A glimpse of things back home...

“Birdy! Birdy! Birdy!!” screams little Asuka, delighted at the fun she and her newest friend are having with the unfortunate avians who made their home down in the Geofront.

Elrondir and the various mothers of young girls named Asuka looked on, smiling slightly at the antics of youth. Oh, some felt a bit sorry for the birds but then again . . . it was just sooo cute!

“She’s so much like my Asuka at that age,” whispered the mother of the oldest version of the red haired firebrand. There is more than a bit of regret in the voice there. For a long time there had been that damnable, looming Angel War that she and her coworkers had been feverishly trying to prepare for. In the end in her time line they had succeeded, but at a high price. In her case, she’d neglected her daughter in favor of work. For the best of reasons, let us be assured but still she had sacrificed so much time she can never get back. She . . . got drawn into that red Eva unit in the end, leaving behind an empty husk which couldn’t even distinguish between a Raggedy Ann doll and her real daughter.

Eventually the empty, soulless shell left behind had committed suicide (also hanging the doll as well to symbolize the killing of her own daughter). THAT had been a heck of a thing for the daughter to come and find, let me tell you!

That thought rather soured the smile of Elrondir, though not completely. Those swept into the Eva units had won free and were back again with their daughters. However, except for the littlest Asuka over there is the somewhat bitter sweet fact that years had been lost between the last time the mothers laid eyes upon their daughters. Failed to be there to watch them grow up when they needed them the most…

This soured expression goes unnoticed by the chattering mothers because unlike them, he's hiding in the bushes. It's to keep eye upon his small charge here while she plays about with the youthened Asuka over there, just in case the magical shielding spells Sigin had concocted failed and (more than likely event in Elrondir's annoyed opinion) Section 2 screws up again.

Nice little setup, that shield spell. The ingredients, however had been another matter. It’d been easy enough to concoct with the right magical/alchemical ingredients (easily obtained from the leftover mess of what the Evangelion units had become).Thing is the ingredients are vanishingly rare back upon Terra Prime. NERV had become something of a potential cash cow for this world, so wracked by everything it had been up to recently. . . .

Nevermind. Trade issues and such. Let's just leave off at there are plenty of nice spell materials one usually wouldn't ever see in a lifetime just begging to be used. And used it Sigin had so it meant that the little girls over there could easily play out in the open without fear of ambush or assassination attempts. No need of body guards walking and covering them everywhere they went, 24/7. In other words, the little girls over their could have for NOW a normal life.

But all that said, best not put all their eggs in one basket with just a spell. Thus Elrondir and the other means of (covert) security, just in case!

However, if Elrondir had had his way he’d rather have the JSSDF take up the job that Section 2 had been handed. Like many who’d watched the anime, he’d come to the opinion that Section 2 had something seriously wrong with it if Shinji Akari (a fourteen year old boy) should be able to evade their grasp for days on end. While there had been competent Section 2 hunters back on Rei’s world so long ago, trying to track down and capture her and the others, Elrondir had put it down as the best of the best of that group being put on the case. Alas, the same cannot be said for THIS group. See it turns out that those who’d been up to that standard or been fired by both Major Katsuragis for their dealings while in the employment of people named “Gendo Akari”. That left the dredges behind, in Elrondir’s opinion. And Elrondir wasn’t going to leave the safety of this young child in the dredges’ hands, you bet! They’re not very good at their job. Espeicially at covert surveillance/guarding

As it turns out . . .

”Tag!!” screamed little Rei I, stopping short by one bush and pointing. Then giggling, she dashes off after little Asuka, who's gone off to do something else besides bird chasing. What else remained to be seen, but right now . . .

Smiling slightly at the angry Section 2 agent who glares after the still giggling blue haired girl for having "called him out" while he'd been so VERY hard at not being seen, Elrondir thought that perhaps this particular agent should try another occupation. Like maybe a night watchman, perhaps?

Chuckling slightly, he then allowed for the fact that while Rei I may BE a four year old she WAS very intelligent and smart (albeit a bit naive even for a four year old). Very observant. Rei I's genetics (modified or not) haled from a polymath genius named Yui Akari and as such . . . not much got past her. Throw into the mix the fact that the "recycled" soul which animated little Rei I happened to BE some reality's version of that polymath only added to the mix.

In other words, being spotted by the young girl really wasn't a totally bad reflection on the poor Section 2 agent's skills. But that said, Elrondir probably would never make that concession aloud because he REALLY did not like Section 2! Each rubbed the other the wrong way and leave at that...

Besides, it was now time for a "shift change" anyway so no real need to deal with annoyed Section 2 agents anyway.

Smiling slightly as his wife slid up next to him--officially taking over his post--then snuck off and away to speak with Sigin.

"Heard anything yet from the girls?" the elf asked the dragon.

1. And that was when the special communicator began to announce an incoming message....

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