Tokyo burned, the massive towers fallen to rubble and the streets lined with the dead. Amid the wreckage Yui Ikari stumbled forward, the light brown haired woman dressed in a tattered lab coat and simple clothes. "Why...," she muttered, "why?" THOOM The ground bucked as something immensely heavy struck up ahead, concealed by the ever present smoke and ash in the air. Somehow knowing this was the cause of the destruction Yui hurried forward, climbing over toppled cars and broken concrete as she searched. It lumbered closer as Yui searched, it's shadow darkening the sun. She craned her neck backward to look... then froze. The giant Yui Ikari looked down at her, her face fused on to the skull of the Evangelion. "What do you think," she smiled, blood covering her teeth, "of your greatest achievement?" "Noooooo!" With a broken gasp Yui sat up, her young boy's body panting with terror as she fought to get her breath under control. 'Just a dream,' she thought, 'it was all a dream.' "Are you all right?" a voice called from the hallway. "I heard a cry...." 'Damn,' Yui sighed. "Sorry, Misato," she called back tiredly, "just a bad dream." "Can I come in?" Misato politely asked. Yui ran a hand through her hair, debating for a moment. "Sure," she finally said tiredly, "why not?" Misato Katsuragi pushed open the door, the black haired woman dressed in a old t-shirt and shorts. She walked over to the bad, sitting down beside Yui and putting a hand on her arm, "Was it a nightmare?" "Hmm," Yui nodded slightly. "The Evangelion one again." Misato gave her a slightly sad smile. "Yui, you have no reason to feel guilty over creating the Evangelion," she told her. "Think of the good it's done...." "And the people killed and injured," Yui countered. She smiled grimly, "I read the uncensored reports, I know how many people died in the war against the Angels." "And how many more might have died at the Angels hands?" Misato countered, meeting Yui's eyes calmly. "But that's not...." Yui started. "Not the point?" Misato smiled as she squeezed Yui's arm. "You created a technology, Yui. How it was used by others is beyond your control." Yui shrugged weakly, "My mind knows that, but...." Misato nodded, conceding that point. "Do you want a sleeping pill?" she offered. "Yes, please," Yui agreed. 'I notice they won't leave me the bottle,' she silently mused, 'are they that worried about me?' In a few minutes Misato returned with water and two pills. "Here you go,: she said. Handing them over. Quietly she offered, "Would you like it if I kept you company till you fall asleep?" "That would certainly help," Yui agreed warmly as she swallowed the pills down with some water to wash the taste from her mouth. Turning on her side she lay there for a while, waiting for sleep to come. For a few moments Misato waited, soon seeing the tension gradually leave her body as the boy relaxed into sleep. As quietly as possible she got up and slipped out of the room, her expression troubled. 'Yui isn't sleeping well at all,' Misato fretted, pausing in front of Rei and Asuka's room. She set her hand on the door as she thought, 'I shouldn't....' Curiosity winning out over politeness Misato eased the door open as silently as possible and peered within. Disappointingly both girls were still fully clad in pajamas, but Rei lay cuddled in the safety of Asuka's arms, the other girl holding her close tenderly even though she was still sound asleep. 'Aww,' Misato smiled, closing the door as she headed back to her own sadly empty bed. Aoba had been on duty tonight, and as much as she was tempted Misato refused to bend the rules for her own benefit. 'Down that road,' she thought as she climbed into bed, 'is the way to become another Gendo.' The next morning the usual morning bustle went on, added a bit by Ritsuko and Maya visiting from next door. "You can't make your own breakfast?' MIsato complained as she watched over the toaster. "But Yui-sensei does it so well," Maya Ibuki smiled, the black haired young woman wearing a casual shirt and shorts. Yui chuckled as she checked the rice, "Thank you." "I'm still astonished by how clean you two have gotten this place," Ritsuko noted to Asuka and Rei. "It wasn't THAT bad," Misato blushed. "I had to fumigate the last time I cooked here," Ritsuko sighed, exaggerating a bit. "Toast is ready," Misato decided it was better to just ignore the comment. "And here we go," Yui said as she dished up their food. As they all sat down to eat she asked, "So what's on the agenda today?" "More simulator tests, I bet," Asuka grumbled as she ate. "How many times do I have to practice leaping out of that new jet in the Archangel?" "When you can avoid hitting anything?" Rei offered mildly while she spooned up some rice and ate. "Well, yeah," Asuka conceded the point. "Depending on where we need to deploy," Maya said mildly as she sipped her drink, "there may be little or no landing room available." Seriously she added, "I'd be criminally negligent if I didn't prepare you." "And the new transport is somewhat different than our original," Ritsuko added through a mouthful of toast. "You can't just easily be dropped off, sorry to say." "The added armor?' Misato guessed. "We are flying the EVAs into what might be enemy territory," Ritsuko noted, "the transports need to be able to take a hit if needed." "Drink your coffee," Yui nudged Misato gently, "you have a meeting this morning with the business bureau." "Oh lord," MIsato winced visibly. "Can you cook up some kind of emergency to get me out of it?" she looked at Ritsuko and Maya. "That bad?" Maya asked, amused. Asuka leaned forward and said, "They want to have a election for Mayor. And guess who they want to run?" "Misato?" Ritsuko chuckled. "They asked," Misato admitted, "but I told them hell no." "But you'd make a good mayor," Ritsuko teased. "Or at least a interesting one," Rei noted. "I'll agree with that," Yui said as she finished off her serving of rice and pushed her plates away. "Et Tu, Yui?" Misato rolled her eyes. "Besides, I'd have to resign from NERV to run," she pointed out, nearly finished her own food. Much more seriously Asuka admitted, "We wouldn't want that." "What time is it?" Ritsuko asked as she finished her drink. When Rei calmly pointed at the clock on the wall she paled, "Maya!" Maya also looked up and winced, "We'd better hurry." "Hurry for what?" Yui wondered. "Conference call with Maya's parents," Ritsuko said glumly, "we're trying to convince them I'm not corrupting their little girl." "Corrupting?" Rei wondered. "Having sex with," Asuka noted as she polished off her food. "Asuka!" Maya blushed. "Does that mean you're corrupting me?" Rei asked ASuka innocently. Asuka went beet red. Misato fought back a smile as she addressed her two charges, "Is there something you'd like to tell us?" "Not right now, no," Asuka managed, blushing fiercely. Yui looked at both of the girls oddly before managing, "Congratulations." "Something wrong?" MIsato asked softly as she helped Yui clean up dishes before leaving for work. "I'm just finding it a little odd getting used to the idea that my clone is a lesbian," Yui admitted.
Back to Third Genesis Index - Back to Neon Genesis Evangelion Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction