You don't need to remember that

"I thought you were a big sister leading a troop of scouts. Looks like I was wrong."

The major general commanding the fleet checked Misato Katsuragi's credentials. His tone was not overtly aggressive, but the barbs in his words were obvious.

"Thank you for your understanding, Captain." Misato Katsuragi seemed entirely unbothered by the old captain's sarcasm. She merely nodded lightly and replied politely.

"Not at all. We haven't seen children in a long time, either. Everyone's delighted!"

Since Misato Katsuragi remained appropriately respectful rather than arrogant, the major general stopped needling her, and his tone gradually softened.

Misato Katsuragi's expression did not change. She merely maintained the artificial smile that made Shinji Ikari uncomfortable and handed the major general a document.

"Thank you for transporting EVA Unit-02 for us. This is the manual for its emergency power socket."

"You intend to activate that robot at sea? I haven't received any such orders." The major general took the manual and frowned involuntarily, his tone turning hostile again as though she had struck a nerve.

"Please bear with us. Think of it as a precaution!" Misato Katsuragi soothed him. If this had not been work, she would never have put up with him for so long.

The major general did not seem to appreciate Misato Katsuragi's attempt to placate him. Instead, he grew even angrier.

"That precaution is precisely why our Pacific Fleet is escorting it. Since when did the United Nations Forces become a freight service?"

By the end, the major general's voice had risen sharply. Clearly, his anger was on the verge of boiling over.

The thing they were responsible for protecting and transporting was apparently supposed to fight for them instead. That was practically calling them useless-a slap in the face!

Rather than stopping him, the major general's deputy standing beside him chimed in. "As I recall, things became this way after a certain organization was established."

"All this protection for a single toy. The entire Pacific Fleet has been mobilized," the major general complained, making no attempt to spare her feelings.

"Considering EVA's importance, this is still nowhere near enough." Misato Katsuragi took another deep breath, forcing down her anger, and handed the major general another document. "Please sign this."

The major general shook his head and refused sternly. "Not yet. EVA Unit-02 and its pilot were entrusted to this fleet by the Third Branch in Germany. You are not permitted to act on your own authority."

Shinji Ikari watched the faint twitch at the corner of Misato Katsuragi's eye turn into a slightly ferocious grimace. Then he noticed that Asuka beside him had somehow acquired a smug, proud expression.

Asuka noticed Shinji Ikari looking at her, too, and shot him a spirited, challenging glance that left him rather baffled.

So he simply turned to look at Rei Ayanami. The blue-haired girl stood by the window, gazing absently at the blue sky, white clouds, and sea outside, and she looked back at him.

He really did get along well with this girl. Her gaze was pure, completely free of impurities or inexplicable emotions, and it could not help but put his heart at ease.

Seeing this, Asuka merely snorted and turned her head away.

Meanwhile, the major general and Misato Katsuragi were still trading veiled barbs. There was no actual battle, yet the air already smelled of gunpowder.

"Then when will you hand over the Second Child and EVA Unit-02 to us?"

"After we dock at New Yokosuka. At sea, you are under our jurisdiction. Please follow our instructions."

"Understood. However, I must remind you that in an emergency, we at NERV have supreme command authority. Now, if you'll excuse me."

"I won't see you out."

"Damn it! Idiot! You bastard!" After leaving the command room and reaching the elevator, Misato Katsuragi predictably began taking her temper out on this innocent means of transportation.

Misato Katsuragi kicked the elevator car several times without restraint. Clearly, holding herself back until now had been a struggle. Only when they returned to the deck did she regain the image of a composed, dependable older-sister commander.

"I've read about this in a book. Do you have dissociative identity disorder, Misato?" Rei Ayanami asked earnestly.

"Sorry, but no. Having one face in public and another in private is standard for mature adults," Misato Katsuragi said.

"I see. I'll remember that." Rei Ayanami nodded, convinced, and decided to take it to heart.

"You don't need to remember that, Ayanami," Shinji Ikari said. "Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, perfect, and pleasing will of God."

Misato Katsuragi felt that looking after children was utterly exhausting. Meanwhile, Asuka had nothing to do and followed behind them, watching the two Eligible ahead throughout the walk.

The First Child was an icy, beautiful girl just as the rumors said, but that description did not seem entirely accurate, because beside that boy, she did everything she could to show her humanity.

The girl followed the boy like a little shadow. Whenever he saw something that interested him, he exchanged a few words with her, and the otherwise silent girl would respond.

Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami stopped beside the railing. Apparently tired of walking, they did nothing but gaze out at the sea. Asuka came over to stand beside Shinji Ikari.

But Shinji Ikari still did not react, as though he had not noticed another person beside him. He continued gazing at the red seawater with his head propped on his hand.

Nearly all marine life had already gone extinct during the Second Impact.

Apart from the humans aboard ships, there had long been no other living creatures to see at sea. Rather than search the ocean for something unusual, one would be better off visiting the Marine Ecosystem Preservation Research Institute on land.

"Hey, what's so interesting about the sea? Tokyo-3 is a coastal city, isn't it?" Asuka disliked being ignored like this.

"Nothing, really. But I'm bored, so all I can do is something boring." Shinji Ikari looked at Asuka's face and smiled faintly.

"You're just wasting your life." Asuka snorted and said disdainfully, "What's the point of doing something like this? It has no value at all."

"Then what did you do to pass the time on the way here from Germany?"

"Trained with the soldiers aboard the ships."

"I doubt His Excellency the Major General would agree to let us work up a sweat with the soldiers," Shinji Ikari said. "Besides, what's so bad about doing something meaningless, like we are now? It doesn't matter if it has no value. It's not hurting anyone."

"Of course it matters!" Asuka gripped the railing. "I was selected by the Marduk Institute. I graduated from university at fourteen. I'm the ace of the airborne forces. I'm Unit-02's pilot, the best Eligible, so..."

Before she could finish, she suddenly found herself at a loss for words. It had just occurred to her that the boy before her was the Third Child, an ace recognized by every branch.

And on second thought, she did not understand why she had suddenly started saying any of this.

Only then did Asuka realize she had lost her composure. It seemed she had been desperately trying to prove something through this boy all along, only to be thrown off balance by his indifference.