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Chapter 26 Nerve training.
The next day.
Back to school, back to class. For a change, something like a ruler was held before classes today — all the students were gathered in the school yard, and the principal began to push something for us. I listened to it not even with half an ear, but with a quarter of an ear, considering that my hearing was reliably blocked by headphones with blaring music...
It seemed that interest in me was gradually starting to wane-Rey and I were still being stared at, but not on such a large scale. The female gender also reduced attempts to attack me — apparently, the tactic of ignoring everything and everyone began to work. I tactfully (I think that's how) walked away from attempts to start a conversation with me, ignored the notes and didn't look at anyone, although there were actually options. But I preferred a purely "bachelor" life — to talk to Toji about sports (although, I admit, I didn't really like him), to argue with Aida about some kind of weapon...
And then to the NERVE, for training...
* * *
"How much longer?" I asked, trying my best to remain calm. "I'm already tired of sitting here for the third hour in a row..."
As it turns out, even a very comfortable pilot's seat can wipe your ass off up to your neck if you sit in it for an hour... Another... The third one!..
"Shinji, don't whine! You're a man," is Misato's catchphrase.
Okay, calm down, calm down... I'm calm. Calm as a rock...
Although I already want to shoot or strangle someone. I'm in a very gloomy mood right now — another routine swing from activity to mild depression...
"And anyway, you haven't been here for three hours, you've only been here for two..."
"Engelhuren, the essential difference," I grumbled, stretching my stiff neck. I hate sitting still, I hate it so much...
"What did you say there? Something about the A Object"s?"
Yeah, I swore, "angelic women of easy virtue."..
"No, that's what I'm thinking out loud..."
"I think you're swearing again."
Today, according to my plan, I didn't have the shooting simulator that had already become familiar, but instead I was put into the only type of training that I remembered from the series — synchro tests. I must say, it's a very boring task to sit for hours in a training contact capsule filled with vile LSL, in immobility and silence...
"Get used to it, Shinji," Ritsuko's voice echoed in my head. From now on, you will take such tests at least twice a week.
"Вeschissen" (approx. (German) Beshizn. It sucks)... I swore darkly. "And why are they needed at all?"
"To determine your synchronization level and find out how well you can control Eve."
"And how?" I asked indifferently, just to distract myself for a while.
"48.4 percent is very good. Your sync level has increased by 5.3 percent since the first sync..."
"Lovely, "the queen is in awe,"" I replied in a boring voice. "Am I jumping for joy already?"
"Why are you so gloomy, Shinji?" Misato asked. "What happened?"
"No, I'm just sick of sitting here."
"It's okay, there's only an hour left... By the way, what does the queen have to do with it?"
"Captain Katsuragi, stop occupying the communication channel," Ritsuko raised her voice slightly.
"That's it, that's it, I'm already leaving!.. And why is the queen in awe?"
"Katsuragi"
* * *
"Well, that's it, Shinji — the games are over, now let's do serious things." Misato was standing next to an interactive whiteboard in the gym, which now showed a map of Tokyo-3 with various conventional icons.
Rei and I sat at the table together and listened to Katsuragi. I still felt a little shitty-there was still a copper-blood taste of LSL mixed in my mouth... Let me keep silent about how, after leaving the capsule, this substance leaves my lungs and larynx...
"Starting today, we'll get into the routine of memorizing the location of key points in the city. And look, this isn't a school for you — you won't be able to shirk!" The captain shook a light plastic pointer at me. "When I check on you, it's better to forget for a while that I'm your guardian and remember that I'm your commander. No, not really! And no notes— you can close the notebook, you won't need it."
"I just remember better that way..." I tried to argue, but was immediately shoved back into place.
"Will you also look at your notebook in battle?" The captain frowned. "No, my dear, by heart and only by heart — you will have to learn the location of the arsenals and power sources as a multiplication table. Is that clear?"
"Yes," I nodded.
"Good... Then let's start by exploring the "legend" of the map. Red circles represent edged weapons and pistols, yellow circles represent rifles, green circles represent long-range guns and launchers, blue triangles represent backup power cables, and black crosses represent emergency evacuation elevators... Well, I hope it doesn't come to them... remember, Shinji?"
"That's right."
"Then repeat it..."
* * *
"It's bad, Shinji, it's bad..." Katsuragi shook her head, checking the results of my test to consolidate the material she had studied. The fact that all this was crammed into me in just a couple of hours didn't bother her a bit — they demanded the result from me right away.
"But you didn't name three of the nine power sources, and that's not to mention the rest..."
"Misato, is it really fatal?" I asked, frowning. Anyway, most likely, the additional weapons will be of little use, but the wearable kit, in my opinion, is quite enough...
"I don't like this line of thought," the girl stated bluntly, looking at me sternly. "Shinji, you're too relaxed— do you think it's just my whim? No, these instructions and recommendations come straight from the planning center, and we simply cannot ignore them. Do you think that the smart guys at headquarters made all this up from scratch? Yeah, well, yeah... And anyway, you took our lesson today too simply — anything can happen in battle, and you just have to know what to do in case of some kind of force majeure situation. You may lose your weapon or damage the power cord, and in such a situation you should not think for a second. You hesitate for a second, remembering where an evacuation point or an arsenal is nearby, and that's it — you're dead... You have no right to make such a mistake! You have no right to make mistakes at all! Why am I explaining such elementary things to you? You understand perfectly well, Shinji, don't you?"
"Yes," I replied, lowering my gaze and blushing furiously.
I was very ashamed.
I really took our class today too lightly.
"Memorize a bunch of badges? It's nothing!"
Yeah, damn it. But really, what if I get into trouble and get lost in an elementary way? I'll forget where the spare cable is, and it's gone... I'm a jerk...
I really relaxed, which is completely unacceptable in my situation. No, Victor, you can't do that— you really don't have the right to make mistakes.
I was especially stung by the fact that Rey, who was also asked by the captain to write a test, made ONLY four mistakes when I managed to make as many as three in the power sources alone...
"I'm sorry, Misato," I mumbled. "Let's try it again, shall we?"..
"Do you think you'll have another chance to make things right in battle?" The captain looked at me harshly.
"Misato..." I looked at her plaintively.
Katsuragi narrowed her eyes slightly, but then her gaze softened somewhat.
"Okay, let's try it again... But first, repeat to me your actions in case it is impossible to continue the operation..."
I sighed, gathered my thoughts, and began to dron.:
"If it is impossible to continue the operation, I must immediately retreat to the nearest evacuation point without putting myself and Eva-01 at risk. The nature of the possible destruction in the city and the number of casualties among the UN troops does not matter, civilian casualties should be as minimal as possible. The most dangerous situation is considered to be the possibility of a power cable break, and in this case, I must immediately, no matter what..."
* * *
"Hm... I don't even know what to say..."
Well, Japanese policeman! That's it, fuck my cart! Did I screw up again?..
I looked sadly at Misato, who was studying my second test. Now, on top of that, I had a terrible headache-I really concentrated, strained, and tried to memorize all these freaking key points: weapons here and there, cables there and there, elevators here...
"When I took this test myself for the first time, I made only two mistakes..." Katsuragi dropped it thoughtfully.
I frowned even more — it's not very pleasant to realize my own squalor...
Suddenly, Misato smiled.
"...And you, Shinji, have achieved this result since the second time — it's not bad for your age. Well done, I praise you!" The captain became serious. "But from now on, try not to do everything on the second try — you will never have such an opportunity in your life."
"Yes, comrade Commander," I smiled wanly.
And now it would be nice to transfer all the information I just filled out from operational to long-term memory, otherwise, without proper practice, I can forget it all...
* * *
The Supra was flying through the evening streets of Tokyo 3. Misato is driving, I'm in the front seat, and Rei is in the back.
"...Shinji, stop doing this!" Katsuragi was indignant, not looking up from driving.
"Do what?" I muttered wearily, sticking my elbow out the open window and enjoying the evening coolness.
After a brain-exhausting tactical lesson, I was also given a little physical training, just for show, without much sadism... But also without indulgences.
"Do it!" Katsuragi pointed with her chin.
Thoughtfully, I took my hand off my forehead and stopped picking at the blood crust that had grown over the wound.
"What's the big deal?" I asked indifferently.
"It's unhygienic," the captain said. "You'll also bring some kind of infection or something..."
"That's bullshit, Misato," I said, closing my eyes and leaning back against the padded seat. "It's just a scratch, and they should heal in the air, naturally, if it were a real injury... By the way!.." I suddenly became animated.
"Since I'm a soldier of the UN army, with guns and buttonholes... Do I get any awards?"
"Shinji, don't be greedy — you're already getting more than me! Where else is there more?" Katsuragi was genuinely indignant.
"No, that's not what I'm talking about" my favorite subject seemed to give me new strength. It's been checked — even if I'm drunk to death, even if I'm up in the middle of the night or roused during an illness, but any question about a weapon or something related to it instantly puts me in a good mood. And if I find a grateful listener, then...
"Money is good, of course, Misato, but there is also something, so to speak, for the soul..." I said thoughtfully.
"And what is it, for example?" Katsuragi was interested.
"Awards," I blurted out.
"Awards?" The captain frowned slightly. "Well, I mean, the money is bonuses, all sorts, right?"
"No way! Awards, in the sense of medals, orders, stripes, award weapons! Yes, exactly!.." I perked up and resolutely waved my fist. "Do you understand, Commander? I slammed, say, Object A, and I got a medal on my chest! Or it hurt me like in the last fight, and I got a wound patch for that!.."
"Shinji, Shinji!" Katsuragi laughed. "What kind of childishness is this? Why do you need all these hangers, what do you want with them?"
"Um..." I was a little confused. "I don't know. But I want to. To make it happen."
"To be, to be..." the girl grumbled. "I found something to think about..."
"Well, no!" I suddenly caught fire with this really childish idea. "Who's saving Tokyo 3 and all of humanity, huh? Okay, I don't need medals, but can I at least have a medal? For Object A, so to speak..."
"Oh, damn it!" Katsuragi pleaded, raising her eyes to the sky. "A boy, just like a boy! You're a strange person, Shinji — sometimes it seems to me that you're almost my age, and sometimes you just become a kid..."
"You're no better, either," I retorted. "Sometimes you don't act like a grown woman either..."
"What did you call me?" Misato squinted in a bad way, bending slightly over the steering wheel and extending my hand to the lever of the hydraulic coupling. "A woman, huh?"
"Oh, there's something wrong with my eyesight," I quickly corrected myself. "Girl, how did you manage to pass your driver's license? Do your parents know you're out so late?"
"Not bad, not bad..." Katsuragi nodded approvingly. "Consider yourself saved..."
"So what about the awards, huh?" I began to bend my line again. And what? And it's really nice, and it fits the chosen image, and the trick is really very childish — at least somehow I'll smooth out my mistakes.
"Do you want a medal?" The captain chuckled. "I'll give you a medal, if that's what you want... How ambitious we are, however, it turns out..."
"Cool!" I was elated.
In fact, what do I really get out of these awards? Am I, Brezhnev, trying to cover myself with gold stars? But on the other hand, it's nice, and it seems to be a good fit for maintaining the legend. An ambitious career soldier is certainly less suspicious than just a strange guy poking his nose around. A kid turned on militarism, whose frustration only intensified after he was sensitively hit on the head — the image is much SIMPLER and CLEARER...
Okay, they'll hang some kind of hanging for me, I'll pretend to be overjoyed, and everyone will once again be convinced that the child has received another toy and is just genuinely happy. Behave like a child and your appearance will make you less suspicious...
I just wonder what kind of medal they're going to give me. For the A Object?..
By the way... Isn't it time for me to start drawing something on my Eva's armor, marking the enemies I've killed, like the ace pilots did?..
* * *
"Junior Lieutenant Ikari, what are you doing?.." The technician looked at what I was doing in surprise.
"Calm down, nothing illegal", I shook the spray can and applied a pre-prepared stencil to the Eva-01 armor near the contact capsule.
A sharp hiss filled the air as paint sprayed in a fine mist. And a distinctive odor hung in the air, pleasing every substance abuser... The technician pushed his cap down on his forehead in surprise and scratched the back of his head in puzzlement. I put the sheet with the slot aside and looked at my handiwork with satisfaction.
A crisp white cross appeared on the gray-black armor of my Evangelion.
"Number one, Sakiel is," I solemnly declared. "The rest are next in line. Bide your time, scum!"
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