Categories > Anime/Manga > Neon Genesis Evangelion > Science Ninja Avengers
CHAPTER 4
Within Shinji’s room in the ISO Underground Field Headquarters, Wanda was hugging Shinji with tears in her eyes, kissing his forehead and stroking his hair.
"Don’t scare me like that ever again." she said to the young man whom she had woken up from his nap out of sheer concern.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Wanda." he said as the others came in to see him.
"I don’t believe this!" Misato gasped. "He takes a rocket in the back and wakes up after only a few hours rest? How can he recover so quickly?"
"Maybe he’s got mutant powers." Tigra grinned, thumbing her claw at Logan.
"If anyone had been paying attention, I did state the very specific reason for his survival, which came from the special suit he was wearing." Beast stated.
"Great. Can I get one too?" Misato asked.
"Sure. As soon as I get out of bed, I can..." Shinji started to say.
"Don’t even think about it!" Beast said like an admonishing doctor. "You’re still injured from the battle. And besides, you’re not wearing any pants."
Jen, Carol, Tigra and Misato were grinning widely at what their furry ally had said.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(ISO Main Monitoring Room, The Next Morning)
Tony had just gotten finished explaining the situation to Chief Anderson about what had happened to Shinji and the slums.
(/And Shinji is doing fine, yes?/) Anderson asked.
"The other Avengers are overseeing his recovery. He’s making good progress, much like Captain America does when he gets injured." Tony said.
(/I take it that’s a good thing?/)
"It is. As a super soldier, Cap’s physical abilities are all enhanced to it’s maximum potential. This includes his ability to heal." He explained.
(/Interesting. But back to the matter at hand. Now that the Northwest Quarter of Tokyo-3 has been... renovated... ISO can make an offer to redevelop the area./) Anderson said.
"That's what I was thinking." said Tony. "I’ve already drawn up plans for redevelopment, which includes a new headquarters for us, as well as a special hanger for our mechas. Of course, I’ll need a skilled construction crew for this. Bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, concrete finishers, painters, plumbers, landscapers, welders, etc."
(/Send me the blue prints and I’ll handle the rest./)
"Will do." Tony said, sending the file of the blueprints to Anderson.
He smiled as the file was sent, finding the whole thing rather fortuitous. Wanda’s outburst had given them a foundation, so to speak, with which to establish themselves, as well as give Gendo something to worry about.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(SEELE Meeting, six hours later)
Gendo and SEELE were in the middle of a meeting to discuss what had happened over the last couple of days. Having just found out that the decimated area that was once the Northwest Quarter of Tokyo-3 had just been sold to the International Science Organization for new labs, the group was naturally upset.
(/ Ikari, this does not bode well for the scenario. /) Keel said.
"I’m aware of that." Gendo said.
(/ How do you account for this, Ikari? /) SEELE 03 asked.
"Account for.... you’re holding ME responsible for this?" he asked.
(/ Who else? /)
"I had nothing to do with the Northwest Quarter being vaporized. Nor did I have anything to do with that area being sold to this ISO organization."
(/ It happened in your city, on your watch. /) SEELE 06 pointed out.
(/ Which is little wonder both the Japanese prime minister and the United Nations agreed to sell the property. They have lost faith in you! /) SEELE 02 said.
(/ Like they had any to begin with. NERV’s lack of progress against the Angels has been... abysmal thus far. /) SEELE 05 muttered.
Gendo said nothing, doing his best to keep his composure.
(/ Also, who was that woman that took out the area? And what was that cat-like mech? /) SEELE 04 asked.
"As far as I know, that mechanical cat came from the same place as the mechanical bird that destroyed the Third Angel. As for the woman, I don’t know, but she turned my men to stone."
(/ Your men are not our problem. ) Keel exclaimed. ( Just find out what this International Science Organization is and what they want. /)
With that, the holographic images vanished, leaving Gendo alone.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(ISO Field HQ gymnasium, 24 hours later)
Ever since the equipment in the gymnasium had been installed, it had little time to gather dust. Not with Shinji and the Avengers coming and going in an effort to keep themselves in the best shape possible to be effective crime fighters.
But today, the gym was playing host to one young science ninja who was working harder than the norm in order to get back into fighting shape.
"Ease up Shinji, don’t push yourself too hard." Hank McCoy said to the young man as he finished off his last one hundredth chin-up on the mounted bar. Hank made a note of this on his clipboard.
"Just trying to get back into shape, Dr McCoy." Shinji said, dressed in a white tank top and black sweats, as he dropped to the floor and went over to the Uneven Bars.
"But you’re not 100% healed yet. The only way you will be is if you don’t unintentionally sabotage your recovery." Hank said as Shinji leaped up onto the first bar and began his routine.
Hank just sighed, but kept a close eye on the young man as he pulled off moves that only Captain America or Spider Man were capable of. Shinji flew from one bar to the next, spinning and twisting his body like a professional athlete. Shinji dismounted the bars, flipping through the air and landing on his feet, wincing as he did.
"I told you not to push yourself too hard." Hank said, jotting down some notes on his clipboard.
"Yes, sir!" Shinji groaned as he moved over to the 12-by-12 meter carpeted mat to begin his floor exercises.
A minute later, Carol Danvers came into the gymnasium and witness Shinji pull off a mid-air corkscrew twist before landing on the ground.
"Impressive." the blond Avenger whistled.
"Carol. So nice to see you." Hank said. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"Unfortunately, work. Tony and T’Challa need to see you in the hanger ASAP." the blond woman said.
"Duty calls then. Would you mind taking over Shinji’s observation?" he asked, handing her the clipboard. "Try not to push him too hard. He’s still in recovery."
"Sure." Carol said as the blue-furred mutant bounded out of the gym.
However, once Beast had left, Carol dropped the clipboard on the floor and stepped onto the mat.
"Hey, Shinji? Feel like sparring a little?" Carol asked.
Shinji turned to the woman and grinned. Shinji had seen the footage of Ms Marvel in action and knew that she’d be a worthy opponent. However, he was unprepared for when she took off her sweatshirt and sweat pants, revealing a black sports bra and shorts underneath that showed off her rather athletic and shapely figure.
Great. Super powerful and attractive. Shinji mentally huffed as he got into his fighting stance.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(Gendo’s Office, NERV HQ)
"And you are confident you can handle this situation?" Gendo asked the man who stood before him.
"A simple retrieval in of itself is a nothing my associates and I cannot handle." the strangely dressed man said. "If what you told us is accurate."
"It is."
He was a tall man, taller than Gendo, dressed in a rather stylish white outfit with a red hood and cloak over his head and shoulders. He had gold cross symbols on his chest and shoulders, an ornate sword on his hip, his face covered by a mask with a gold embroidered cross over it with eye-slits on the arms of the cross, white pants and water-proof rain boots, and a white leather-bound bible in his left hand, held down at his side.
"I must confess some curiosity as to your groups... roster." Gendo said.
"We are rather unusual, I admit. But the diversity of our group is what makes us so... sought after."
"In more ways than one." Gendo stated.
"Indeed. Nevertheless, the Trinity Brethren choose to accept your offer. We will locate your missing subordinates, and discern the identity of your mysterious competitors. But we must be free to use our own methods." the man said.
"As long as they are brought to me still alive, you are free to use any methods you wish." Gendo said.
The man bowed and then departed through the private corridor he had been escorted in to.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(Tokyo-3, one week later)
Shinji rubbed his ribs as he proceeded down the streets to the store. His companions were a rather noticeable group, comprised of the exotic-looking green-skinned Jennifer, the blond and athletic Carol, the dark auburn haired Wanda and the sexy, purple-haired Misato. It was Wanda who had the upset look on her face.
"You’re not still upset with me, are you Wanda?" Carol asked.
"Shinji-kun’s ribs still haven’t healed, thanks to your sparring session." Wanda snapped.
"I said I was sorry. Besides, it’s not like I tried to hurt him." the blond woman said.
"Shinji-kun can’t bend steel beams with his fingers, Carol! You should have been more careful!"
"Is something wrong, Misato?" Jen asked the purple-haired woman.
"Maybe it’s just me, but I just get the feeling we’re being followed." Misato answered.
"I wouldn’t doubt it. After that debacle last week, those NERV goons will be on the lookout for us." Jen said. "If they aren’t still stone statues."
"Doubtful. My hex-spell on those men should have worn off by now." Wanda said.
"For better or worse." Misato huffed.
"Don’t worry, Misato." Jen said. "Besides, with the rest of the team helping out the construction crews, it’s our job to get the eats for dinner. I just hope the mansion and hanger will be complete before we need it."
"We’ve still got the underground base." Carol said.
"Which is what the new ISO recruits were supposed to use." Shinji said.
"You’ll have to tell us about them later on. Right now, I just want to get some dinner." Jen said.
The group arrived at the grocery store and walked in, right as a certain faux-blond scientist sighted the purple-haired woman and followed her inside.
However, the group had seen Ritsuko coming up behind them and quickly improvised a plan. While Misato broke off and went to another part of the store, Shinji and the others approached one of the shoppers. One who was the same height and hair-color of Shinji himself.
"Excuse me." Shinji said to the guy. "Our friend is following us, and we want to pull a prank on her. Could you help us out?"
The man looked over and noticed the three beautiful women with him. One was very tall, with green hair, skin and eyes dressed in a blue shirt, tight jeans and shoes. The other was a blond American with blue-eyes, dressed in a black T-shirt, jeans and boots. The third was a dark-reddish haired woman in a Gypsy-styled red and white dress with brown shoes.
"Sure, why not?" The man said.
Shinji smiled and quickly traded jackets with the man before ducking around the corner. Ritsuko, who had not see Shinji’s quick departure due to the women blocking her view, was following the group as Shinji rounded the corner and poked Ritsuko in the back.
"EEK!" Ritsuko shrieked as she turned around.
"Hello Dr. Akagi." Shinji said. "I’m Shinji Ikari."
Ritsuko gasped as she got a good look at him. THIS is the Third Child? He’s gorgeous! She thought but she had to keep her composure. "Huh, it’s nice to meet you Shinji." she said, extending her hand. Shinji took Ritsuko’s hand and shook it. "I have to say... you don’t look anything like the picture in your profile."
"I get that a lot. I suppose you’d like to talk to Misato?" he asked, and she nodded. "Okay. Follow me." he said as he brought his watch to his lips. "I’ve got Ritsuko. We’re are going to meet up with Misa." he said.
(/ Roger Shinji-kun. /) Said Jen, though Ritsuko didn’t recognize the voice.
"This way please." He said, and lead the blond scientist over to where Misato was waiting for them. Sitting at a small café right next to the store, which was conjoined by a side entrance, Misato sat with her cup of tea. Looking up she smiled as Ritsuko gasped when she saw her old college friend. From the last time they had seen each other, Misato had changed somewhat. She was still beautiful, but her regular training sessions and morning workouts with Natasha and Steve had caused her to change in a rather noticeable way. She seemed more muscular, particularly around her legs. She was lean around the waist but just as busty in the chest.
"Hi Ritz." Misato said. "Coffee?" she gestured to the cup of java on the other side of the table.
"M-Misato, is that you?" Ritsuko gasped.
Even dressed in a red t-shirt, jean shorts and a black wind breaker with the letters ISO on the left side of the chest, Misato just smiled at the blond woman.
"I'll just leave you two alone to talk." Shinji said, walking over to another part of the café.
"Misato, what’s going on?" Ritsuko asked as she sat down across from her friend.
"Well, to start with, I thought I’d dish a few secrets about your boss." Misato said.
"Don't you mean 'OUR' boss?" Ritsuko said with emphasis.
"After what I found out, I wouldn't take out his garbage!"
Misato then proceeded to tell Ritsuko everything she knew about NERV’s secrets. It was ten minutes later when the faux-blond woman looked even more pale than she did before.
"You... you don’t understand, Misato!" Ritsuko tried to explain.
"Don’t, Ritz! Just Don’t!" Misato snapped, pointing her finger at the scientist. "It wasn’t enough of a shock to find out the secret agency I worked for was into all this under-the-table-dirty-dealings crap. That didn’t really surprise me. But what did surprise me, was the revelation that there was no way you could not have known about all this. Which means... you would’ve had to have been part of all this. Am I right?"
Ritsuko just stared at her friend before answering.
"You already know this, or you wouldn’t be asking me. You just want to hear me admit it."
"You’re right, as usual. I’m sure there are plenty of explanations for what’s going on in NERV, but there is one thing that’s been bugging me." Misato said.
"Oh? What’s that?" Ritsuko asked as she finally took a drink of her coffee.
"Why are you banging the commander?"
SPEW!!!!!!!!!!
In less than two seconds, Misato was wearing her friends coffee.
"Oh, thank you very much!" Misato groaned.
"Wha–what did you... how did you...." Ritsuko babbled in horror.
"We found out about the clones, Ritz. You didn’t think we’d find out about that?" Misato said, wiping the coffee off of her shirt and jacket.
"But... Misato... you... I..." Ritsuko said before stopping and bowing her head.
"I don’t know how he got you into that position. Or the several others he had you in." she said, which caused Ritsuko to blush in embarrassment. "I just want to know, Ritz. Do you want to stay there... or do you want to leave?"
Pondering the strange offer, given what Ritsuko had been apart of, the female scientist just looked up in confusion at what she was being offered.
"You.... you want me to leave NERV?" Ritsuko asked.
"And join ISO. Your insight into Gendo’s plans would be an asset to us. And at the very least, you’d be putting your smarts to a far better use. Like stopping the Angels, and Third Impact."
Ritsuko’s eyes shot wide open. "You’re the ones who’ve been destroying the Angels? With those mechanical animals?!" Ritsuko gasped in realization.
"I always said you were a quick one, Ritz." Misato grinned.
"Misato, That’s NERV’s Purpose!" she said. "How could you do that?"
"Because now I get a chance to kill these things instead of letting a select group of teenagers do it."
"There are bigger things going on their your ego or need for revenge." Ritsuko said.
"Oh, yes. I know." Misato said with a knowing smile.
"Misato, you have no idea how much power and influence Gendo has at his disposal." Ritsuko said.
"All of which was contingent on us! By the Eva’s! By our victories over the Angels! Which, in case you hadn’t been counting, NERV is down by two." she said, holding up two fingers.
"Are you one of the pilots of those things?" Ritsuko asked.
"Maybe." Misato smiled.
"Misato, we need to get you and Shinji to NERV, ASAP."
"So that we can get tossed into the brig by a lunatic who has his own agenda? So that we can get questioned and interrogated about new technology we’ve been entrusted with? I don’t think so."
"Misato, if the commander finds out you’ve got something, anything, to do with these mechanized attack creatures, he’ll lock you up for insubordination, treason, conspiracy, and anything else he can think of." Ritsuko explained.
Not with the allies I’ve got now. Misato thought. "I doubt that will happen. Besides, you still haven’t answered my question. Do you want to continue being a scientist.... or the commander’s plaything?"
Ritsuko glared at her friend. "You think you know everything, don’t you?"
"Come on, Ritz. It can’t be because you love him."
"I...." she started to say, only to remember Gendo’s most recent outburst. "...I thought I did." she said with a deflated/defeated voice. "But I was wrong. He used me, just like he used my mother, your father, everyone."
"Yeah. I know about my father’s expedition that caused Adam’s explosion in the Antarctic." Misato said. "But it still doesn’t answer my question."
Ritsuko looked at Misato. "If you know all this about NERV, why would you make me an offer like this? It can’t be because you trust me."
"Right now, I don’t. But I think it would be better if you were to put your skills to use with people who actually have the worlds best interest in mind." she said.
Ritsuko sighed. "It’s not as simple as walking away, Misato. With what I know, Gendo will never let me leave. He might even send people to kill me."
Suddenly, as if on cue, a helicopter blazed overhead as six people jumped out and landed right in front of them.
Misato and Ritsuko took them in, and nearly freaked. The group was wearing military fatigues, but their faces and exposed parts of their bodies were covered in metal. They kind of reminded Misato of the old Cyber Force comic books.
"Commandos?" Misato asked, getting out of her chair.
"Cyborgs!" Ritsuko gasped. "He did it. He really did it."
"Did what? Who are these guys?"
"Cybernetic assassins that he hired!"
"Misato Katsuragi! Ritsuko Akagi! Please come with us!" the lead cyborg said.
"I don’t think so, pal!" Misato said, pulling her hands behind her jacket and pressing the emergency respond button on her new watch.
"I don’t think you have much choice, ma’am!" another cyborg said.
"Did you just call me, ‘Ma’am’?" Misato gasped.
"Misato, I really don’t think you should get them mad."
"I’m not going anywhere with these Toy Soldiers, and they can’t make me!"
"There are six of us and two of you. The odds are not in your favor!" a third cyborg said.
"Then how about we even the odds?" a new voice said.
The group looked up and from the top of the café stood four figures. One was a young man in a white bodysuit, black cape, white helmet with a blue visor, black gloves and boots, and a Falcon-symbol on his belt buckle.
On his immediate right was a woman in a red cat suit with a red head dress, gloves, boots and cape. On his left was a tall, athletic woman who was green from her hair to her feet, dressed in a purple swimsuit, with purple wrist guards, a white collar around her neck, and white boots. And hovering above them was an athletic blond woman in a black one-piece swimsuit with a yellow lightning bolt on the front, black opera length gloves, thigh-high boots, red sash, and black mask over her eyes.
"Who the..." Ritsuko started to say.
"Hell are you people?" the lead cyborg asked.
"We’re the Avengers!" the young man said. "Allow me to introduce The Scarlet Witch, She-Hulk, Ms Marvel, and I’m Falcon." he said.
"GET THEM!!!" the cyborgs shouted as they raised their guns and launchers.
Quick as lightning the four Avengers leaped off the roof and plowed into the six cyborgs.
Falcon dove towards the leader, throwing his falcon-shaped kunai at him, impaling his gun hand and making it impossible for him hold another weapon with it. He didn’t have time to go for another gun as Falcon smashed his boot into his face.
Scarlet Witch unleashed her Hex Bolts against two of the cyborg soldiers, her mystic powers shutting down their cybernetics and dropping them to the ground.
Three of the cyborgs fired their weapons at the emerald-skinned gammazon as she was the biggest target. Their weapons bounced off her skin as she slammed into them with the force of a meteorite. She pushed one into the ground, knocking him out as she leaped out of the small crater and grabbed the first cyborg nearest her. The cyborg punched her in the face, which had little effect as she spun him around and into the second cyborg.
The helicopter turned around and started firing missiles at the heroes, only to have Ms Marvel energize her fists and blast the missiles out of the sky. Her eyes glowed as she flew up into the sky and punched the helicopter square in its nose, sending it spiraling out of control and crashing into the street.
The last cyborg charged towards Misato and Ritsuko, only to have Falcon suddenly appear right in front of him.
"Out of the way!" the cyborg shouted.
"No chance." Falcon said as he leaped into the air, jumped over the cyborg, and slammed two kunai into his shoulders.
"AH! Neural Motor Path Ways... Disabled!" the cyborg cried out as he fell to his knees.
The heroes quickly piled the cyborgs together as Ms Marvel flew up towards them.
"Nice work team." Ms Marvel said as she brought the pilot of the chopper back to them.
"Are you alright, Misato?" Falcon asked the purple-haired woman as he held his side and ground his teeth.
"Yeah, thanks Falcon." Misato said, "But are you alright?"
"Not really. The fight opened my sparring injury." he said, holding up his hand to reveal a small stain of blood.
Scarlet Witch glared at Ms Marvel.
"I told you!" the mystic hissed.
"I said I was sorry." the blond heroine said.
"It's fine. I'll heal." Falcon said to them, still holding his side.
It was then that Misato noticed her friend was staring.
"Something wrong, Ritz?"
"You pilot a giant animal-bot and you know superheroes?" Ritsuko asked.
"Long story, actually." Misato grinned.
"These guys were after you. We need to know who hired them." Ms Marvel said.
"Ten-to-one it was Gendo." Falcon said.
"Be that as it may, we should make sure." She-Hulk said.
While the heroes toted the cyborgs back to their base after contacting the others, Ritsuko and Misato started talking again.
"So? Have you made a decision, Dr Akagi?" Misato asked.
Ritsuko sighed as she looked at her friend with the most honest face she could muster. Though it was made easier due to the fact her guile had fallen away. "I’ll tell you everything I know about Gendo and his plans." she said.
"Good." Misato said, pulling an arm around her old friend.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
While the Avengers interrogated the cyborgs, Shinji patched himself up and had departed for the rest of the day to visit someone special.
Standing before the grave marker in the large and empty faux-cemetery, the handsome young man just stared at the wooden marker baring his mothers name.
I’m sorry I haven’t been visiting mom. He mentally spoke. I meant to, but... I guess it’s a little hard when you realized you’re just talking to a piece of wood instead of where your body was actually at rest. I just hope that wherever you are, you are watching over me and making sure I’m alright. And I just hope that you’re proud of me for what I’m doing. I’ve got some new friends who have been helping me. They’re good people. You’d like them. I’ve even got a new Aunt in all this. I don’t know what father is planning, but it can’t be good. I have to stop him, so I hope you’ll understand.
However, while Shinji was focused on the marker, he didn’t see the strange bumps in the ground that were slowly moving towards him.
He placed the red roses on Yui Ikari’s grave marker and turned to leave.
I love you, mom. He mentally said.
However, he was not two markers away, when all hell broke loose.
Shinji saw the bumps right as they surrounded him and exploded upwards. Six figures dressed in black shot into the air as if catapulted by springs. They let fall what looked like dozens of small iron marbles that exploded all around Shinji. Blinded and caught off guard, his injury hindering him even more now, the young man was suddenly set upon by the six men, who punched, kicked and slashed at Shinji with their swords. Caught off-guard for a moment, Shinji received several injuries before he quickly responded, punching and kicking back the attackers, but was unable to get to his watch before he was slashed across the chest by a sharp blade.
"Argh!" he gasped as he stumbled backwards right as one of the ninjas hurled another, much larger explosive at him, sending him flying through the air and crashing into several other markers.
However, the fight and the blast had maneuvered Shinji away from the ‘empty’ cemetery to the ‘full’ part of the cemetery, and resulted in the young man coming to rest, chest first, against a strange and obscure tombstone that few had ever paid attention to. The tombstone was only about two feet high, and made of a different rock that none of the other tombstones were. But what was even stranger, was that the tombstone had a symbol for a bird on it, in the shape of an upside-down triangle.
Shinji’s blood flowed over the triangle as he slumped down to the ground.
The six ninjas approached him, silently looking at him, and then to each other, before moving in to collect the boy.
They would never get the chance.
The blood-covered tombstone started to hum as the bird symbol glowed an angry red. The ninjas didn’t notice it until it was too late. The tombstone exploded open as hellfire shot out like a geyser. The ninja looked up at the fiery fountain as a strange bird-shaped object emerged from it. The bird quickly took shape, it’s glowing body forming a more feminine physique. When the glowing had died down, everyone now saw a woman in a form-fitting, bright red costume, with gold gloves and boots, a gold sash around her shapely hips, and the tombstone bird symbol on her ample chest embellished in gold like a shield. The woman herself was Caucasian with long curly red hair, blue eyes, and was at least a Size-6, at 5 foot 11.
Taking a moment to get her bearings, she looked down and saw the young man bleeding on the ground, surrounded by sword-wielding ninja. She took a good look at the young man as a single word sprouted from her lips.
"Scott." she said softly. Her gaze turned towards the ninjas as her soft blue eyes turned a fiery red and yellow. "NO!" she screamed as her power exploded outwards.
The shout had awoken Shinji and he stared up into the sky as a bright, fiery bird-like figure filled his entire vision. Unknown to him at the time, his watch had turned on as he spoke only one word.
"...phoenix..."
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Sitting comfortably in their brand new mission plane, which Iron Man had been able to build faster than the mansion, the Avengers roared out of the underground ISO field base and flew towards their avian members location. The group had received an emergency beacon from his watch, and only heard his faint single word. Not knowing what was going on, they piled into the Phoenix II and rushed out to help their teammate.
The group consisted of Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Ms Marvel, Spider Man, Spider Woman, Beast and She-Hulk. But of them all, it was Wanda who was the most concerned.
Hang on my Shinji, we’re coming. Wanda thought as her hands gripped tightly the armrests.
"Do you have a lock on Shinji’s watch?" Misato asked.
"The last signal puts him approximately two miles from our current position." Beast said.
"Approximately?" Wanda gasped. "That still leaves a wide area to search for him. How are we going to find him?"
"Well then how about we look out the window?" Spider Man asked.
"Huh?" Misato gasped.
Everyone looked out the window and gasped in unison as they all saw a gigantic mass of dirt and stone, the square area of five football fields, hovering in mid-air not a hundred feet off the ground.
"Is that...." Spider Woman gasped.
"A flying island?" She-Hulk gasped.
"You don’t think it could be..." Ms Marvel asked Cap.
"It could be." Captain America said.
"Could be what?" Spider Woman asked.
"Not what. Who." Spider Man said.
"Who?" Misato asked.
"Look there!" Scarlet Witch shouted, pointing to a hovering figure just above the flying island.
Namely, a red-headed woman in red spandex, gently holding a young man in ripped and torn clothes. And what’s more, she was hovering two meters above the flying island itself.
"Yup. It’s the Phoenix." Spider Man said.
"I just hope it’s not Dark Phoenix." Beast said.
"We’ll know in a minute." Captain America said as he put the plane into a dive and soon landed the high-tech vehicle on the stable ground.
The Avengers quickly rushed out of the plane and stopped when they noticed six upside-down ninja seemingly suspended in mid-air and lined up in a row.
"Whoa! Interesting meditation technique." Spider Man quipped.
The group moved past the ninja and saw Phoenix slowly descend towards the ground with Shinji in her arms, bridal-style.
"Shinji-kun?" Scarlet Witch gasped.
"Do not fear. He will be fine." Phoenix said in an echoing voice as her feet came to a rest on the ground.
Her eyes flashed again as her powers read the minds of the seven heroes.
"Your nephew will be fine, Wanda. I have already healed his injuries."
"Oh thank you!" Scarlet Witch cried as she moved towards Shinji to examine him, noticing the cuts in his clothes which were apparently made by bladed weapons.
While the others approached Phoenix and Shinji, Spider Woman pulled Spider Man to the side and whispered in his ear.
"So... she really made this entire chunk of real estate float like this?" MJ asked.
"Yeah. Her telekinetic powers never ceased to amaze me. Especially if she can hold up this place, us, herself, six ninjas, and heal Shinji’s injuries." Peter said.
"She’s got THAT much power?" she gasped, suddenly realizing what Peter was implying.
"Yeah. Just put her down as another woman you don’t want to make mad." he stated.
While the married spider couple were talking, Scarlet Witch and She-Hulk were now holding Shinji in their arms as he started coming around.
"Sorry I worried you guys." Shinji said as Wanda hugged him tightly.
"You do that quite often, don’t you?" She-Hulk laughed.
"But now the question is... what do we do with you?" Beast asked Phoenix.
"Simple. We make her apart of the team." Captain America stated.
"WE WHAT?" Misato, Ms Marvel, Beast, Spider Man, Spider Woman, She-Hulk and the Scarlet Witch all shouted in unison.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
TBC
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
OMAKE 1
Shinji and Gendo stood at the grave marker that bore the name ‘Yui Ikari’, both having not said a word as Shinji rested a bouquet of flowers at the base of the marker.
"I miss her so much." Shinji said. "Do you?"
"Everything I have is kept in my heart. That’s how I remember her." Gendo said.
"Some days... I wish she was right here. Now. I wish she was alive. I wish she could return to that we could be a family again. I wish... I wish...."
"Wishing is pointless, boy. It’s not like she can be resurrected like a phoenix through simple...."
Suddenly, the grave marker exploded open as a shapely female figure in a white bodysuit with gold gloves, boots, a sash around her waist and a gold bird symbol on her chest roe up into the air. She had short brown hair and eyes the same color as Shinji.
"...wishing?"
Shinji and Gendo gasped when they realized who the woman was.
"Mother?" Shinji gasped.
"Yui?" Gendo gasped.
Yui ‘Phoenix’ Ikari looked down at the pair and smiled. She dropped to the ground and quickly enveloped her son in a tight hug.
"Oh, Shinji! My sweet little boy! I missed you so much!" Yui said as Shinji returned the hug.
He was so lost in the reunion with his mother, that he didn’t notice his father was hanging in mid-air, struggling to free himself from a fierce invisible grip that was wrapped around his throat. His expression was like that of Bart Simpson being strangled by Homer.
You and I have a lot to talk about, Gendo! Yui thought as she kept hugging her son.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
OMAKE 2
Shinji just watched as Gendo took off in his VTOL with Rei Ayanami from the cemetery. He was soon alone as the sun was beginning to set down over the mountains.
Shinji turned to leave the cemetery, when a strange fiery portal opened up in mid-air before him. He stared at the portal for several seconds, before a shapely human body was flung from it right at him. The body slammed into Shinji and knocked him to the ground with the body on top himself.
Shinji gasped as the portal closed, and the figure started to stir. Shinji gasped when he realized the figure was a woman. A very adult and beautiful woman. She had long red hair, a shade darker than Asuka’s, and deep blue eyes. She was dressed in a form-fitting green bodysuit that left nothing to the imagination. She wore long gold gloves and boots that came up almost to her hips. A gold sash was around her shapely hips, with a long dangling ribbon cascading from it. On her chest just above her ample bosom was an upside-down triangle in the shape of a bird. Her skin was a soft peach color and her eyes held a look of loss.
"Are you alright?" Shinji asked the woman.
The woman looked up as her vision cleared, gasping as she took in Shinji.
"S-S-Scott?" she gasped.
"Huh?"
"It’s me! It’s Jean! Oh thank God I found you!" she said.
"But I’m not MMPH!!" he gasped as the woman pressed her lips fiercely against his own, sucking and grinding her mouth against his. I don’t believe it! My first kiss... with such a gorgeous woman! He thought as he felt her tongue enter his mouth. OH WOW!
Within Shinji’s room in the ISO Underground Field Headquarters, Wanda was hugging Shinji with tears in her eyes, kissing his forehead and stroking his hair.
"Don’t scare me like that ever again." she said to the young man whom she had woken up from his nap out of sheer concern.
"I'm sorry, Aunt Wanda." he said as the others came in to see him.
"I don’t believe this!" Misato gasped. "He takes a rocket in the back and wakes up after only a few hours rest? How can he recover so quickly?"
"Maybe he’s got mutant powers." Tigra grinned, thumbing her claw at Logan.
"If anyone had been paying attention, I did state the very specific reason for his survival, which came from the special suit he was wearing." Beast stated.
"Great. Can I get one too?" Misato asked.
"Sure. As soon as I get out of bed, I can..." Shinji started to say.
"Don’t even think about it!" Beast said like an admonishing doctor. "You’re still injured from the battle. And besides, you’re not wearing any pants."
Jen, Carol, Tigra and Misato were grinning widely at what their furry ally had said.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(ISO Main Monitoring Room, The Next Morning)
Tony had just gotten finished explaining the situation to Chief Anderson about what had happened to Shinji and the slums.
(/And Shinji is doing fine, yes?/) Anderson asked.
"The other Avengers are overseeing his recovery. He’s making good progress, much like Captain America does when he gets injured." Tony said.
(/I take it that’s a good thing?/)
"It is. As a super soldier, Cap’s physical abilities are all enhanced to it’s maximum potential. This includes his ability to heal." He explained.
(/Interesting. But back to the matter at hand. Now that the Northwest Quarter of Tokyo-3 has been... renovated... ISO can make an offer to redevelop the area./) Anderson said.
"That's what I was thinking." said Tony. "I’ve already drawn up plans for redevelopment, which includes a new headquarters for us, as well as a special hanger for our mechas. Of course, I’ll need a skilled construction crew for this. Bricklayers, carpenters, electricians, concrete finishers, painters, plumbers, landscapers, welders, etc."
(/Send me the blue prints and I’ll handle the rest./)
"Will do." Tony said, sending the file of the blueprints to Anderson.
He smiled as the file was sent, finding the whole thing rather fortuitous. Wanda’s outburst had given them a foundation, so to speak, with which to establish themselves, as well as give Gendo something to worry about.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(SEELE Meeting, six hours later)
Gendo and SEELE were in the middle of a meeting to discuss what had happened over the last couple of days. Having just found out that the decimated area that was once the Northwest Quarter of Tokyo-3 had just been sold to the International Science Organization for new labs, the group was naturally upset.
(/ Ikari, this does not bode well for the scenario. /) Keel said.
"I’m aware of that." Gendo said.
(/ How do you account for this, Ikari? /) SEELE 03 asked.
"Account for.... you’re holding ME responsible for this?" he asked.
(/ Who else? /)
"I had nothing to do with the Northwest Quarter being vaporized. Nor did I have anything to do with that area being sold to this ISO organization."
(/ It happened in your city, on your watch. /) SEELE 06 pointed out.
(/ Which is little wonder both the Japanese prime minister and the United Nations agreed to sell the property. They have lost faith in you! /) SEELE 02 said.
(/ Like they had any to begin with. NERV’s lack of progress against the Angels has been... abysmal thus far. /) SEELE 05 muttered.
Gendo said nothing, doing his best to keep his composure.
(/ Also, who was that woman that took out the area? And what was that cat-like mech? /) SEELE 04 asked.
"As far as I know, that mechanical cat came from the same place as the mechanical bird that destroyed the Third Angel. As for the woman, I don’t know, but she turned my men to stone."
(/ Your men are not our problem. ) Keel exclaimed. ( Just find out what this International Science Organization is and what they want. /)
With that, the holographic images vanished, leaving Gendo alone.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(ISO Field HQ gymnasium, 24 hours later)
Ever since the equipment in the gymnasium had been installed, it had little time to gather dust. Not with Shinji and the Avengers coming and going in an effort to keep themselves in the best shape possible to be effective crime fighters.
But today, the gym was playing host to one young science ninja who was working harder than the norm in order to get back into fighting shape.
"Ease up Shinji, don’t push yourself too hard." Hank McCoy said to the young man as he finished off his last one hundredth chin-up on the mounted bar. Hank made a note of this on his clipboard.
"Just trying to get back into shape, Dr McCoy." Shinji said, dressed in a white tank top and black sweats, as he dropped to the floor and went over to the Uneven Bars.
"But you’re not 100% healed yet. The only way you will be is if you don’t unintentionally sabotage your recovery." Hank said as Shinji leaped up onto the first bar and began his routine.
Hank just sighed, but kept a close eye on the young man as he pulled off moves that only Captain America or Spider Man were capable of. Shinji flew from one bar to the next, spinning and twisting his body like a professional athlete. Shinji dismounted the bars, flipping through the air and landing on his feet, wincing as he did.
"I told you not to push yourself too hard." Hank said, jotting down some notes on his clipboard.
"Yes, sir!" Shinji groaned as he moved over to the 12-by-12 meter carpeted mat to begin his floor exercises.
A minute later, Carol Danvers came into the gymnasium and witness Shinji pull off a mid-air corkscrew twist before landing on the ground.
"Impressive." the blond Avenger whistled.
"Carol. So nice to see you." Hank said. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"Unfortunately, work. Tony and T’Challa need to see you in the hanger ASAP." the blond woman said.
"Duty calls then. Would you mind taking over Shinji’s observation?" he asked, handing her the clipboard. "Try not to push him too hard. He’s still in recovery."
"Sure." Carol said as the blue-furred mutant bounded out of the gym.
However, once Beast had left, Carol dropped the clipboard on the floor and stepped onto the mat.
"Hey, Shinji? Feel like sparring a little?" Carol asked.
Shinji turned to the woman and grinned. Shinji had seen the footage of Ms Marvel in action and knew that she’d be a worthy opponent. However, he was unprepared for when she took off her sweatshirt and sweat pants, revealing a black sports bra and shorts underneath that showed off her rather athletic and shapely figure.
Great. Super powerful and attractive. Shinji mentally huffed as he got into his fighting stance.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(Gendo’s Office, NERV HQ)
"And you are confident you can handle this situation?" Gendo asked the man who stood before him.
"A simple retrieval in of itself is a nothing my associates and I cannot handle." the strangely dressed man said. "If what you told us is accurate."
"It is."
He was a tall man, taller than Gendo, dressed in a rather stylish white outfit with a red hood and cloak over his head and shoulders. He had gold cross symbols on his chest and shoulders, an ornate sword on his hip, his face covered by a mask with a gold embroidered cross over it with eye-slits on the arms of the cross, white pants and water-proof rain boots, and a white leather-bound bible in his left hand, held down at his side.
"I must confess some curiosity as to your groups... roster." Gendo said.
"We are rather unusual, I admit. But the diversity of our group is what makes us so... sought after."
"In more ways than one." Gendo stated.
"Indeed. Nevertheless, the Trinity Brethren choose to accept your offer. We will locate your missing subordinates, and discern the identity of your mysterious competitors. But we must be free to use our own methods." the man said.
"As long as they are brought to me still alive, you are free to use any methods you wish." Gendo said.
The man bowed and then departed through the private corridor he had been escorted in to.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
(Tokyo-3, one week later)
Shinji rubbed his ribs as he proceeded down the streets to the store. His companions were a rather noticeable group, comprised of the exotic-looking green-skinned Jennifer, the blond and athletic Carol, the dark auburn haired Wanda and the sexy, purple-haired Misato. It was Wanda who had the upset look on her face.
"You’re not still upset with me, are you Wanda?" Carol asked.
"Shinji-kun’s ribs still haven’t healed, thanks to your sparring session." Wanda snapped.
"I said I was sorry. Besides, it’s not like I tried to hurt him." the blond woman said.
"Shinji-kun can’t bend steel beams with his fingers, Carol! You should have been more careful!"
"Is something wrong, Misato?" Jen asked the purple-haired woman.
"Maybe it’s just me, but I just get the feeling we’re being followed." Misato answered.
"I wouldn’t doubt it. After that debacle last week, those NERV goons will be on the lookout for us." Jen said. "If they aren’t still stone statues."
"Doubtful. My hex-spell on those men should have worn off by now." Wanda said.
"For better or worse." Misato huffed.
"Don’t worry, Misato." Jen said. "Besides, with the rest of the team helping out the construction crews, it’s our job to get the eats for dinner. I just hope the mansion and hanger will be complete before we need it."
"We’ve still got the underground base." Carol said.
"Which is what the new ISO recruits were supposed to use." Shinji said.
"You’ll have to tell us about them later on. Right now, I just want to get some dinner." Jen said.
The group arrived at the grocery store and walked in, right as a certain faux-blond scientist sighted the purple-haired woman and followed her inside.
However, the group had seen Ritsuko coming up behind them and quickly improvised a plan. While Misato broke off and went to another part of the store, Shinji and the others approached one of the shoppers. One who was the same height and hair-color of Shinji himself.
"Excuse me." Shinji said to the guy. "Our friend is following us, and we want to pull a prank on her. Could you help us out?"
The man looked over and noticed the three beautiful women with him. One was very tall, with green hair, skin and eyes dressed in a blue shirt, tight jeans and shoes. The other was a blond American with blue-eyes, dressed in a black T-shirt, jeans and boots. The third was a dark-reddish haired woman in a Gypsy-styled red and white dress with brown shoes.
"Sure, why not?" The man said.
Shinji smiled and quickly traded jackets with the man before ducking around the corner. Ritsuko, who had not see Shinji’s quick departure due to the women blocking her view, was following the group as Shinji rounded the corner and poked Ritsuko in the back.
"EEK!" Ritsuko shrieked as she turned around.
"Hello Dr. Akagi." Shinji said. "I’m Shinji Ikari."
Ritsuko gasped as she got a good look at him. THIS is the Third Child? He’s gorgeous! She thought but she had to keep her composure. "Huh, it’s nice to meet you Shinji." she said, extending her hand. Shinji took Ritsuko’s hand and shook it. "I have to say... you don’t look anything like the picture in your profile."
"I get that a lot. I suppose you’d like to talk to Misato?" he asked, and she nodded. "Okay. Follow me." he said as he brought his watch to his lips. "I’ve got Ritsuko. We’re are going to meet up with Misa." he said.
(/ Roger Shinji-kun. /) Said Jen, though Ritsuko didn’t recognize the voice.
"This way please." He said, and lead the blond scientist over to where Misato was waiting for them. Sitting at a small café right next to the store, which was conjoined by a side entrance, Misato sat with her cup of tea. Looking up she smiled as Ritsuko gasped when she saw her old college friend. From the last time they had seen each other, Misato had changed somewhat. She was still beautiful, but her regular training sessions and morning workouts with Natasha and Steve had caused her to change in a rather noticeable way. She seemed more muscular, particularly around her legs. She was lean around the waist but just as busty in the chest.
"Hi Ritz." Misato said. "Coffee?" she gestured to the cup of java on the other side of the table.
"M-Misato, is that you?" Ritsuko gasped.
Even dressed in a red t-shirt, jean shorts and a black wind breaker with the letters ISO on the left side of the chest, Misato just smiled at the blond woman.
"I'll just leave you two alone to talk." Shinji said, walking over to another part of the café.
"Misato, what’s going on?" Ritsuko asked as she sat down across from her friend.
"Well, to start with, I thought I’d dish a few secrets about your boss." Misato said.
"Don't you mean 'OUR' boss?" Ritsuko said with emphasis.
"After what I found out, I wouldn't take out his garbage!"
Misato then proceeded to tell Ritsuko everything she knew about NERV’s secrets. It was ten minutes later when the faux-blond woman looked even more pale than she did before.
"You... you don’t understand, Misato!" Ritsuko tried to explain.
"Don’t, Ritz! Just Don’t!" Misato snapped, pointing her finger at the scientist. "It wasn’t enough of a shock to find out the secret agency I worked for was into all this under-the-table-dirty-dealings crap. That didn’t really surprise me. But what did surprise me, was the revelation that there was no way you could not have known about all this. Which means... you would’ve had to have been part of all this. Am I right?"
Ritsuko just stared at her friend before answering.
"You already know this, or you wouldn’t be asking me. You just want to hear me admit it."
"You’re right, as usual. I’m sure there are plenty of explanations for what’s going on in NERV, but there is one thing that’s been bugging me." Misato said.
"Oh? What’s that?" Ritsuko asked as she finally took a drink of her coffee.
"Why are you banging the commander?"
SPEW!!!!!!!!!!
In less than two seconds, Misato was wearing her friends coffee.
"Oh, thank you very much!" Misato groaned.
"Wha–what did you... how did you...." Ritsuko babbled in horror.
"We found out about the clones, Ritz. You didn’t think we’d find out about that?" Misato said, wiping the coffee off of her shirt and jacket.
"But... Misato... you... I..." Ritsuko said before stopping and bowing her head.
"I don’t know how he got you into that position. Or the several others he had you in." she said, which caused Ritsuko to blush in embarrassment. "I just want to know, Ritz. Do you want to stay there... or do you want to leave?"
Pondering the strange offer, given what Ritsuko had been apart of, the female scientist just looked up in confusion at what she was being offered.
"You.... you want me to leave NERV?" Ritsuko asked.
"And join ISO. Your insight into Gendo’s plans would be an asset to us. And at the very least, you’d be putting your smarts to a far better use. Like stopping the Angels, and Third Impact."
Ritsuko’s eyes shot wide open. "You’re the ones who’ve been destroying the Angels? With those mechanical animals?!" Ritsuko gasped in realization.
"I always said you were a quick one, Ritz." Misato grinned.
"Misato, That’s NERV’s Purpose!" she said. "How could you do that?"
"Because now I get a chance to kill these things instead of letting a select group of teenagers do it."
"There are bigger things going on their your ego or need for revenge." Ritsuko said.
"Oh, yes. I know." Misato said with a knowing smile.
"Misato, you have no idea how much power and influence Gendo has at his disposal." Ritsuko said.
"All of which was contingent on us! By the Eva’s! By our victories over the Angels! Which, in case you hadn’t been counting, NERV is down by two." she said, holding up two fingers.
"Are you one of the pilots of those things?" Ritsuko asked.
"Maybe." Misato smiled.
"Misato, we need to get you and Shinji to NERV, ASAP."
"So that we can get tossed into the brig by a lunatic who has his own agenda? So that we can get questioned and interrogated about new technology we’ve been entrusted with? I don’t think so."
"Misato, if the commander finds out you’ve got something, anything, to do with these mechanized attack creatures, he’ll lock you up for insubordination, treason, conspiracy, and anything else he can think of." Ritsuko explained.
Not with the allies I’ve got now. Misato thought. "I doubt that will happen. Besides, you still haven’t answered my question. Do you want to continue being a scientist.... or the commander’s plaything?"
Ritsuko glared at her friend. "You think you know everything, don’t you?"
"Come on, Ritz. It can’t be because you love him."
"I...." she started to say, only to remember Gendo’s most recent outburst. "...I thought I did." she said with a deflated/defeated voice. "But I was wrong. He used me, just like he used my mother, your father, everyone."
"Yeah. I know about my father’s expedition that caused Adam’s explosion in the Antarctic." Misato said. "But it still doesn’t answer my question."
Ritsuko looked at Misato. "If you know all this about NERV, why would you make me an offer like this? It can’t be because you trust me."
"Right now, I don’t. But I think it would be better if you were to put your skills to use with people who actually have the worlds best interest in mind." she said.
Ritsuko sighed. "It’s not as simple as walking away, Misato. With what I know, Gendo will never let me leave. He might even send people to kill me."
Suddenly, as if on cue, a helicopter blazed overhead as six people jumped out and landed right in front of them.
Misato and Ritsuko took them in, and nearly freaked. The group was wearing military fatigues, but their faces and exposed parts of their bodies were covered in metal. They kind of reminded Misato of the old Cyber Force comic books.
"Commandos?" Misato asked, getting out of her chair.
"Cyborgs!" Ritsuko gasped. "He did it. He really did it."
"Did what? Who are these guys?"
"Cybernetic assassins that he hired!"
"Misato Katsuragi! Ritsuko Akagi! Please come with us!" the lead cyborg said.
"I don’t think so, pal!" Misato said, pulling her hands behind her jacket and pressing the emergency respond button on her new watch.
"I don’t think you have much choice, ma’am!" another cyborg said.
"Did you just call me, ‘Ma’am’?" Misato gasped.
"Misato, I really don’t think you should get them mad."
"I’m not going anywhere with these Toy Soldiers, and they can’t make me!"
"There are six of us and two of you. The odds are not in your favor!" a third cyborg said.
"Then how about we even the odds?" a new voice said.
The group looked up and from the top of the café stood four figures. One was a young man in a white bodysuit, black cape, white helmet with a blue visor, black gloves and boots, and a Falcon-symbol on his belt buckle.
On his immediate right was a woman in a red cat suit with a red head dress, gloves, boots and cape. On his left was a tall, athletic woman who was green from her hair to her feet, dressed in a purple swimsuit, with purple wrist guards, a white collar around her neck, and white boots. And hovering above them was an athletic blond woman in a black one-piece swimsuit with a yellow lightning bolt on the front, black opera length gloves, thigh-high boots, red sash, and black mask over her eyes.
"Who the..." Ritsuko started to say.
"Hell are you people?" the lead cyborg asked.
"We’re the Avengers!" the young man said. "Allow me to introduce The Scarlet Witch, She-Hulk, Ms Marvel, and I’m Falcon." he said.
"GET THEM!!!" the cyborgs shouted as they raised their guns and launchers.
Quick as lightning the four Avengers leaped off the roof and plowed into the six cyborgs.
Falcon dove towards the leader, throwing his falcon-shaped kunai at him, impaling his gun hand and making it impossible for him hold another weapon with it. He didn’t have time to go for another gun as Falcon smashed his boot into his face.
Scarlet Witch unleashed her Hex Bolts against two of the cyborg soldiers, her mystic powers shutting down their cybernetics and dropping them to the ground.
Three of the cyborgs fired their weapons at the emerald-skinned gammazon as she was the biggest target. Their weapons bounced off her skin as she slammed into them with the force of a meteorite. She pushed one into the ground, knocking him out as she leaped out of the small crater and grabbed the first cyborg nearest her. The cyborg punched her in the face, which had little effect as she spun him around and into the second cyborg.
The helicopter turned around and started firing missiles at the heroes, only to have Ms Marvel energize her fists and blast the missiles out of the sky. Her eyes glowed as she flew up into the sky and punched the helicopter square in its nose, sending it spiraling out of control and crashing into the street.
The last cyborg charged towards Misato and Ritsuko, only to have Falcon suddenly appear right in front of him.
"Out of the way!" the cyborg shouted.
"No chance." Falcon said as he leaped into the air, jumped over the cyborg, and slammed two kunai into his shoulders.
"AH! Neural Motor Path Ways... Disabled!" the cyborg cried out as he fell to his knees.
The heroes quickly piled the cyborgs together as Ms Marvel flew up towards them.
"Nice work team." Ms Marvel said as she brought the pilot of the chopper back to them.
"Are you alright, Misato?" Falcon asked the purple-haired woman as he held his side and ground his teeth.
"Yeah, thanks Falcon." Misato said, "But are you alright?"
"Not really. The fight opened my sparring injury." he said, holding up his hand to reveal a small stain of blood.
Scarlet Witch glared at Ms Marvel.
"I told you!" the mystic hissed.
"I said I was sorry." the blond heroine said.
"It's fine. I'll heal." Falcon said to them, still holding his side.
It was then that Misato noticed her friend was staring.
"Something wrong, Ritz?"
"You pilot a giant animal-bot and you know superheroes?" Ritsuko asked.
"Long story, actually." Misato grinned.
"These guys were after you. We need to know who hired them." Ms Marvel said.
"Ten-to-one it was Gendo." Falcon said.
"Be that as it may, we should make sure." She-Hulk said.
While the heroes toted the cyborgs back to their base after contacting the others, Ritsuko and Misato started talking again.
"So? Have you made a decision, Dr Akagi?" Misato asked.
Ritsuko sighed as she looked at her friend with the most honest face she could muster. Though it was made easier due to the fact her guile had fallen away. "I’ll tell you everything I know about Gendo and his plans." she said.
"Good." Misato said, pulling an arm around her old friend.
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
While the Avengers interrogated the cyborgs, Shinji patched himself up and had departed for the rest of the day to visit someone special.
Standing before the grave marker in the large and empty faux-cemetery, the handsome young man just stared at the wooden marker baring his mothers name.
I’m sorry I haven’t been visiting mom. He mentally spoke. I meant to, but... I guess it’s a little hard when you realized you’re just talking to a piece of wood instead of where your body was actually at rest. I just hope that wherever you are, you are watching over me and making sure I’m alright. And I just hope that you’re proud of me for what I’m doing. I’ve got some new friends who have been helping me. They’re good people. You’d like them. I’ve even got a new Aunt in all this. I don’t know what father is planning, but it can’t be good. I have to stop him, so I hope you’ll understand.
However, while Shinji was focused on the marker, he didn’t see the strange bumps in the ground that were slowly moving towards him.
He placed the red roses on Yui Ikari’s grave marker and turned to leave.
I love you, mom. He mentally said.
However, he was not two markers away, when all hell broke loose.
Shinji saw the bumps right as they surrounded him and exploded upwards. Six figures dressed in black shot into the air as if catapulted by springs. They let fall what looked like dozens of small iron marbles that exploded all around Shinji. Blinded and caught off guard, his injury hindering him even more now, the young man was suddenly set upon by the six men, who punched, kicked and slashed at Shinji with their swords. Caught off-guard for a moment, Shinji received several injuries before he quickly responded, punching and kicking back the attackers, but was unable to get to his watch before he was slashed across the chest by a sharp blade.
"Argh!" he gasped as he stumbled backwards right as one of the ninjas hurled another, much larger explosive at him, sending him flying through the air and crashing into several other markers.
However, the fight and the blast had maneuvered Shinji away from the ‘empty’ cemetery to the ‘full’ part of the cemetery, and resulted in the young man coming to rest, chest first, against a strange and obscure tombstone that few had ever paid attention to. The tombstone was only about two feet high, and made of a different rock that none of the other tombstones were. But what was even stranger, was that the tombstone had a symbol for a bird on it, in the shape of an upside-down triangle.
Shinji’s blood flowed over the triangle as he slumped down to the ground.
The six ninjas approached him, silently looking at him, and then to each other, before moving in to collect the boy.
They would never get the chance.
The blood-covered tombstone started to hum as the bird symbol glowed an angry red. The ninjas didn’t notice it until it was too late. The tombstone exploded open as hellfire shot out like a geyser. The ninja looked up at the fiery fountain as a strange bird-shaped object emerged from it. The bird quickly took shape, it’s glowing body forming a more feminine physique. When the glowing had died down, everyone now saw a woman in a form-fitting, bright red costume, with gold gloves and boots, a gold sash around her shapely hips, and the tombstone bird symbol on her ample chest embellished in gold like a shield. The woman herself was Caucasian with long curly red hair, blue eyes, and was at least a Size-6, at 5 foot 11.
Taking a moment to get her bearings, she looked down and saw the young man bleeding on the ground, surrounded by sword-wielding ninja. She took a good look at the young man as a single word sprouted from her lips.
"Scott." she said softly. Her gaze turned towards the ninjas as her soft blue eyes turned a fiery red and yellow. "NO!" she screamed as her power exploded outwards.
The shout had awoken Shinji and he stared up into the sky as a bright, fiery bird-like figure filled his entire vision. Unknown to him at the time, his watch had turned on as he spoke only one word.
"...phoenix..."
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Sitting comfortably in their brand new mission plane, which Iron Man had been able to build faster than the mansion, the Avengers roared out of the underground ISO field base and flew towards their avian members location. The group had received an emergency beacon from his watch, and only heard his faint single word. Not knowing what was going on, they piled into the Phoenix II and rushed out to help their teammate.
The group consisted of Captain America, Scarlet Witch, Ms Marvel, Spider Man, Spider Woman, Beast and She-Hulk. But of them all, it was Wanda who was the most concerned.
Hang on my Shinji, we’re coming. Wanda thought as her hands gripped tightly the armrests.
"Do you have a lock on Shinji’s watch?" Misato asked.
"The last signal puts him approximately two miles from our current position." Beast said.
"Approximately?" Wanda gasped. "That still leaves a wide area to search for him. How are we going to find him?"
"Well then how about we look out the window?" Spider Man asked.
"Huh?" Misato gasped.
Everyone looked out the window and gasped in unison as they all saw a gigantic mass of dirt and stone, the square area of five football fields, hovering in mid-air not a hundred feet off the ground.
"Is that...." Spider Woman gasped.
"A flying island?" She-Hulk gasped.
"You don’t think it could be..." Ms Marvel asked Cap.
"It could be." Captain America said.
"Could be what?" Spider Woman asked.
"Not what. Who." Spider Man said.
"Who?" Misato asked.
"Look there!" Scarlet Witch shouted, pointing to a hovering figure just above the flying island.
Namely, a red-headed woman in red spandex, gently holding a young man in ripped and torn clothes. And what’s more, she was hovering two meters above the flying island itself.
"Yup. It’s the Phoenix." Spider Man said.
"I just hope it’s not Dark Phoenix." Beast said.
"We’ll know in a minute." Captain America said as he put the plane into a dive and soon landed the high-tech vehicle on the stable ground.
The Avengers quickly rushed out of the plane and stopped when they noticed six upside-down ninja seemingly suspended in mid-air and lined up in a row.
"Whoa! Interesting meditation technique." Spider Man quipped.
The group moved past the ninja and saw Phoenix slowly descend towards the ground with Shinji in her arms, bridal-style.
"Shinji-kun?" Scarlet Witch gasped.
"Do not fear. He will be fine." Phoenix said in an echoing voice as her feet came to a rest on the ground.
Her eyes flashed again as her powers read the minds of the seven heroes.
"Your nephew will be fine, Wanda. I have already healed his injuries."
"Oh thank you!" Scarlet Witch cried as she moved towards Shinji to examine him, noticing the cuts in his clothes which were apparently made by bladed weapons.
While the others approached Phoenix and Shinji, Spider Woman pulled Spider Man to the side and whispered in his ear.
"So... she really made this entire chunk of real estate float like this?" MJ asked.
"Yeah. Her telekinetic powers never ceased to amaze me. Especially if she can hold up this place, us, herself, six ninjas, and heal Shinji’s injuries." Peter said.
"She’s got THAT much power?" she gasped, suddenly realizing what Peter was implying.
"Yeah. Just put her down as another woman you don’t want to make mad." he stated.
While the married spider couple were talking, Scarlet Witch and She-Hulk were now holding Shinji in their arms as he started coming around.
"Sorry I worried you guys." Shinji said as Wanda hugged him tightly.
"You do that quite often, don’t you?" She-Hulk laughed.
"But now the question is... what do we do with you?" Beast asked Phoenix.
"Simple. We make her apart of the team." Captain America stated.
"WE WHAT?" Misato, Ms Marvel, Beast, Spider Man, Spider Woman, She-Hulk and the Scarlet Witch all shouted in unison.
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TBC
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OMAKE 1
Shinji and Gendo stood at the grave marker that bore the name ‘Yui Ikari’, both having not said a word as Shinji rested a bouquet of flowers at the base of the marker.
"I miss her so much." Shinji said. "Do you?"
"Everything I have is kept in my heart. That’s how I remember her." Gendo said.
"Some days... I wish she was right here. Now. I wish she was alive. I wish she could return to that we could be a family again. I wish... I wish...."
"Wishing is pointless, boy. It’s not like she can be resurrected like a phoenix through simple...."
Suddenly, the grave marker exploded open as a shapely female figure in a white bodysuit with gold gloves, boots, a sash around her waist and a gold bird symbol on her chest roe up into the air. She had short brown hair and eyes the same color as Shinji.
"...wishing?"
Shinji and Gendo gasped when they realized who the woman was.
"Mother?" Shinji gasped.
"Yui?" Gendo gasped.
Yui ‘Phoenix’ Ikari looked down at the pair and smiled. She dropped to the ground and quickly enveloped her son in a tight hug.
"Oh, Shinji! My sweet little boy! I missed you so much!" Yui said as Shinji returned the hug.
He was so lost in the reunion with his mother, that he didn’t notice his father was hanging in mid-air, struggling to free himself from a fierce invisible grip that was wrapped around his throat. His expression was like that of Bart Simpson being strangled by Homer.
You and I have a lot to talk about, Gendo! Yui thought as she kept hugging her son.
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OMAKE 2
Shinji just watched as Gendo took off in his VTOL with Rei Ayanami from the cemetery. He was soon alone as the sun was beginning to set down over the mountains.
Shinji turned to leave the cemetery, when a strange fiery portal opened up in mid-air before him. He stared at the portal for several seconds, before a shapely human body was flung from it right at him. The body slammed into Shinji and knocked him to the ground with the body on top himself.
Shinji gasped as the portal closed, and the figure started to stir. Shinji gasped when he realized the figure was a woman. A very adult and beautiful woman. She had long red hair, a shade darker than Asuka’s, and deep blue eyes. She was dressed in a form-fitting green bodysuit that left nothing to the imagination. She wore long gold gloves and boots that came up almost to her hips. A gold sash was around her shapely hips, with a long dangling ribbon cascading from it. On her chest just above her ample bosom was an upside-down triangle in the shape of a bird. Her skin was a soft peach color and her eyes held a look of loss.
"Are you alright?" Shinji asked the woman.
The woman looked up as her vision cleared, gasping as she took in Shinji.
"S-S-Scott?" she gasped.
"Huh?"
"It’s me! It’s Jean! Oh thank God I found you!" she said.
"But I’m not MMPH!!" he gasped as the woman pressed her lips fiercely against his own, sucking and grinding her mouth against his. I don’t believe it! My first kiss... with such a gorgeous woman! He thought as he felt her tongue enter his mouth. OH WOW!
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