Ritsuko Akagi's fingers flew across the keyboard, the older woman's eyes flicking from screen to screen as she typed. "Maya," she said casually as she typed, "do you prefer me as a blonde, or should I let my natural color grow back in?" "I would like you with blonde or brown hair," Maya Ibuki shrugged from where she was working at her own computer nearby. The dark brown haired woman looked over at Ritsuko, "Why do you ask?" Ritsuko smiled slightly, "I began coloring my hair for various reasons, and I'm undecided if I should stop." "I understand," Maya agreed. Both women were well aware of why Ritsuko had begun changing her hair color, as direct result of the illicit relationship between Ritsuko and Gendo. The older man had taken advantage of Ritsuko, using her to his advantage in his schemes and even compelling her to commit illegal acts. Even worse he had attempted to reshape her into a copy of Yui, including the coloring of her hair. "Anyway," Ritsuko changed the subject, "I'm glad our pre-wedding talk with your parents went well." Maya coughed slightly. "I don't know about well," she laughed. "But I thought that every girl's parents wanted her to marry a successful doctor?" Ritsuko teased Maya gently. "I think they'd prefer a male doctor," Maya laughed. She looked thoughtful, "Though I noticed my mother seems to be getting over her surprise quickly." "You think they suspected something earlier?" Ritsuko raised a eyebrow. "It wouldn't surprise me," Maya admitted, "I did have a few... strong crusjed on other girls when I was younger." Ritsuko grinned, "Your mom told me about you, you know." "Oh?" Maya looked wary. "Apparently you were very protective of the neighborhood girls," Ritsuko looked impish, "they even called you big brother." Maya blushed, "I was just..." "Don't worry," Ritsuko squeezed her hand, "I thought it was cute." "Would you two stop that?' Yui sounded amused as she entered the work area to find the two of them staring lovingly into each other's eyes. It was even odder when considering that the woman's persona was within the body of teenaged boy Shinji Ikari. "Sorry," Maya nearly jumped, blushing sweetly. "Thanks," Ritsuko took the papers Yui handed her. "So how's the feedback analysis going?" she asked seriously. "I think we've nailed down the channels in which the feedback is at it's worst," Yui revealed, "but how to mute the sensor data in the Archangels is still unknown." "Before we got distracted," Maya blushed again, "Dr. Akagi and I were programing a series of ‘virtual blocks' to instal in the system. They might be enough to deaden the overloading sensory imput." "It's possible," Yui conceded after a moment. "And have you had any luck with figuring out how Shinji and you were switched?" Ritsuko asked. "Actually," Yui flashed a smile, "the Magi and I have a working theory, based on my recollections on what it SHOULD have been and how Gendo twisted it." "Which is?" Maya asked. "A near miss," Yui said, "Gendo implemented some kind of program to get me out of Unit-01 and into a clone body, maybe based on homing in on my DNA. Sadly I locked onto Shinji rather than the clone and..." "You and Shinji switched," Ritsuko nodded. She tapped a finger on her desk, "You might want to tell Misato, as well as ask her about looking into Gendo's private files. If it was his program, you might find it there." "I'll do that," Yui smiled as she turned and hurried out of the room. "You look disturbed," Maya noted once Yui had left. Ritsuko sighed softly. "I'm just praying that my sabotaging the Magi to try and stop Instrumentality didn't accidentally cause this," she explained. "Even if you did it's Gendo's schemes that caused Yui to be in Shinji's body," Maya insisted, "not you." "Thanks, love," Ritsuko smiled. Meanwhile, Asuka Soryu Langley brough her Evangelion's rifle up, the redhead taking aim through her one eye, a eye patch covering her left eye. "Cover my left," she ordered, "and let's take this thing." With a cool but eager voice Rei answered, "Yes, Asuka." The blue haired girl advanced with Asuka, weapons blazing as they destroyed a false Angel, then moved on through the simulated city of Tokyo-3. "You really enjoy this, don't you?' Asuka asked as she warily peeked around a building, her red plugsuit hugging her body. Dressed in a similar plugsuit, but colored in blue with lighter highlights, Rei was relaxed but steady at the controls of her Evangelion. "I enjoy working with you," Rei answered calmly as they combined their fire against another Angel. "Me, too," Asuka smiled. In the control room Aoba Kinushima watched the ongoing fight, her short brown hair falling into her eyes in a rakish sort of way. "Those two are pretty deadly," the NERV unarmed combat instructor admitted. Misato Katsuragi nodded her agreement, her almost purple-black hair falling in a wabve from her face. For once she was in a variation of her uniform, the grey NERV official wear, rather than her usual dress and jacket with her rank insignia pinned on. "They're very good on their own," she said, "but together they're lethal." "So," Aoba asked with a smile, "what do you need me for?" Misato flashed a grin, "There's always room for improvement." As Aoba chuckled softly she added, "Besides, I've noticed Rei tends to lack a... you could call it a killer instinct, maybe. I'm hoping teaching her unarmed combat might help with that." "True," another smile quirked at Aoba's lips as she said, "the first time Rei managed a judo throw, she stopped to apologize to Asuka." Misato snickered, "I could see that." They watched as Asuka and Rei progressed through the virtual city, using simulated reloading points to stock up their guns as they sustematically mowed down any opposition. "And the progressive knife?" Aoba asked. "I would like to see them get some knife training," Misato admitted, "they're good at it, but as a fallback weapon the knife's got disadvantages." "Have you ever thought of designing a progressive sword?" Aoba mused. Misato smiled wryly, "Maya's people are working on something like that for the Archangel, as well as a chainsaw weapon that looks like a prop from a horror movie." "Seriously?" Aoba blinked. "Twin blades from a oversized base," Misato described it with her gestures, "I figure someone on her tech team saw ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre' too many times." Aoba laughed, "I don't think I'd want a weapon like that, you'd hurt yourself." "And isn't THAT a scary image," Misato gestured, "whoops, Rei, there goes your arm! Look out!" Yui blinked as she walking in the control room to kind two grown women making chainsaw noises and laughing uncontrollably. "Should I come back later?" she asked mildly. "Sorry," Aoba wiped at her eyes. "Got a bit carried away," Misato said apologetically. "Have you had lunch yet?" she asked them both politely. "No, not yet," Yui agreed. She nodded to where Rei and Asuka were double teaming another Angel, "Shall we take them from their play?" "Guess we'll have to interupt," Aoba smiled slightly. "We're heading out for lunch," Misato used the intercom to contact the girls, "would you care to join us?" "Please," Asuka said. "Yes, ma'am," Rei agreed. "Meet you at the locker rooms, then," Misato nodded firmly. To be continued... Notes: Had a few readers ask why Ritsuko is blonde while not dating Gendo, so I thought I'd address that. Also, the chainsaw weapon really DOES exist, and appears in the official Evangelion PS2 game. See it and weep.
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