The school was quiet as Hikari Horaki stood outside waiting
patiently, her black haired tied back in two tails, her school uniform
crisp and neat. She looked up, eyes widening slightly in surprise, then
narrowing as she studied them.
Rei Ayanami walked along calmly, the blue schoolgirl's fuku that
she wore nearly the same shade of her hair, her red eyes gentled somehow
from what they had been. Beside her Asuka Langley was dressed in a crisp
black schoolboy's uniform that combined with the black eyepatch made her
look boldly dangerous, almost rebellious.
As they grew near her she heard Rei murmur to Asuka, "We know
her, don't we."
Asuka nodded as she answered, "Hikari Horaki."
Hikari blinked, wondering why Rei might not recognize her. She
offered Asuka a smile, thinking how much the girl had changed as she
said, "It's been awhile."
"I tried to call you," Asuka met her eyes as she answered
quietly, "but things just kind of ran away with me."
Hikari nodded slightly in return. She looked over at Rei and
mustered a tentative smile as she offered, "Good morning."
Rei surprised her with a warm smile, the slightly smaller girl
bowing just a bit as she said, "It's nice to meet you again."
Hikari blinked, looking at Rei oddly as she answered, "Ah..
right."
Asuka took her by the arm as she turned to Rei, "Excuse us a
moment." With that she tugged Hikari aside, not that far from where Rei
waited.
"What's going on?" Hikari blinked.
"Rei was injured in the final battle," Asuka decided to keep
things as simple as possible, "and was left with partial amnesia. She's
been acting like this ever since."
"She even looks healthier," Hikari noted as she peered over
Asuka's shoulder at Rei, "she doesn't have that odd pasty color
anymore."
"We've got her eating regularly now," Asuka shrugged,
improvising as quickly as she could.
Hikari looked up at her thoughtfully for a moment, knowing that
the other girl wasn't telling her everything. "You're holding something
back," she said aloud, "but I'm sure that you'll tell me when you're
ready."
"But...." Asuka started.
Hikari smiled, enjoying seeing her off balance a bit. "Come on,"
she grabbed Asuka then Rei's hands, "if we don't hurry we'll be late."
"So how are Aida," Asuka managed to breathlessly ask as they all
but jogged along together across the yard, "and Toji?"
Hikari felt her cheeks reddening a bit, "Aida is fine, and
Toji...." She took a deep breath, "We're dating, now."
"Good for you," Asuka smiled.
"Congratulations," Rei said mildly.
"Thanks," Hikari said with a blush.
Hikari lead them into the classroom, studying their reactions as
subtlety as possible. Rei seemed eager, looking around her curiously,
while Asuka was a bit more subdued. She looked around, lost in her
memories, and Hikari felt a moment of pity for her.
'Not that I'd ever tell her that,' Hikari thought wryly.
Hikari had gotten to know Asuka pretty well during the Angels
crisis, but this woman standing beside her was a bit different. The
brash, almost obnoxious self confidence she had shown had been replaced
by a quiet strength. The physical change, they eyepatch and boy's suit,
were almost secondary to that inner shift.
"Hey, we're on time," the blonde haired boy stopped cold in the
doorway, gazing at Asuka and Rei. His face broke into a smile as Aida
said, "You're back!"
Asuka's lips twitched up into a smile, "Always stating the
obvious."
Toji came in next, the lanky dark haired boy still leaning a bit
awkwardly on his cane. He looked a bit warily at Asuka, "You aren't
going to get violent again, are you?"
Asuka actually grinned back at that as she said, "I don't know,
you haven't really given me a reason yet."
"You two," Hikari scolded, moving over to stand by Toji. He
smiled down at her and she took his hand, squeezing it gently.
"Aren't they disgusting?" Aida complained good naturedly.
Rei shook her head seriously as she answered, "No, they're not."
"So," Toji leaned up against the window, his expression serious,
"how's Shinji? We've been up to visit him but the doctors won't tell us
anything."
There was the oddest look on Asuka's face, sorrow, regret even a
bit of guilt. "Still in a coma," Asuka finally answered softly, "the
doctors can't find anything physically wrong with him. The psychiatrists
think he's retreated from reality somehow."
'She's not telling the whole truth,' Hikari blinked, looking at
Asuka curiously.
Aida looked over at Asuka and Rei eagerly, "So are you two still
pilots?"
"Yes," Rei answered serenely.
Toji shook his head, his eyes haunted as he said, "There is no
way you are ever talking me into climbing into one of those things
again."
The afternoon sun lit the office in NERV as the three women sat
around in relaxed poses, another lady putting cups of coffee out. "Is
there anything else I can get you, ma'am?" Himiko asked, the young woman
pushing her gray hair back.
"We're fine," Misato reassured her.
"I'll hold your calls," Himiko bowed slightly before leaving.
"You know, I think she likes you," Ritsuko noted.
"No," Misato shook her head firmly as she continued on,
"Himiko's a good kid, but I don't think she goes that way."
"You wanted an update on Unit Alpha?" Maya gently changed the
subject with a smile. At Misato's nod she continued, "The internals and
pilot interface systems are completed, we only need to ready the
external armor."
"Sounds good," Misato said. She frowned, "I've heard some
disturbing reports on the rogue EVAs. Several nations appear to be
making progress in bringing them fully operational, something I thought
required information only we had."
"In theory, yes," Maya answered quite promptly, "but they may
have acquired the information some other way."
Ritsuko spoke up, "We have been hacked before, once by the
Angels and by the UN among other parties. The information might have
gotten out that way."
"Marvelous," Misato sighed.
"I've consulted with Magi," Ritsuko looked visually
uncomfortable as she continued, "we're trying to determine if the
information was removed, but it's hard to be certain."
Misato looked over at her friend thoughtfully as she asked, "So
what's it like working with the Magi now?"
"Very odd," Ritsuko admitted, "her personality is very like my
mother's was but also fundamentally different."
"It can be a bit disconcerting," Maya admitted, "I was working
with Magi on a problem even as she was quizzing me on being a proper
match for her daughter."
Misato nearly choked on her coffee. "You're kidding me?" she
blurted.
Ritsuko looked equally surprised. "Remind me to have a little
talk with my mother," she sat back with a sigh.
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