Last Minute Paper Pushing....

Lilith

"Well, before that I need to just finish this one piece of business," Dr. Akagi said as she pulled out a slip of paper and present it to her version of Toji Suzuhara. As it turns out, what the slip of paper authorizes is rather nice.

Sigh, there are many things that I wish I could undo and take back. Granted, some of the things done I had no real control over, but still there are those regrets. One of those regrets is having not been able to save my version of Toji Suzuhara from that Angel who possessed his EVA unit. Unlike this version of the young man before me, he lost his life in the incident.

I had been able to raise those who'd died during the events surrounding Third Impact. Even erase the traumatic memories of them dieing (though with some I fear the Chaos Energy went further than I wished the erasure to go). . . .

But my Toji death was well beyond my reach to reverse. I surely would have liked him to be here, now. Would have been nice to see the same look of surprise upon his face as what I see on this version.

Sigh, can't have everything...

Sisters Rei and Reika tells me that they to had had little to no luck their version of that Angel as well, but at least their versions of Toji are standing here. Granted, Rei had been more proactive in her attempts (tried to shoot out the kneecaps of Toji's possessed EVA unit), but since the combined AT fields of both EVA and Angel had stopped her shots cold the results were the same as Reika's efforts: a maimed Toji. But now with that little slip of paper being the finishing touch to a whole STACK of paperwork that Ritsuko filled out meant two things. First it authorized the utilization of cloned limbs to replace what had been lost to this particular Toji (the grownup version having already gotten HIS replaced with cloned parts from HIS version of NERV). Second, I do believe . . . that now that the pressures of the Angel Wars are off and all that this Dr. Akagi . . . is trying to make up for past wrongs.

Last words exchanged. Hugs and kisses given to those who my sisters consider either as a brother (in Reika's case) or something of a son (in Rei's case) to their respective Shinji Akaris and we then head for the first step on our journey.

Do believe that instead of just being terribly embarrassed at what she's done she'd taking a much more active role in trying to make up for past wrongs! Maybe having seen what her analog had become is fueling it, but whatever the case it's a welcome change.

This entire trip may be halfway tolerable after all! I do hope so because I do NOT feel that we'll be getting much comradery from the other member of our little jaunt amongst the stars! Dare say that if not for a VERY finely (and densely) worded contract (signed in BLOOD for God's love) shall be enough to make his inclusion anything but lunacy.

He didn't trust us any more than we trusted him, the G-Man. Tried to manipulate the party's ultimate size and makeup to best suit HIS plans and ambitions. Not to say that we didn't try the same, but only in reaction to his manipulations. Compromises had been floated and shot down until this: a contract signed in blood.

I just hope its enough. The G-Man here is a MUCH colder customer by far than Gendo Akari (whichever one you wish to mention that are currently imprisoned below) ever could be, and as such he bears careful watching!

Watching . . .

Yeah right. Three teenage girls are going to match wits with a man who faced down and bearded the bastard king of the universe in his own lair. If it wasn't for the contract I'd be crying right now over the thought!

And so our first group shall be made up of myself, Reika, Rei, Dr. Ritsuko Agaki, and the G-Man (who's yet to go and give us anything like a name to call him by). All the gear and such has already been gathered and is awaiting us to take up down below.

And the way out of here and onto our first step on the long journey is going to be from the very place Reika's current form had been pulled forth just yesterday: the Chamber of Gauf!

Sigh, at least they've drained the tanks and . . . disposed of the . . . spares. Do not feel a need to look at those floating, empty shelled versions of ME (or my sisters) ever AGAIN!

The G-Man quickly consults the Map we have and nods, handing it back to us for safekeeping. Then, with a gesture a green glowing portal to elsewhere appears.

That's the thing. We have the map but he has the knowledge (or at least clue enough) on how to open and close the portal system. We need each other, alas.

"Shall we?" he asks in what I suppose should be a cordial manner. But as always it like everything else with the man has an air of unvoiced menace.

"Feh, let's get on with it already!" mutters Tabris, my son-in-law. He wishes to be done with this and away from this . . . man as much as we do!

Stepping forward, we disappear in a flash of green light and the song of an underwater gong ring and appear . . . .elsewhere. By needs we prepared as much as possible for the other side, but without knowing the details beyond the basics (breathable atmosphere and such) the map cannot prepare us for everything.

Rei (the mage of the group) cannot even cast proper illusions to hide her glorious wings, much less mine or my sisters for this journey through the portal. The very nature of the transition would cause the magicks to collapse. No, without even knowledge of what is on the other side we cannot even use more mundane disguises to blend with the locals (if possible). We have to just hit the ground running and play it by ear.

Well . . . as it stands I and my sisters get HIT rather than do the hitting when we arrive with a flash and a bang on the streets of a eerily familiar (but different) city.

"Gagh!" I and my sisters yell as three running forms plow right into us. I at least have enough time to realize that the cannonballs who barreled into us are wearing typical school uniforms found in most Japanese high schools of my world. One is wearing a male uniform and the other female ones (albeit of different schools by their styling). Beyond that, it's pretty much a blur as I feel the pavement come up and hit me a good one on the backside of my skull, despite my wings having spread themselves to cushion my fall!

Despite the pain, for some odd reason I notice the smell of . . . toast?

. . .

"Owwww!!" I whimper, not wanting to move quiet yet. But then I glance up as I hear surprised gasps.

1. "Oh frell," Rei swears to herself as she levers herself up off the pavement and stares at the faces of who I recognize as what can only be . . . this world's version of ME and the other pilots of the EVA units.

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