughter
and son-in-law. Nabiki learns from the yakuza that some of the `school
mafia` were executed by the military. The Russians suffer two
disasters, in the Dreamlands losing the pilots, in the Urals their base
is attacked. The Scholarly Dragon and hard fighting rescue both
situations. The pilots and their friends attend a concert and a dinner
after.
Dreams after the concert send Asuka and Kaji, Gendo and Jeff to
Nerima, sends Rei, and Nabiki and Maya into different points of Asuka's
past. Shinji battles whatever is doing this. The ending of the dreams
fills the targets with emotions of failure and loss.
The pilots are defeated in their initial battle against the Angel
Tulzscha, Shinji is wounded. The second clash is a victory, leaving
Shinji, Jeff and Rei injured. The evening puts them in more odd dreams.
They are forced to cooperate to overcome the obsticles.
It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers.
James Thurber
Chapter 12
Realignments
----------------------------------------
Ritsuko got out of the way as the two pilots charged past her,
since they were both armed, she followed them closely. They charged
into Jeff's room. Both yelped moments after entering.
"What's going on here?! Where did you get those?!" Ritsuko
demanded, she was terrified of the possibility of a shot in here, with
the oxygen tent. The oxygen-saturated bed clothes would go up like a
torch.
Nabiki looked at the odd pistol she had in her hand as if clearly
seeing it for the first time, and carefully set it on the floor.
Asuka ejected one shell from hers, and put the hammer down on the
empty cylinder, then set the pistol on the ground, "Is he all right?"
she demanded.
Ritsuko decided to humor the girls and did a quick physical on her
still-comatose patient.
----------------------------------------
Nabiki looked over her fellow pilots as they sat together in a
waiting room of the medical center. After the abrupt end of the dream,
no one wanted to go back to sleep. They had surrendered the weapons
they had found themselves with. Nabiki and Ranma had done so gladly,
Asuka and Rei had requested their return once found safe. Ranma had a
paired sword combination, in Shinji's hand they found the sword they had
spent most of the adventure pursuing. Raccoon had the twin pocket
watches.
Nabiki remembered how crazy Dr. Akagi had gone when she realized
the weapons were 'live', and had materialized out of seemingly nothing.
She looked at Asuka, Ranma and Rei, all looking around as they waited
the results of the tests. Nabiki had thought they would all want to
talk about the dream they had shared, but the way it wrapped up,made all
of them unwilling to discuss it.
"Well, there has been no change in either of them," Dr. Akagi
entered, "Our tests on your `presents`, indicates they aren't dangerous
. . . besides their obvious purpose. Do you actually want me to believe
those were some kind of payment for your performance in a dream?" she
asked the maudlin group.
"No, we always carry around archaic weapons when we go to bed,"
Asuka replied, "What other explanation is there?"
Dr. Akagi was caught by her own rational nature, she didn't have an
explanation. "I think you all better get some rest."
"'Sleep, perchance to dream,'" Rei quoted, "I think not, Doctor."
"Here, here," Asuka added, "Two nights in a row. I'm not going to
sleep again for a week."
Nabiki nodded, Well it's good to know someone else counts these as
nightmares.
"You said it," Ranma declared, "I don't mind winning, but the cost
is too high."
Nabiki was surprised to hear Ranma say that. Yet,she still didn't
want to be the first to talk about what happened. She couldn't
understand what he'd hoped to accomplish.
----------------------------------------
The four pilots walked to school, Nabiki was glad Ranma was walking
on the ground among the three girls, rather than his usual perch on the
fence.
"If I'd had my skills, I could have escaped, easily," Ranma assured
them.
"I thought martial artists were supposed to adapt to changing
circumstances," Asuka commented.
Ranma growled at that.
"There are things you cannot adapt to," Rei said quietly, she
hobbled along with them, her arm and leg still in their casts, and her
head bandaged.
"The voice of wisdom and experience," Asuka replied.
Nabiki just wished she'd gotten more sleep, she felt like she'd run
a marathon, or been run over by one. The debriefing with Gendo earlier
in the morning had been a real treat, like Misato and Akane making your
favorite breakfast, and not telling you they made it until after the
first bite. "I just hope I don't fall asleep in class," she yawned.
Asuka and Ranma mirrored her, Rei merely stared. Why not, _she_ got
some sleep, Nabiki grumbled inwardly.
Dr. Akagi had all but ordered them to go to school. 'Showing the
flag,' Nancy had added.
That's all well and good, they don't feel this way, Nabiki
stumbled, Ranma caught her before she pitched over.
"You okay?" he asked.
"No sleep," she yawned.
"You should have gotten in some practice, it really wakes you up in
the morning," Ranma teased.
"If I could catch you, I'd hurt you," Nabiki replied without
conviction, let him put her in a standing position.
Ranma laughed.
"So, Wondergirl," Asuka began, "Do you believe it wasn't _exactly_
an Angel attack. Just a 'Test of their abilities,' the way Commander
Ikari said."
"That is what the Commander said," Rei replied.
"I just said that, Wondergirl, I asked what _you_ think. Or don't
you have any thoughts unless the Commander puts them in there?"
"Yes," Rei increased her pace slightly.
"So are you going to tell us what they are?" Asuka rushed to keep
up, "And if you just say 'No', I'll tell everybody you had a dream,
where you and Spineless were engaged."
Rei stopped, stared at the redhead. Asuka stopped and backed up a
step.
"Don't kill her here," Nabiki told her, "Wait until we get to
school, to serve as a lesson to others."
Rei continued to stare at Asuka, "Learning is important." Then she
turned away and continued walking.
"Asuka," Nabiki began, "You might want to lay off her for a while.
All of us are out of sorts this morning."
"I'm not," Ranma assured them.
"Then you forgot nobody has a thermos," Nabiki replied, "You get
splashed, you stay as Ranko for a while." She watched him react to the
realization, and Asuka's smirk. She didn't realize that either, now
she's looking for cold water, Nabiki sighed, This is not going to be a
good day. She yawned again.
----------------------------------------
And it keeps getting better, Nabiki saw Hiroko and Matsuda -
somebody - from the `eyes and ears`, standing with Rei, the pair
immediately started towards her when Rei pointed her out.
"Boss, we - you look terrible," Hiroko said.
"Just what I needed to hear first thing in the morning," Nabiki
replied, "When you call me 'boss' that means either good news or bad
news, which is it?"
"Sempai," Matsuda bowed, "We have a report, of cult activity."
Nabiki's mental cobwebs were blown away by a chill wind, "Have you
told anyone else?"
Matsuda shook her head.
I should be able to remember her name! Nabiki raged inwardly as
Matsuda gave a very thorough report, right down to a map of the area.
"I thought you had orders not to take chances," Nabiki said
sternly, wondering how she was going to get this information to the
military.
"They always leave after - " Matsuda gulped, "services. It's hard
to disguise them, whatever they're doing, sets off every dog and cat in
the neighborhood. That's why the police don't investigate, they think
it's just a noise complaint."
I'm not - STOP! This IS your job, you took the contract, Nabiki
steeled herself, "How sure are you of this data?"
"I've known about it since before the first Angel showed up and
fought with the EVA," Matsuda told her, "I don't wish to trouble you,
but Ayanami-san said you were the one to talk to."
"Yes," Nabiki considered, made a notation in her notebook and
collected the notes and map, then nodded to Matsuda. The girl had the
good sense to leave.
"Boss, Natsumi may seem to pull her nose out of a science book,
only to come up for air," Hiroko told her, "But she's rock-solid. If
she says it's there, it's there, it may even really be a cult."
Natsumi, Nabiki finally connected the face to the name, "That isn't
what's worrying me. Let's just say, procedures to get this information
to the authorities were not discussed."
"Why not just go out to the Marines posted at the back gate?"
Hiroko asked, "If you're late, I can cover for you," Hiroko smiled,
"Pilot business."
"Yes, thank you," Nabiki was grateful, "Matsuda-san isn't the only
one rock-solid around here."
Hiroko blushed, "Well, considering we were in the shelters from the
moment you all ran out of here, until 7:00 at night, I figured you were
fighting the whole time."
"No, just two fights, separated by something I can't talk about,"
Nabiki and the other pilots had been instructed not to mention 'the side
effects of the battle,' Typical Gendo cold euphemism, we got cut down by
a third, and it's a side-effect.
Hiroko nodded and headed inside, no questions. Nabiki proceeded to
the Marines lounging around their jeep, she recognized the long aerial
indicating they had a radio link.
----------------------------------------
Asuka was also not looking forward to the day. Seeing Hikari was
all right, she collected the homework assignments. There hadn't been
any more class after they left.
"So you won?" Hikari said, "Asuka, why did you let Ayanami get
hurt, again?"
Asuka kept a straight face, "Classified." She was glad Hikari got
it the first time. Asuka glanced back at Wondergirl, staring out the
window again. Asuka wondered if the gaze was a straight line from
Wondergirl to Spineless, Probably.
She didn't want to think about Wondergirl, her motivation and
dedication to the `cause`, if she'd been torn up that badly in combat,
she would have been out of action. Wondergirl seemed not only
oblivious, but insisted on continuing the fight, and helping the others
with the rescue, I don't think I could have done that.
The `stuff` was also concerning her. She looked closely at Ice
Princess as she slipped in ahead of the teacher, and took her seat.
Neither she nor Ice Princess had a twinge from the stuff. Were boys
more vulnerable? Or is it experience as a pilot? she turned her
attention back to the arriving teacher. She stood, bowed, and sat on
command, then returned to pondering what had been happening here and in
dreams,over the last few days.
It's too easy to assume it's all from one source, she thought,
Concord doesn't automatically mean conspiracy.
----------------------------------------
Asuka was actually enjoying Literature class, the last of the day.
The teacher was lecturing on Goethe, her favorite author, she'd done a
half dozen papers on his life and works through college. While everyone
else was doing Nietzsche, she smirked at that, and at having corrected
the teacher at least twice in the first few minute, Politely of course,
the old fool didn't expect to be told the exact source material where he
got the bad information from.
She had a project, the prog knives were good weapons, but a knife
was a rotten weapon in an open field fight. Since they only had
Wondergirl to test here, and Krupp and Rhienmetall could never produce a
proper rifle, we're stuck with second rate weapons. I wish the Skoda
works had gone to the west, they had something that _might_ have worked,
she considered the limits of weapons and material technology available.
The prog knife was about as large an object they could get to do what it
did, We need something with more reach. Like a saber-halberd. She'd
sketched the simplest answer, ancient humans had the same problem, they
could only make knives. So you put a knife on the end of a stick.
"Miss Ranguri? Are we bothering you?" the teacher snapped, the
class chuckled.
Asuka snapped to attention, standing next to her seat, "I was just
waiting to explain that Bach's Jig Fugue received that nickname because
the organist looks like they're dancing a jig while playing it, not
because it was jig music."
Laugher from the class, Asuka kept her face carefully neutral, if
she didn't overplay it, he'd leave her to her project for the rest of
the class.
"Thank you, Miss Ranguri, please be seated," the teacher told her.
Asuka returned to weapon's design. The haft was the major problem,
it had to be strong without being rigid, and it had to be light. She
frowned, Now I have to convince them to actually test and build this
thing. Instead of smile, pat me on the head and throw it away. 'You're
just a child, how could you possibly understand anything,' because it's
_my_ neck out here.
----------------------------------------
Answers in the Darkness
Ranko looked around the dojo in dreams, even the little cat was
gone. When she'd arrived and found the cage gone, she'd searched the
entire structure.
"A few weeks ago, I would have been petrified to even try that,"
Ranko said, then admitted, "If I found it, then, I would have been
petrified."
Satisfied she was alone, she returned to Ranma's form. He needed
to practice. Two dreams in two nights, and the first thing their
opponent did was make his martial arts unavailable. "Cheating," he
started a kata, then abandoned it, concentrating on creating a practice
dummy, "That is really pathetic."
It looked like a kid's drawing of one, which had been run over by a
truck. He shook his head and returned to the kata, willing each strike
to hit the target, instead of simply allowing it to happen. After
several hours he stopped. He could practice what little he knew, over
and over, but he wasn't learning anything new here.
He briefly considered leaving the structure, to walk his own
dreamscape, then abandoned the thought, he was terrified of the 'most
gentle' of his fears. The other things out there would tear him apart,
"And I might not be able to fight back."
He sat and meditated, there were other things that were bothering
him: Asuka and Nabiki had been nice to each other. Gone out of their
way to do it.
"Except when Asuka mentioned Nerima," Ranma considered, "Then
Nabiki acted like she'd been stabbed. Why is that? It's just a place,
like the Ginza or the Harbor. As far as I know, none of us have ever
been there." He relaxed, meditated on that, trying to grasp the
thousand idle thoughts as they raced through his mind, trying to
assemble a coherent whole.
----------------------------------------
Rei kicked her way through the knee-high snow, the train was
practically buried in a drift of it. It was still coming down in
flurries, a flake here and there. The low temperature in Shinji's
dreamscape didn't bother her, but there was something else to the cold
here.
The villages were dark, cold. There was no food to be had, none of
the services or products she'd wondered at when she walked through them
the first time, were available.
It was as if it was not a physical cold, but an absence of what had
`operated` the place, as if the sun had gone out. This concerned her,
death should have caused this place to cease to exist, not linger on in
this twilight state.
Rei looked around once more, she'd walked along the entire train
track, visited the three largest villages, and the five most important
shrines. She found nothing, none of the sense of unseen activity, no
sense of hurried abandonment, as from a disaster. These seemingly new
and well-tended structures had the feeling of being forsaken long ago.
An odd paradox, Rei thought as she considered her other options, another
paradox presented itself. "I have other resources," she said considered
possibilities, "One I fear, the other fears me."
She began her long walk to the Dreamlands.
----------------------------------------
The troops hadn't moved since the last time she had been here. Rei
walked straight up to the cavalry patrol. The Red Dragons were still
under orders to take her unharmed. "I wish to see the Scholarly
Dragon." She shivered at the thought of encountering that monster
again, she had never really known fear until she'd come face to face
with that demon. At the same time, she remembered the careful touch,
the kind words, when it thought she was . . . "Langley," she said
quietly, as she jogged alongside the cavalry guard, Why did the Dragon
call her Langley, not the Meliorist or Asuka? She considered that she
would have to solve that mystery another day, she had her first mission,
and she would complete it.
They took her to Alwyk's tent, she noted the rug on the floor, the
same one that had held her captive. I must put him at ease, she
stepping into the middle of the design, felt an odd tingle as she
stepped through the unseen barrier.
"That was hardly necessary," Alwyk told her, "We needed to maintain
operational security. Now they know we're here."
"What was removed from the Forbidden Lands' temple, Nyarlathotep
got it? The Dragon led his rescue, in April 1945." She awaited his
answer, his shock was evident.
"You were one of the SEELE troops," Alwyk realized, "It is none of
your affair."
"I wish to speak to the Scholarly Dragon," Rei replied, "Myself."
She is shaking at the thought the creature is somehow watching all this,
waiting for the right moment to announce himself.
"Maybe when he returns from Ulthar. He had urgent business with -
"
"Without the artifact, he may never return," Rei interrupted him,
she had an idea what SEELE had wanted so desperately, and what
Nyarlathotep wanted them not to have, and to have himself. Her new
experiences with others, and her time as the Second's dreamself, allowed
her to see things in a different way.
She had never considered herself an `adventurer`, she went where
the Commander told her to go, she delivered the messages he wanted
delivered, and reported what she saw. Anyone or anything who tried to
stop her, was dealt with. That she had walked the length and breadth of
the Human Dreamlands, traveled to several other Dreamlands, even
observed the battle to the death at El Nureenen's fortress complex, did
not make her an adventurer, until she had seen the others, and realized
that was exactly what they did. Except I was following orders, she
reminded herself.
Now I understand what they wanted, and why, she realized, Power and
control, the Commander might be able to control it, but not a committee
who squabbles over everything.
"I want to thank you for killing the Cthonians," she bowed, as
she'd seen others do. For a moment she didn't understand the old man's
slack-jawed expression, I should not know him and his wife in their
dragon-forms, she realized, but did not explain.
He nodded, "The boy has developed a fondness for you," Alwyk told
her then smiles, "So has the Dragon."
Her confusion and terror are multiplying, she feels ready to spin
out of control. For the moment she is glad of the spells holding her
within the boundaries of the rug.
----------------------------------------
The bar was nondescript, the beer was cold and the bartender knew
to keep his mouth shut. Most of the customers came here to drink and
get drunk, not to socialize.
Misato Katsuragi sat in the corner booth, looked over the other
patrons. She idly wondered what their reaction would be if she
announced who and what she was. She was just drunk enough to think
their reactions would be funny, and just sober enough to know it would
be a _very_ bad idea. Everybody thinks me and Kaji are making out. She
downed the rest of the beer in front of her and signaled the bar for
another. That's a laugh, she glared at the last bit of amber liquid in
the glass, as it defiantly remained there, despite her best efforts to
put it where it would better serve, It was as bad as the kids. The new
beer was delivered, she consigned the last beer in the old glass to a
cruel end in the bar's dishwater.
"Why would he want me anyway?" she said quietly, the fact everyone
assumed they had picked up where they'd left off in college, was
painful. All of Kaji's denials had the air that they were lies, to
protect her reputation. Can't have NERV's tactical commander be a loose
woman sleeping with somebody, she thought angrily, The simple fact is,
he's probably off chasing younger girls, the college and the streets are
full of them. She drained half the glass.
Why do I care anyway? "I'm successful, I'm powerful," she said,
surveying all the people around her, she could order the military to
make them do whatever she wanted, That was real power, wasn't it? NERV
officers were feared and respected. Except by the pilots they
commanded, she drown that thought with the rest of the beer, signaled
for another. Damn kids acted like this wasn't important, like it was
all easy, or a game. She couldn't instill in them the right sense of
mission and the gravity of it. Shinji and Rei acted like it wasn't
important. Asuka and Defisu acted like they knew what they were doing,
and still treated it as a game. Tendo acted so smart, but she still
didn't know half as much as she thought she did, Misato chewed on that
thought, Ranma's as bad as Kaji, neither took anything seriously, unless
_he_ decided it was important. Then it was all-important.
"Not so smart or clever," she grumbled, "Kaji was just as bad. His
special project, kissing up to Commander Ikari." Like Ritsuko trying to
be mommy-perfect.
"So what was the alert last night all about?" she heard from the
booth behind her, the voice was American.
"Bunch of cultists, we dropped the world on them," another American
voice, "Bunch of weeds."
"Get the leaders?" the first voice asked.
"Of course not, they know not to put their ass on the line," the
second voice said, "That's why they're officers." Laughter from both,
Misato bristled at that, Saotome had accused her of the same thing.
"Let the cannon fodder get killed, they stay nice and safe," the
second voice continued.
Misato lurched to her feet to confront them, the room lurched back
at her. Her angry retort died as she struggled just to remain upright.
She saw the rank insignia, Just a couple of sergeants, what do they know
anyway. She made it to the door under her own power, without bumping
into too many other patrons.
----------------------------------------
Questions
The four pilots were walking to school again, Ranma looked down on
the three girls from his perch on the top of the fence. He could
imagine he was guarding them, but he knew that anything less than an
Angel would have its hands full tangling with the three of them.
Considering the mood they're all in, even an Angel would leave them
alone, he thought. Despite Rei's injuries, she was keeping up with the
others easily.
That bothered Ranma, there was no reason she wasn't released from
school. Yet she stays with us, and immediately goes to watch over
Shinji after school. He could understand devotion, but not Rei's rigid
single-mindedness.
The chaos of the school yard was as expected. Ranma hailed Seisuke
and Kenta, he knew Nabiki would put her head together with Hiroko, and
Asuka with Hikari, and Rei would just go inside, sit at her desk and
stare out the window.
The other students surrounded the four of them, before that could
occur.
"Was there a battle?"
The students crowded in.
"Where are the others?"
Someone jostled Ranma.
"Did you win?"
Rei bumped into him, pushed by someone else.
"What was it after?"
Ranma heard Nabiki snarl at the rough handling.
"Why do those things keep attacking Tokyo?"
"Give'em some room!" Toji bulled his way through the crowd, shoved
the students away, Seisuke and Kenta followed, kept the gap open. Rei
practically ran through the gap into the school.
"You have classes!" Hikari announced, "Get to them!"
When a few people looked to Nabiki for confirmation, Hiroko
shouted, "You heard her, NOW MOVE!"
The crowd dispersed, Hiroko, Hikari, Toji, Seisuke and Kenta were
the only ones within 3 meters of the pilots. Kensuke and Hiroko's
`bodyguard` were `orbiting` a short distance beyond that.
"Not quite the Marines," Hiroko said, "But close enough."
"Thanks," Asuka told her and Hikari, "Yes, there was a battle."
"Can't you tell us anything?" Kensuke asked.
"We won, you're still here," Asuka replied, "Any other questions?"
They walked up the steps to their class.
"Where's Shinji?" Toji asked.
"And they call me tactless," Ranma said. Earning a glare from
Asuka, What's with her?
"We can't say anything more than they got hurt," Nabiki said.
"Worse than Ayanami?" Hikari doesn't believe it.
"No," Asuka said, "But we can't talk about it."
"What about the fight?" Kensuke demanded, "I heard you used a whole
new piece of equipment. Some new, super secret NERV weapon?"
"Naw, Raccoon threw it together out of cement," Ranma told him.
Kensuke pouted, "If you can't tell me, just say so."
Ranma was glad they got to class. He couldn't understand the other
boy, he'd just _told_ them. They should just let him be a pilot on one
mission, Ranma thought, See how fascinated he'd be afterwards.
----------------------------------------
Ranma was irritated that the questions didn't stop, even during
class.
"We fulfilled our function," he heard Rei tell the eighth
questioner, it was the same thing she'd said the other seven times.
If I didn't know better, I'd say ole' Rei is ready to jump out of
her skin, or out the window, Ranma considered intervening, since none of
the rest of them seemed to be answering well enough, some people had
closed in on Rei. I think she'd be happy to go back to `spooky ole' Rei
the outcast` about now.
"Security," Nabiki said firmly, "We've answered what we are
allowed."
Ranma read her tone, those people better leave Rei and her alone,
or there was going to be Hell to pay.
And with Nabiki, it's going to be payable in cold, hard cash, Ranma
cracked his knuckles to emphasize things for the slower among them. The
circle around Rei ebbed away. Rei was staring at her clutched hands in
her lap. Ranma thought she was shivering. "I didn't think anything
scared you," Ranma told her.
She looked back, narrowed her eyes.
And people say she's hard to read, Ranma wondered if Antarctica was
as cold as Rei's stare.
----------------------------------------
>From the Journal of Ayami Hiroko
The boss is still out of sorts. When I told her that the pictures
of Shinji Ikari and Raccoon were selling better, she actually snapped
the pencil she was holding in half. When I tried to assure her this
could be a good or a bad thing, she didn't respond.
I can read the boss better than she thinks I can, and I think I'm
beginning to learn how to read Ayanami-san. They don't know if the
missing pilots are going to live or die, or when.
Matsuda-san reports that the cult met again, last night, then met
five BATTALIONS of Marines and Army: tanks, troops, strafing planes,
everything. I'm beginning to think that American Admiral would sail a
battleship up a river to bring its guns to bear on an enemy.
Of course the boss doesn't seem troubled by this, why should she?
If those things, with what they have planned for us, I can't think of
them as people, came after her, she'd kill them. And rightly so.
She asked about the school mafia, the people we replaced. The
trials were quiet, let everyone save face all around. Everybody around
here knew it wasn't safe to make accusations, or talk to ONI or Army
Intelligence about what they knew was happening. So when she had a
chance, she dropped both shoes and the irons on those bugs. Half the
school and nearly all the parents, made depositions for the U.S.
military, those people killed got _very_ fair trials. The Americans
were also very solicitous about letting the accused take the honorable
way out, once they were through squeezing them for information.
The boss worries about things, then gets them done. Maybe that's
why I feel the way I do about her. I wish I could be half that brave, a
tenth that determined.
She isn't like that around the others, maybe only I see how much
she cares, how much she hurts. How much she has to do for the rest of
us, yet she never complains. Saotome-`san` and his honor, but he
doesn't _do_ anything, except what he's told to do. Asuka is like any
other queen bee, but she must be a good pilot, or they wouldn't keep her
around.
I see Ayanami leaving, maybe if I follow her, I can find out what's
going on.
----------------------------------------
She's fast! Hiroko was jogging to keep up with Rei, who was
managing the fastest hobble Hiroko had ever seen.
They were heading straight towards the NERV medical wing. While it
was technically public, you really needed a NERV I.D. or an
Angel-related injury to get in.
Hiroko opened the door for Rei, letting her pass through, then
smiled at the guard and kept following Rei.
"You should not be here," Rei said once the elevator doors closed,
and the pair was alone inside it. Hiroko noted nobody else wanted to be
in an elevator with Rei.
"You could have told the guards," Hiroko replied, "Let me guess,
you have orders not to reveal what happened, but you want someone to
tell the others."
Rei nodded.
"Why, so you don't have to talk to them?" Hiroko asked, got a flat
stare in return. "You talked to me."
"You are Nabiki-kun's," Rei replied.
Her what, her friend, her servant? She couldn't mean her lover!
Or does she mean I belong to the boss? Hiroko considered, "There's some
truth to that."
The doors opened and Rei marched out, Hiroko practically had to run
to keep up. She stopped at a door no different from the others. Rei
opened it, let Hiroko see the oxygen tent, the hanging bottles and
tubes, and the pale figure within. Rei released the door, letting it
close automatically.
"Go," Rei said quietly.
"Shinji's . . . " Hiroko said.
"I cannot say," Rei replied, turned and marched down the hall.
That's a definitive answer, if I've ever heard one, Hiroko turned
and walked back down the hall and took the stairs to exit the building.
"No wonder the boss is out of sorts. Two down, four to go," Hiroko
paused, "That makes her an active pilot now, doesn't it. I wonder if
that makes her happy?" she glanced back up the stairs, "Or if the price
was too high?"
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