Chapter 14: Night Class II

Chapter 14:
Night Class II

 

Alarms blared throughout the city.

For Toji and Asuka, they sounded distant because of the shocking news they’d just heard: Heurtebise had become Armaros, and Hikari was caught up in it. They couldn’t believe what Kensuke was saying.

“What are you saying?” Asuka couldn’t remain quiet.

“I don’t know.”

“I’ll go to Europe. There’s a Platypus on the VTOL deck. If I fly it as fast as I can—” Toji raised his fists. He fully intended to abandon his post as Acting Deputy Commander.

“I think that’d be a waste of time,” Asuka said.

“Why?!” he shouted. But he then conceded. “You’re right…” He didn’t know what to do anymore. He banged on the table again.

“Toji, I think what Soryu’s trying to say is that Armaros can teleport.” Kensuke tried to ease the tension.

“That’s right,” Asuka said. “If we’re going to fight that thing, then we’ll have to meet him at his destination!”

Toji’s legs wobbled, and he leaned back into his desk for support. And where is that supposed to be?

“That’s where my sword is, too,” Asuka whispered. “Ugh, I knew it was going to end like this.”

Kensuke raised his eyebrows.

She turned around and started talking to an empty desk. “Take Shinji, for example. Why does he get in an Eva after defeating a powerful enemy? Operating an Eva is a negative action in itself. His rule was that he would only use one as long as he could prevent a greater disaster by doing so. But I’m not sure we can wait for the enemy to make the first move in this case.”

Kensuke felt lightheaded. She’s still thinking about the aftermath of the battle.

He’d joined the intelligence division after being passed over to be a pilot. He’d had his ideals, but he’d long since abandoned them.

“You wanna put your money where your mouth is?” he asked.

“Of course! But first…” Asuka pointed south-southeast. “We’re going to Yomotsu Hirasaka. That’s where we’ll meet Armaros.”

“On the new island?” Toji wondered. “Wait… That might be it! We won’t have to look for him. Armaros is sure to come for us if we stir up trouble there. Yomotsu Hirasaka might be our opportunity to take the initiative.”

“Right?” Asuka said. “The spatial lens is directly above the island, siphoning seawater to the moon. It’s like a giant umbilical cable creating the new world. The black giant will definitely come for us if we cut it off. Isn’t that right, Shinji?”

“Yeah.”

Shinji had appeared at some point and was now sitting on top of the entry plug.

“Come on, Toji!” he said with rare enthusiasm.

Kensuke couldn’t bear to watch them. Why did I ever leave this place?

Yomotsu Hirasaka. That was where Eva-02 was. Asuka desperately wanted her Eva back. And if there was a chance to confront Armaros—and save Hikari—all the better.

 

The school bell rang in the dead of night. It was an effect of manipulating the timer to sneak past security, but it signified the beginning of a separate reality. Kensuke smiled as he faded away. His physical body was probably waking up.

The entrance to the local shelter was located on school grounds, so the neighborhood watch started investigating the school as soon as they heard the bell ring. Frantic beams of light pierced the window panes, grazing Asuka’s skin.

“Let’s get out of here. I don’t wanna explain myself.”

“Oh, boy,” Toji muttered. “Shinji…”

Shinji was getting into the entry plug. “I know. It’s my turn. And Toji?”

“Yeah?”

“I’ll do everything I can,” he said, subtly reminding his friend not to do anything rash.

Toji clenched his fists. “All right!”

He was encouraged by his spectral friend.