Neon Genesis Evangelion Higher Learning Strike Fiss, 2001 Forty-First Lesson: "Ballad" Misato had slept in far into the evening. Again. And she still felt like the underside of a rock. Her daily routine had always been to make it to the fridge for her morning beer while somehow managing to be presentable (i.e., not naked, half-naked, or smelling like something horrible). "God...what day is it..." she whispered to herself as she walked past the calendar. She really had no idea. Was she to work today? Did she even care? The answer, she would find out, was no on both accounts. A quick check into HQ made sure. They were scrambling to check Unit-02 over for damage. Rei was still at base for quick response, but it seemed she too was just sitting around, watching tests. Misato informed the technician that she would not be coming in today, and hung up the phone just in time to throw up into the sink. "Ugh." "Waugh." Pen-Pen agreed, brushing by her leg in a show of support. She realized she was wearing pants, at least. She could worry about a fresh change of clothes when her head stopped spinning. Misato smiled softly, kneeling down to pet him for a moment. "Pen-Pen. How've you been, boy?" "Waugh." He tugged at her pants. Misato found that his food dish was already scattered with the remains of breakfast, but then saw that Pen- Pen was leading her over to the table anyway. "What is it?" she blinked, then saw something out of the window. The door was cracked open ever-so-slightly, letting a fresh breeze come into the apartment. Not that Misato minded this (in fact, it had a very soothing effect on her hangover) but it was rare that anyone used the balcony for anything but between-garbage-day garbage storage. Needless to say, she was more than a bit surprised to see Shinji and Asuka curled up together under a blanket they had brought out. It didn't look like they were sleeping, though they had to be the most calm she'd seen them in one place at one time. They just looked off at the sunrise, completely content. She honestly had to choke back the urge to start screaming, however, when she saw that they were both quite naked under the blanket. Instead, she walked into the kitchen again, past Pen-Pen (who was impressed at how well she was taking it, I might add) and started the day the best way she could. With a beer and a prayer to the angels of birth control. Pen-Pen just walked back over to his guardian and leaned on her leg to show her he was supporting her. Misato sighed. "Pen-Pen, you're the only sane male I know." "Wuaagh." Though Pen-Pen refused to comment on the sanity part. Outside, Shinji looked in and saw the lights had turned on. He sighed lazily and turned to the dozing young woman wrapped around him. "Everyone's waking up." "Mmm..." Asuka replied simply, refusing to let him go just yet. Shinji agreed with a hum of his own. "I guess we should get up soon..." "Not yet." She whispered. "They can wait." The sun rising hurt his eyes. Everything seem to hurt these days. "Why does it have to be today?" he asked out loud. Kaji sighed, taking small, shaking sips from his cup. "What's so bad about today?" "You really want to know?" Kaoru smirked, wincing as he remembered his bandages. "Or are you just making small talk?" "Small talk." Kaji admitted. "I'd rather pretend that the end of the world isn't around the corner." "It won't be the end." Kaoru turned to him. "I know you must hate them...but so long as the Evas exist, there won't be and end." "Then why the hell does it seem like everything is going to hell lately?" he sighed, looking down at his juice in his hands. "Right after I get her back, too..." Kaoru looked pained. For once, it was not due to the wounds. "I'm sorry." "I know. And you have no right to be." Kaji frowned. "She's a big girl. She can do what she wants." "No." Kaoru frowned. "I should have known better. I shouldn't have gotten so caught up in the act." He smirked. "Playing teacher...playing God. Whatever it was, I realize now I was just playing." He sighed. Kaji turned away. "Your game just happens to be our lives. If you just give up now, you're no better than Gendo." The other man smirked at the comment. "I'm begging to understand the man, actually. Once you get caught up in all this...it's impossible to stop." The wind seemed unnaturally cold on the balcony. "How many more?" "Two. Then it will end. Or start." He smiled. "Whatever you prefer." "Shit. So soon..." Kaji sighed. "It's all going to come down to these two, you know." Kaoru sighed. "I've tried...I've tried to tell them what they need to know. It wasn't a matter of testing and drilling. But...if they do understand it all..." he smiled hopefully at the sun. "We can stop this from ever happening again." "Did..." Kaji looked down. "No." Kaoru shook his head slowly. "Neither of you made it. At least from what I know." He lowered his head. "Shinji heard your final message on Misato's answering machine. Poor kid was paralysed." There was a long, empty silence. "You love them...don't you." Kaji looked up at the teacher. Kaoru nodded and turned away. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't." The two men sighed and looked out over the horizon. Suddenly, Kaoru's eyes narrowed. "He's here." Kaji blinked, then looked at Kaoru. "Who?" "Almisael." Kaoru frowned. "Angel of the Womb." The car was silent except for the road ahead. Asuka didn't really seem to notice, though she was mostly focused on holding Shinji's hand, and the sky outside. Shinji, however, was beginning to notice. He began to get worried when Misato shot him a brief glance via the rear-view window. "Misato-san?" he asked quietly. Instead of a response, Misato pulled into a gas-station. "I'm going to get some food. Shinji, come with me." Asuka looked distressed, but realized she wasn't going to be much help. "I'll have some beef jerky if there is any." Shinji smiled and nodded. "Hai...Eeeep!" He was then yanked from the car via Misato's claw-like grasp. The door closed and, to Misato's credit, she actually waited until they got to the side of the gas station before yelling. "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT!!?" Shinji cringed. "Misato-san...It's not what you..." he blinked, then sighed. Actually, it was probably exactly what she thought. "Oh." Misato began to shake. "Oh? OH? That's all you say after...after..." she held her hands over her eyes. "Oh god...I don't even want to think about...ARGH! I JUST DID!" she pinned him to the wall and growled. "You are a smart boy, Shinji." Shinji nodded...mostly out of fear for his life. "Ahh...uh...hai!" "Yes...that's right. And therefore...I KNOW you wouldn't have taken advantage of Asuka's condition." She said...though it was far less angry. Shinji said nothing. "PLEASE say you wouldn't..." Misato begged. Shinji turned away. "I wouldn't have taken advantage of her, Misato- san. I promise." She just looked more worried. "Th...Then what happened?" "It wasn't my choice." He said, looking down. "It was BOTH our decisions." Misato clenched her teeth, shaking. "We knew exactly what we were doing." Shinji said calmly. Misato just sunk down and plopped to her butt on the curb. "Why...oh why...did I choose to get so drunk last night..." she sighed. "Oh...that's right...because I thought things couldn't get any worse. Well, thank you for showing me otherwise..." she groaned. Shinji looked away. "I know you probably think this is bad." He frowned. "But you're not us." He blushed and turned away. "Misato...I love her. She loves me." "She is not herself!" Misato yelled out, shaking. "Right now, she has a million thoughts in her head and her heart's about to burst! Of COURSE she's going to say she loves you when you're the only one nearby! I don't want to see you hurt like this, Shinji...she has been through hell and back, and..." "When she was five, her mother committed suicide, holding the doll she believed to be Asuka in her arms." Shinji said quietly. "Not more than 2 days after she learned she would be a pilot. She said that a week later when they were cleaning out her mother's things, she could still smell the death in the room." Misato listened, deathly quiet. "Or how about the way the Angel took all that day and made it last a lifetime in her mind?" Shinji said. "Shinji..." "I know I wasn't ready to hear it, Misato." He said, looking up at the sky. "But I'm glad I did. You may think that we just had sex last night or something...but it's not like that." He shook his head. "We just finally realized we were supposed to be together." He walked over to Misato and helped the taller woman to her feet. "And now I know what I'm here for." Misato sighed and looked away. "Fine. I'll stop worrying." She blushed. "It really isn't my business anyway." Shinji sighed, and hugged her. Misato just hugged back, crying. "Thanks." "I just wish I could have done more..." she sniffed. "It's not right that you two had to get together after all this bad shit happening." A bit later, they returned to the car. Shinji smiled and kissed Asuka softly on the lips. Asuka smiled softly back. "Everything okay?" "She's going to be fine." He blushed. "I got you some beef jerky." Asuka giggled and gladly accepted the food. "Thank you, Shinji-kun." She hummed and kissed him back before setting against his shoulder, munching away. "You're so good to me." Despite having previously thought that phrase to be impossible, Shinji was enjoying it greatly. It seemed to be such a fleeting dream, however, as the sirens began to sound as they reached the Geofront. The city of Tokyo-3 was already retreating underground. As he looked to the sky, he saw a small, glowing speck in the distance. Shinji held Asuka with a smile on his face. He would protect her this time. They would never have to suffer again. Gendo found Rei floating in the LCL, as she always did. He watched her quietly for a moment, being undetected. It was rare when he could do this. Rei seemed to have an unnatural sense about him. Quite possibly due to Adam being along for the ride. He flexed his hand uneasily under his glove. It was almost done. So close. The Old Men were still playing their foolish, blind parts in his grand scheme. Kaoru had been dealt with for now. Despite Shinji's...fighting back...things have not changed. He should not have thought he could change the plan. Gendo smiled silently as he reflected on the Plan. And, at the centre of it all, the crowing achievement...the trump card. Everyone knew...yet nobody dared to believe. Rei. Perfect Rei. So simple...so wonderful. His salvation. His redemption. His masterpiece. But she had been spoiled. Dirtied. He had been worried at first to see the Dead Sea Scrolls predict this. But now, he saw that this was also for the best. All part of his plan. Perfect timing. Rei turned her head and floated to the surface. Gendo looked down at her. "There is an Angel." "Hai." "You will fight." "Hai." "Good." She stood in front of him and followed naked out of the room, dripping LCL behind her. Misato was having a bad feeling all throughout the day. Sure, her children charges had just completed the horizontal mambo. Sure, Kaji hadn't been seen in a few days. Sure, Angels were popping up left and right. But what was really worrying her was the way Gendo was...almost...smiling. She wanted to ask Ritsuko, but she could tell her friend had something grave on her mind. Maya and her were simply reciting orders like robots. That meant something was up. She sighed and turned to her communications panel. "Shinji and Rei. You take point. Asuka, try to stay back and focus on using your AT Field." Toji cleared his throat. "And me?" Misato smiled and shook her head. "After the first wave, take a crack at it. I want this thing killed and gone so we can all go home early." Toji and Shinji agreed in unison. In their Evas, Toji opened up a line to Shinji. "Do you think she remembers I'm here?" Shinji smiled. "I think she's just worried about more going wrong." He sighed. "Be careful, okay?" "You to." Rei and Shinji were launched to the surface via the catapults. As they arrived, each manoeuvred their Evangelions over to the weapons buildings. Each took rifles. Shinji smiled. "Let's go kick some ass, Rei." Rei simply said "Hai." Gendo smiled. Misato was getting antsy, and decided to focus on the mission. The Angel was hovering just over the city now, moving at a slow rate. It was in the form of a halo...yet another move to something more 'angelic'. Misato dreaded seeing the next one. If it had wings and a sword, she was going to start passing out. "Give me a readout on the target." Maya turned to her screen. "It's AT Field is the wrong code. Scanners can't make anything out from it." She sighed and turned to Ritsuko. "Any ideas?" Ritsuko shrugged. "Kill it now?" she smiled hopefully. "Good plan." Misato chuckled back. "Rei, move into position." The blue Evangelion tensed up visibly. "No..." she replied. "It's coming." It was lightning fast. The Angel seemed to shift in it's place...the double-helix forming it's body now moving rapidly to form a solid, snake-like line. It broke apart and sped towards Unit-00. Rei barely had time to react, but what she did was true to the brutal, efficient fashion they had all glimpsed at during the Dummy Plug testing. Her free hand managed to grab hold of the Angel, even as it slid right through her AT Field and pierced her stomach like an arrow. The gun in her other hand began to fire...pressed right against the snake-like attacker. Everyone gasped as it kept firing, refusing to let up. Even though the Angel was eating it's way through the armour. It was strange to watch. The bridge crew seemed stunned. "REI!" Misato finally yelled out. The other two Evas arrived onto the battle scene. Toji began charging out from his elevator, but then saw Asuka was still standing there. "Hey! Red-Devil! You coming?" "I'm TRYING!" she yelled, but just ended up huffing. "Baka!" Misato's heart sunk as she saw the sync-ratio for Asuka. Three percent. "Shit." She turned to Maya. "Get her out of there. She'll be canon fodder." As the red Evangelion descended again, it's pilot was shaking. "I hate you." She growled at her controls. The Eva didn't seem to be too worried at it's pilot's anger, and said nothing. "I hate you." She re-iterated. "If ANYONE dies because of you..." The Eva was silent. She screamed and kicked the handle. It didn't break, but at least it made a satisfying crack before she curled up into a ball and cried. Rei didn't feel right. She could remember something...the battle...the things before it...but...she was separate here. Her body...it felt like it was crawling with pain. Infected. Dirty. Broken. The Eva was suffering. She could feel it as well. It made her sad. "Why are you sad?" She looked around, shocked at the voice. "I am not sad." There was another her. And... Another. Two more Rei's, seated across from her. In turn, they were facing each other. In fact, they seemed to be ignoring her quite effectively. She watched with avid curiosity. The Rei on the left was sullen...yet smiling. She had her head down, as if she hadn't learned how to use her head yet. Her voice was quiet. Precise. The one on the right didn't seem...right...however. She was frowning. Why would she be angry? "Why are you sad?" the one on the left asked. "I am sad for her." The one on the right said. "And I am angry for me." "Why are you angry?" "You are my enemy." The right Rei said. "But we are of the same kind." The Left said. It's mouth moved, but it's head hung lifeless, like a puppet with nobody at the strings. "You are my enemy. You are taking away things I love. Therefore, I must fight you." The Right explained. Rei found herself confused. She had never acted like this before...yet...she seemed to like the one on the Right best. She seemed real. The other... It must have been the Angel. So...why was she there? "What do I take away? What do we take away that people around you do not?" "Life." Rei said simply. "I want to live. You have killed before. Is it not logical to assume you will kill me?" "Yes. Logical. But not true." The Left said. Right stood. They were all seated somewhere Rei had never seen before. Chairs were present. But it was not the Classroom. "Then you will not kill me?" The left nodded. "We wish to join." And then something happened that scared Rei...the one who was watching...out of her skin. The Rei on the Right laughed. Laughed loudly. An angry, spiteful chuckle. "You wish to join with me? Like you did with the Second?" she balled her hands up into fists. "I would rather you take my life." The Left seemed surprised just as the Rei watching did. "I do not with to be with you. You are my enemy." "Then why are you angry? You will not be killed." Rei began to worry. The one on the Right turned to her. And looked away suddenly, as if ashamed. "I am angry because I had to do this. To trick you." The Rei on the Left smiled softly. "Yet we are still linked. If you do not wish to Join, that is okay." She said. "But it is too late to stop." "I know." Right said, and then turned to her left...facing Rei. "And that is why we must do this together." Rei shivered as she saw the one on the Right walk up to her, and then, gently embrace her. "Please...for all this...you must." Rei gasped...eyes wide. The feeling around her was like cold fire. All the pain suddenly dissipated and dissolved. Her mind was witness to memories...dreams...love and despair...pain and honour. All through it, she tried to resist. It didn't seem real. But she knew it was. When her eyes opened again, they dropped tears in the liquid around her. When her eyes opened, she could no longer see the world around her...only the memories. The joy of being free. The way people looked at her when she smiled...and made her want to smile more. The sad, apology at the end of the memories that the Rei had given her in her mind... That it was a going away present. It was all so amazing, though...she had no worries. Only her duty now. She could hear the battle rage on outside. Toji...a boy she had never met until a thought ago...screamed out a battle cry, trying to slice the Angel apart. Shinji desperately trying to dodge out of the way of the whip-like attacker. His gun shattering. The mess on the intercom, telling her to retreat. "No...can't...must preserve AT Field..." Misato gasped as she noticed Rei's activation of the Self-Destruct. Gendo said nothing. She turned in her seat... Just before the end... And saw. Saw it all. She wished she could have shared it with the Rei in her mind. It would have been all so amazing. She could have stopped it all from coming. All the bad stuff...all the pain. But it would come. She wished she could have given it to her. As thanks for the memories. The way the teacher smiled. And then, the light. Everyone watched as Unit-00 obliterated the Angel. And itself. Gendo just adjusted his glasses. In the darkness of his entry plug, Shinji hung his head in shame. Another friend...hurt...or killed? He wished he could see what was going on, but the explosion took out his power cord. Keeping the AT Field active had drained the rest of the power. Unit-01 rested. Shinji looked up from his controls. "Rei...please be okay..." he whispered. "We have to get through this together...all of us." To be continued. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Yes...I am back. ^_^ SEE? SEE???! I was busy! Traveling N stuff! Honestly! I have the speeding ticket to prove it. ^_^ Anyway, I would like to sincerely thank you all for waiting out my summer-vacation. Any time I have had at home has been spent working, so I decided not to update Higher Learning until I was back and ready to finish it. It would suck to have another 2 month break for Lesson 42, no? And I am NOT giving up on Higher Learning. As I have told many people. It's going to be too much fun to surprise people, so I wouldn't give it up for the world. ^_^ To this date, only 2 people on earth know my spooky plans. Whahahahahahahahahahaahahaha. I hate to say it, but no matter how close you all guess...there will be surprises. ^_^ So, for now, I would just like to say thanks to the House of Love for taking care of me and my roomies for the last year or so. But, our landlord is a bitch, so we're goinna move soon. Hopefully that won't delay the next HL. To everyone around me for helping with the Kneverwave campaign (all you out there will know what I'm talking about soon), especially the core players, Tozetre, Jen and Binkey. I thank you for keeping my imagination in gear, so I could keep at Higher Learning even now. Also, special props go out to nVidia for their kick ass video cards. I can watch Eva and write Eva on 2 screens now! Squee! Ph33r My l337 Pow3rz! Anyway, stay tuned for some semblance of a conclusion to Higher Learning in the next few Lessons. ^_^ Ja! strikef@bigfoot.com www.studioshinnyo.com www.geocities.com/Tokyo/9110 Strike Fiss, Studio Shinnyo 2001. Khattam-Shud, EOF.