WHEN UNCERTAIN EMOTION CLOUDS ALL
Rei watched as the door to her room was checked again as she looked around her. She was in a room similar to the quarantine rooms but it was a much heavier build, she could tell that the walls were thicker and the colour scheme was very different to the calm grey and white colours, which normally matched Nerv. Both sides had thick glass much thicker than in normal quarantine.
The labs in this area were pure black while the room she was in was pure white. So was the other room which Asuka had been put in. There was a huge thick wall of glass separating both rooms. Even stranger the rooms were decked out with normal looking beds and shelves unlike quarantine it wasn’t utterly sterile and there was way more to do. With a wide screen TV on the wall in each room and video game consoles as well as games to play and movies to watch.
It even had a carpeted floor and big double beds along with pictures on the wall. It was like every effort had been made to make it look like a normal lived room. It even had a private bathroom and toilet which was far superior to the normal quarantine one in that had a bath tub and Asuka’s room was just the same.
The other woman had been laid her on the bed very carefully as she still hadn’t woken up from the sedative they’d given her at the police station. Though they’d taken off her leather jacket hanging it up close by and they’d taken out her house keys, phone and wallet. While on her side they’d put fresh clothes of her size through a special opening slot which was clearly for food and items so she could get dressed in private after bathing.
Now she was sitting on the bed with no idea what to even do with herself. She had not seen Ritsuko, Misato or Kaji since she’d come out of the coffin and all of the people in the room outside looking at the controls were in special hazmat suits but not like anything she’d seen before.
They looked very weird since there breathing section looked funny and everyone who left seemed to have to go through a deep contamination of some kind but it didn’t spray them, it blasted them in light. She did know why they were both in here though, as they were both suffering from something in that they were both seeing weird stuff and strange things were happening in their lives. These things utterly defied normal explanation.
She put her hand through her damp short hair in frustration she could remember everything last night up to meeting that messed up looking pan being that called its self Asuka but it was not her Asuka and the last thing she remembered was it knocking her to the ground. Then nothing, she had then woken up in the police cell dressed in clothes two sizes too big for her only to be interrogated by Goro who she’d never liked since her and Shinji’s dealings with him over Misato’s drunken driving incident some years ago.
The reality was she was truly afraid now. She was losing moments in her life where she blacked out and remembered nothing and it was so scary and her girlfriend was going through much worse but she holding together better, maybe because she had dealt with Bardiel previously.
She watched as the men and women carried on working in there hazmat suits as if they were getting ready to turn something on she felt the whole room suddenly shake as something was clamped on behind the walls as a man spoke. “Double S2 Engines cylinder protections in place on both rooms as you requested.” A woman spoke next to him. “Should we turn them on and stabilize the field to ensure the subject’s powers cannot penetrate the building beyond the shields?”
Ritsuko’s voice came through as she watched a balcony slower lower which Ritsuko was standing on, though she was also in the same kind of hazmat suit as she spoke pointing at the team in the black lab. “Yes Koji Takao I’ll now begin the process. Once in place your special team can take of these hazmat suits off but not until then as you may be infected. Only once the central front glass to both rooms is lowered and I’ve fully scanned will this room be safe!”
She pressed the holographic screen as there was huge grinding sound as whatever was clamped on to their rooms started to spin making a sound similar to a jet engine starting up which really hurt her ears and clearly Rei’s, as she watched the young woman cover her ears. “Charging double engines now, when they stabilize the shields will go up and vanish as they fully stabilize!”
She pressed the holographic button. “Stabilizing maximum field in five four three two!” Asuka felt her eyes snap open as the sound that could only described as an engine of some kind on high speed hit her ears, causing her to cover them painfully as her eyes darted.
Ritsuko breathed in deeply watching as the field hit the maximum as she moved forward pressing a button watching as both Rei and Asuka covered their ears due to the pain. “Deploying the double AT field around both room’s right….now!”
She pressed the controls hoping to all the Japanese’s gods that Seele had done the work. This was why they had truly pumped so much money in to the cut down portable S2 engine. The Mars Lander was a publicity stunt nothing more. While these four true S2 car-sized miniatures were built to house waking gods and keep their power at bay and keep everyone safe.
Pure purple and gold light shot out enveloping the rooms as the AT field began to do its job and the noise died down to nothing. She breathed in deeply. “We are now running a full level decontamination sweep!” She watched as the lasers came out scanning the rooms below as well the balcony she was on and the room behind her where Misato, Maya and Kaji were along with the other bridge crew who had been watched from inside as the clan came up clean.
She pressed the other button hearing the grinding as the glass on both rooms lowered completely but not the glass in the middle separating them. As the double AT fields would now act as the glass. “No contamination present Koji you and your team can now take of your suits!” She breathed in popping the top of her own suit pulling it off seeing all of the staff but two leave as they had one final job to do. “Orison Ark Light Camera will now be raised as the decontamination space is clean!”
She watched as the nineties looking camera Seele had given her came up through the floor coming to stop in front of Asuka’s side of the cell. She typed in to holographic screen as a huge arm came out of the wall grabbing the video cameras tripod legs. Its own three arms bolting in to them as it raised it off the floor swerving causing the camera to come to life in an instant as its tripod legs became a loose and moveable with a snake like neck.
The two secondary arms came up ready to fit in the weird glass lenses as its head lowered so it was now looked at Asuka directly and would follow her every movement. If she walked it would follow and when the time was right she could place the lenses in as instructed by Seele. They had told her the colour code which was red, gold and silver combination and the secondary arms would place those lenses in the camera as it was too far dangerous to do by hand.
Misato watched as a walk way rose locked in to the balcony as a section opening so you could walk down to the black lab floor below, where Rei and Asuka were in the now in the AT field shielded rooms. She looked up as the door opened as Ritsuko came in pulling off her hazmat helmet putting it down hard on the desk. She typed bringing up the new hologram screen as she put her glasses on turning to the others. “I see your all here…good I want to get this over with.”
Shigeru spoke feeling utterly confused. “What is this place?” Ritsuko looked at him as she spoke coldly watching as the last of the staff left closing the door behind them. “This place you’re standing is one of the oldest buildings in Nerv. It was built after the void was created for Lilith and Seele six’s domain, which a few of you have seen but not the rest.”
She looked up slightly. “The employees have nick named this place the Ghost Lab as they have no idea what goes on here. Only Koji Takao and his specialist team do, as they maintain it and they know how to work the AT field shields and they maintain the four miniature S2 engines. They don’t know what its purpose is though they will know very soon and will be sworn to secrecy.”
She paused pulling off her hazmat gloves. “Officially this place is called the Dead Zone and highly restricted, but its true name is the Soul Ark. It was built for one reason and one reason only.” She typed bringing up Asuka’s art work which Maya had shown her some time back of the demonic unit 02 ascending in previous life time in the hands of a godly huge Rei. “It was created pacifically for Asuka Langley Soryu, should she ever decide to become the destroyer of worlds again.”
Sumire blinked in utter confusion. “What is this bullshit what are we talking about here? A human in godly form because that concept is absurd gods live in heaven not on earth.” Ritsuko breathed in deeply. “Misato would you please debrief Sumire once this all over and tell her what we told Maya some time back. That this is top secret to the highest level and anyone who is fucking a pilot is to keep their mouth shut about what I’m about to say and take it to their grave.”
She moved closer to Sumire who looked utterly shocked. “Yes we know you’re dating Toji. Just like we know Maya is dating Mari. So you’re in the same boat with regard to keeping your mouths shut regarding this issue.”
Misato turned sharply. “Can you get on with this?!”
Kaji eyed her in disgust. “Yes please get on with it, since we can debrief Sumire as soon as this is over.”
Ritsuko turned to her. “As you wish….”
She turned folding her arms. “We believe when Ankh captured Asuka and Rei they were trying to do this, all signs point to a failed forced awakening.” She typed bringing up more footage which included Asuka and Rei’s recent footage. “We believe they succeeded but not fully they could not contain what they awakened it got out and destroyed part of their ship.”
She eyed Asuka and Rei. “What we don’t know is how they did it, but we do know this, Asuka is the worst affected.” She pressed the buttons changing the hologram screen showing Rei throwing up in the corridor and the huge were-tiger as it walked out of the Taito Station only to change back in to person in a blast of white light.
She took in a deep breath. “The awakening process has already started we did give them both a very special drug created by Seele to suppress and repair the damage, but that has not worked.” She paused. “So now they are here so we can view the damage and try to fix it, because what is happening is the leaking through of a forma life, one soul trying to replace another.”
Misato looked up sharply. “How does that even happen, I don’t understand?” Ritsuko typed bringing up the three dimensional hologram which looked like an onion with many layers. “Think of a person’s soul like an onion. As they die and get reborn new layers are added till you get something like this the old layers remain they never die as the new layer is created.”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
She eased up a sharp tool. “Let’s be very clear you cannot destroy a soul layer, it’s impossible.” She jammed her sharp tool in creating a hole watching as one of the under layers started to turn to liquid and leak through on to the very top layer. “But punch a hole deep enough and with enough force you can give someone’s forma life a way to slip through the cracks and take control and force the fresh layer under and in to complete submission.”
She turned to them seeing the shock in their faces. “Ankh has done the impossible the thing Seele always feared and we have to repair and fix this at all costs. The destroyer of worlds cannot be allowed to re-surface again…if she does we can kiss our world good bye.”
Kaji breathed in deeply. “But she’s just another version of Asuka, I mean can’t she be reasoned with?”
Ritsuko shut down the hologram. “No Seele have told my-self and my husband that what lies under there is beyond comprehension. It’s now trying to take control of our Asuka and affecting everything around it. We came to Asuka and Rei’s house last night to find its doors wide open and godly contamination all over the place.”
She breathed in deeply. “We caught her cat which is perfectly fine now but was showing odd signs of godly contamination like growing a second tail but we stopped it and suppressed it. The cat Erika is perfectly fine now.”
She looked up slightly “Though one woman had to have stitches, since it tried to attack her.” She eyed Maya. “You and Mari can look after Erika tonight at Asuka and Rei’s home which is now fully decontaminated, as nether of them can return home till this is over.” Maya blinked. “Why give Erika to us?”
Ritsuko eyed her as she began to pull off the hazmat suit off. “You’re her friend and Mari is her step sister. I just assumed she’d only trust family in this case, to look after her pet.” Maya raised her hand about to speak only to stop herself. As that was in reality a good choice and she could not fault Ritsuko’s choice despite how sudden it was. “Yes she would so I’ll do that as you request.”
Ritsuko turned looking at the camera. “In an hour from now that device called the Orison Ark Light Camera will reveal the current state of Asuka’s soul and we will be able to see any damage that has been done.” Misato folded her arms leaning back as she put her boots on the desk. “What are we expecting to see?”
Ritsuko breathed in deeply. “We will possibly be able to see the were-tiger, if Asuka’s soul is still stable.”
Kaji eyed the frozen video footage. “It’s an illusion though right a projection from Asuka’s mind?”
Ritsuko breathed in deeply as she tossed all of her hazmat gear in to the cleaning bin opposite seeing it light up as it cleaned everything. “No it won’t be, it will be as real as her standing her now. Also it can touch its environment because its godly power is now unleashed and set free.”
She slowly eased out a cigarette lighting it. “And before you ask the pilots will all be told what’s going on via Gendo’s order. It is just unlike you they will not be told about how many times this world has cycled which is twenty times thus far. All they need to know is that Asuka was the destroyer of worlds in her previous life and it has resurfaced once again. Because someone messed with the fabric of her very soul and it’s made her very sick and we are going to fix it, as it’s now also making Rei sick. Plus they can all visit her and Asuka and talk to them.”
She breathed out the smoke. “We both felt this was a far better way to do it than last time with Bardiel and this way we can monitor everyone, without Mari trying to hack her way down here again.” Misato breathed in deep she had not expected any off this to go this way yet it was clear Ritsuko and Gendo were doing everything possible to be forth coming now and hiding nothing, which was a huge shock. As she had expected to get though yards of red tape before being told anything. “So the injections the weird ones you gave Rei and Asuka they were suppressants?”
Ritsuko breathed in her cigarette blowing out the dark smoke. “Yes they came from Seele directly and both these two need to be confronted with the truth and no lies, if we are ever going to fix this.” Sumire put her hand on her chain playing with it slightly. “I still do not buy all your bullshit about gods or that Asuka is a living one in human form Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca fly among the stars.”
Ritsuko moved over to her. “Let me be very clear I don’t give a shit about what you think Sumire, but this is the reality we are now stuck in and you may not believe in this idea but it’s about to test your religion, so to speak. So I would get used to it because if it’s not fixed it’s going to be the death of all off us.”
She pointed in Asuka’s direction. “She can cause human instrumentality she has done it before and we don’t want it happening again, that’s the reality.” Sumire looked at her in utter confusion. “What’s human instrumentality?”
Ritsuko rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Can someone please get this woman up to date with her reading!?”
Kaji turned sharply. “She was going to get her level silver clearance tomorrow.”
Ritsuko turned sharply. “Make it happen tonight, because I don’t like having to explain to her all this shit! It’s bad enough having another child Rei who is a god running around. Without Asuka getting godly sickness thanks to Ankh and giving it to our Rei…”
Misato raised her hand. “This is the part I don’t understand how do you give that to anyone?” Ritsuko breathed in her cigarette as she leaned up against the desk. “Get the pilots down here explain the part I told you to them, then everyone one of you including my husband will know the truth, or at least part of it.”
8
Toji breathed in as Misato stopped talking and he tried to take in what had just been said. He wasn’t the only one who looked confused everyone looked the same as him including Shinji and Kaworu who was hidden under a dark hoodie refusing to really show his face as he had been in a dark mood and hadn’t really talking much since he had gotten in. “This is chicken shit crazy, gods live in heaven, they’re not in mortal form.”
Kaji looked at him in surprise. “Yes Sumire said that as well but that doesn’t change what’s going on, Asuka and Rei are both ill.” Kaworu looked up slightly. “So am I, so is it possible that I’m going through this now because of them, you said it affected Rei, what if it affected me to?”
Misato looked up slightly. “The truth is in half an hour there going to find out the damage done to both Asuka and Rei it’s impossible to tell right now, but I was told Asuka’s power means she’s infected things without ever being aware of it.” Mari breathed in sharply. “This is bullshit, my little sister is not the destroyer of worlds and you’re telling me she destroyed the world in a former life it’s fucking insane!”
Kaji raised his hand. “We understand this is a lot for you all to take in and we know how utterly crazy it sounds. We also understand that for some of you its might break the idea of your faith because we are talking about a god in human form which goes against a lot of religious texts, since in the texts the gods and goddess’s live in heavenly realms outside of humanities reach.”
Shinji looked up slightly. “I’m more concerned about Rei I know Asuka didn’t do this intentionally but you said it’s making her very sick.”
Mari turned sharply. “No here’s what I don’t get, you said this had happened before! So are you saying we’ve lived our lives once already, we just don’t fucking remember?”
Kaji put a hand on his beard. “Yes that’s just what we are saying and we were told by Seele as they remember somehow.”
Okay it was half-truth but it had to be enough to silence Mari and keep her from wanting to know more. “We already knew of this Mari we couldn’t tell you because we were ordered not to but now Commander and Ritsuko have said that you are now allowed to know the truth, as they wanted you to know it.”
Shinji turned sharply as something hit him the vison with Kaworu the one where he had died could that have been from this previous life? Did that mean that it wasn’t just a dream but a real thing that had happened? Wait that Kaworu…he had looked the same as his boyfriend did now and his words had been we’ll meet again one day before his horrific death. He looked at Misato and Kaji who both seemed to be struggling with this as much as them. “Can you make Asuka and Rei better?”
Misato looked at him for a long moment before speaking. “Yes, they can make them both better but they need time to do so.” She pointed upwards to the balcony which the walkway was attached to. “You can all watch from up there, you’ll be able to see and hear everything while we talk to them.”
He paused. “Once we’ve spoken to them you can visit them but you can’t touch the shield to ether of their room cells as it has a double strength AT field covering each room. It’s there for your protection and ours as the effects of their powers are far reaching. It’s why Rei’s been so badly affected and they said it had also affected Asuka’s cat Erika. They had to suppress it and stop it from growing another tail and fix the house by decontaminating it along with anywhere they’ve both been.”
She paused putting her hands in her pocket pulling out Asuka’s keys and wallet. “Speaking of which Mari you need this as you’ll be staying in their house with Maya and they’ll give Erika back to you tonight as she’s currently in a special pet quarantine pen and giving everyone who feeds her hell by hissing, spitting and trying to claw them and they really want her to go back home tonight.”
Mari slowly took Asuka’s keys and things. “Just like that they she said Maya and me could stay there?” Kaji nodded as he looked up. “It was in fact Ritsuko’s idea there was no argument what so ever and she said that Asuka would be probably be happier if it was you since your close family and Maya is her long term friend.”
Mari blinked in surprise. “Okay that’s just weird, Ritsuko being thoughtful since she’s been such a bitch and treats my little sister like shit.” Misato put her hand through her hair. “Trust me we don’t get it ether but as of late she’s been acting off. Like real emotion is reaching her cold fucking heart. We’ve seen it a couple of times now as she was nicer than normal to Asuka when she was brought in after her capture by Ankh.”
Kaworu looked up wishing he didn’t have to be here, he had hated the trip down in Misato’s car as she had picked him and Shinji up. As he didn’t want to be seen by the press or public and he had so much trouble last night sleeping and had, had bad dreams about people turning on him and throwing stones at him over how he looked. “Could my looking like this be as a result of Asuka’s power?” He paused. “You said her power is far reaching and very dangerous and even Maya couldn’t make sense of my condition and me suddenly having faulty genes and my meds back firing on me.”
Kaji looked at the man who was clearly doing everything possible so that others couldn’t see the way he really looked as the hoodie hid his arms and face. “It’s a real possibility but it has to be confirmed by Ritsuko, she made it very clear to us that Asuka has next to no control over what she’s doing it could be subconscious. Plus its clear when she’s comes out of this godly state she might not have any idea what she’s even doing, though Ritsuko needs to conform that to.”
Kaworu folded his arms in annoyance. “If she did do this to me, she can fix it because even if it was a fun joke for her, it’s not fun for me!” Shinji put a hand on his shoulder. “Kaworu they said it may have been accidental and her not even knowing.”
Mari looked at Kaworu. “My little sister is many things but she is not evil, if she did this it was by mistake and I doubt she even realized. Rei being around her would have a knock on effect as well if she thought Asuka was going to do something stupid, she’d stop her doing it.” Shinji looked up slightly. “This does explain though how she got the claw machine to work for her. I mean she has never ever been that lucky and she has no patience with those machines, she kicks and breaks the glass out of anger.”
Kaji he looked at Misato as he spoke. “He does have a point and I was told she was playing one of the game machines recently the dance machine.” Misato looked at him is confusion. “Okay the claw machine I get but what is the deal with the dance master? We all know she’s not very good at it, her best games normally involve shooting and killing stuff.”
Kaji raised his hand. “That’s the thing she was perfectly timing it with Rei like utterly perfectly in sync, hundred percent score. Everyone was stunned and we know from the Diablos Inferno simulation she’s not quite there yet when it comes to sync up with Rei.” He put his hand on his beard. “It’s like some form of godly luck.” Misato looked up as Ritsuko and Maya gave her the signal from the black lab room. “Well whatever it is we are about to find out how it happened, as there ready in the other room.”
End of part 48
Silvermoonlight