Аннотация: Debriefing the battle with Object A and going shopping.
Chapter 12. A shopping trip.
As a result, the whole debriefing came down to the fact that in order to develop some kind of unified universal tactics to deal with future Object A (along the way, NERV was guided by the principle "where there are two, there is a third"), there is extremely insufficient information. It is not known exactly what powers this alien Unknown Fucking Bullshit possesses, how tenacious Object A are, what weaknesses they have, and in the end, who said that the next aliens would be like Sakiel?
NERV was just guessing, but I knew for sure that we would have to build new tactics for each Object A, and it probably wouldn't work with the others. So, I will urgently need to recall all the information I know about future intruders...
And this is not to mention the fact that it is not even known exactly what powers our Wunderwaffe Evangelion possesses! No one understands what kind of tricks I did during the fight, where the limit of Eve's strength is, or if I can do it all again...
Time, time, time-it takes time to study and understand all this, and we don't have much of it. The only way out is to get some fresh data directly in combat, but it was also like walking to Germany...
In fact, Misato and I spent the entire tactical session just talking about my first and only fight, as if we were watching some kind of fascinating movie. Basically, that's what it was all about-talking about tactics in a battle that was fought solely on instincts and emotions alone is a thankless task.
I really hope that this will not happen again.
...The captain glanced at the small desk clock.
"Well, Shinji, are we going to wrap up? I still have things to do..."
"Well, if that's the case, then it's sacred..." I shrugged my shoulders, and was about to get up...
And then it kind of locked me in.
"Misato! So it's your day off! You told me yourself this morning!.."
Have you lied to me again? Lies, lies all around... My God, what a place of work I have!..
"There is such a word - "it is necessary"," The girl muttered gloomily. "They called me here, ignoring all my weekends, saying that they couldn't do anything without my presence... The freaks! She would have killed him! They didn't let me sleep... ah!" The captain waved her hand hopelessly. "What's there to lament..."
Katsuragi's face was now a magnificent illustration of universal sorrow... But it only lasted in this state for a very short time - the natural love of life and optimism turned out to be stronger.
"Okay, I didn't get to rest today, so at least you, Shinji, relax", Katsuragi sighed bitterly. "You can be free for today. Go get some rest... In the meantime, I will indulge in sad thoughts about the fate of all mankind..."
"Misato," I giggled, Katsuragi looked too funny, trying to look sad. "Come on, it doesn't suit you to be so dreary."
The captain immediately took out a small mirror from somewhere and stared intently at it.
"You say it's not coming? But if you try it like this..."
Katsuragi made a face. I laughed louder now.
"As it is, you look like your shoes are too tight."
"Oh..." the girl sighed heavily and falsely. "You're not going to please anyone... Then we'll have to leave it as it is..."
Leave everything as it is... But that would be undesirable...
Well, that's not really what I was thinking right now. And what about then? ... Mmm... Remember, remember... oh!..
"Misato, what about my salary?" I see they gave me a uniform, a rank, and a weapon, but I don't have any money yet. I mean, there's something I'd like to buy for myself..."
"Oh, my head is full of holes!" Katsuragi exclaimed pathetically, starting to pick at the pockets of her trademark red jacket. As I have already understood, she did not particularly like to wear a uniform... "Where are you? Come on!.. Get out, I'm telling you!.."
I watched in some amazement as the captain tried to get something out of his inner pocket. Admittedly, Misato still continued to amaze me - the man is almost thirty years old, but he behaves... Yeah, you better remember, Vitek, how you and your goofy friends went crazy when you were in your twenties, so that even kindergarten kids would lose weight from envy...
Friends...
I shouldn't have thought of them.
I was instantly overwhelmed by a terrible melancholy. The whole world I was used to, all my friends, my family-all this was now infinitely far away from me. Suddenly, I realized that I might never see them again, and it hurt me endlessly... How come? Why? It's not fair!!!
But I have no other choice. My choice is simple - life here or death there. I've already made my choice, so it's too late to lament, and it's stupid to regret the lost opportunity to die - I can achieve this much easier here. It will be enough, for example, just to stand and do nothing in the next fight...
But, of course, I would never do that. I have a job here, and I can't afford to die until I get it done. Oh, why do such thoughts always come at such a bad time? Why do most of these people, falling into the past or the future, never think about their friends or relatives? Aren't they all human? Unclear... But I'm just an ordinary person-no more, but no less.
And it's not surprising that I started thinking about such things as soon as I had a free minute. The last few days have been too intense for me, so I didn't have time to think about it, but now... But will I really be forced to stay in this world and in this body forever? I'm not arguing, I'm needed here, I'm famous and strong here. Here I can fulfill my most cherished dreams and fantasies, but...
None of this is mine.
It's someone else's life.
The life of Shinji Ikari, not Victor Severov, but... Since I'm here, it means that someone needs it.
Isn't that right, Shinji?..
"...Here, Shinji, here you go," Misato pulled me away from my fascinating introspection by handing me a standard plastic card. "Your salary will be transferred to it every week, but for now there are only prize money for Sakiel's head. The PIN code is simple - 0101. Spend it," Katsuragi finished with a smile.
"Yeah..." I took the proffered card and turned it over thoughtfully in my hands. The usual bank card is a Mastercard, I had almost the same one there, I wonder how much...
"Misato."
"Ah?"
"And the prizes are for the head... How much is that?" Katsuragi began to carefully hide her gaze.
"I don't even know..." I'm not aware of all the accounting, so you check it yourself and find out...
"Misato," I narrowed my eyes. "You're my immediate commander. You had my card. And you knew the PIN code from her. I can't believe for the life of me that you haven't checked how much is in my account!"
"Shinji!" Katsuragi exclaimed indignantly. "How could you think that!.. So that I can!.. Never!"
"Misaato-san..." I drawled mockingly.
"Obnoxious boy! Boor! The brute! You bastard!" The captain pouted with resentment. That's just kind of fake...
"And I think we agreed not to lie to each other anymore..." I used heavy artillery with adjustable shells.
Misato instantly deflated.
"I only have one eye!.. Solely for the purpose of familiarization!" Katsuragi stated resolutely.
"I believe it," I assured her. "So how much?"
The ability to cling with a tick is sometimes very useful...
"A million yen..." Misato confessed.
Somewhere in the corner of my mind, Shinji whistled happily and in surprise - as far as I understood him, the amount was very impressive. It would be nice, though, to find out how impressive...
So, how much did the yen cost there? Twenty rubles for a hundred pieces? What does it mean that I have about two hundred thousand rubles in my account? It's not that much - the NERVE is getting greedy... Although, by the standards of a fourteen-year-old kid... And a twenty-year-old guy too... And anyway, where do I even need that much? What is there to save for? Is it a car or an apartment?
"And another two hundred thousand each week as a salary." Misato finished, and after a short pause, she added enviously. And I get the same amount a month... listen, Shinji!"
"Well?"
"Borrow it, eh?.." Katsuragi blurted out.
Have arrived... The boss and the guardian asks for money from their ward... Well, where have you seen such a thing?
But on the other hand, what's the big deal? Is Misato my friend or a radish? More like a friend - I know her intimately, of course, not much, but I have in my memory her general psychological portrait based on my knowledge of the series, so...
"But why?"
"I need to fix my car, but I don't have the money..." Katsuragi said plaintively. "By the way, when I was saving you, I beat you up! And these rear rats don't want to pay for my repairs! Shinji, be a friend, what's it worth to you, huh? eh, heh, heh... So what am I supposed to do with you, Comrade Captain?
"How much?" I inquired matter-of-factly. "And for how long?"
"A hundred! I'll pay you back in advance until next week!" Misato replied happily, almost bouncing on her chair.
"Er-er-er... A hundred thousand?" I asked again.
"Yeah!" The captain nodded cheerfully. "Well, how's that?"
"I'll withdraw some cash today and borrow," I sighed resignedly. Is today the day of humanitarian aid to all those in need? First Rei, then Toji's sister, and now Misato...
"Thanks!!! Shinji, I love you!" Katsuragi jumped up from her chair, grabbed me in her arms and kissed me on the cheek.
"Misato... Mercy..." I squeaked half-strangled, trying to wriggle out of the commander's tenacious hands.
"That's it, that's it, that's it!" The girl hurriedly blurted out, jumping away from me, sitting on the edge of the table and swinging her legs merrily. "Go ahead and I'll take care of your business. And thanks again in advance!.."
"Come on, whatever..." Getting up, I muttered, straightening my wrinkled tunic. Fuck the money: it came easily, it went easily, I won't spend it anyway...
"Come on, see you tonight!" Katsuragi called after me as I walked out the door.
...Tek-S... So now we have a shopping trip planned? I put the card in the inside pocket of my uniform and grinned predatorily. Let's see which turns out to be stronger this time - the opportunity to realize fantasies or my pathological stinginess.
***
I swiped my ID card under the laser beam, a squeak, my NERV output is accounted for - I'm free.
"Goodbye, sir," A young guard sitting in a glass-enclosed booth reading a sports magazine politely said goodbye to me.
By the way, it's interesting - my uniform and the uniform of ordinary NERV employees were quite seriously different. The technicians wore identical beige and red jackets, the guards wore standard NATO-style camouflage, but the operatives (me and Misato) and the top command staff (dad and his deputy) wore black and gold uniforms with a distinctive triangular badge under the collar...
"Goodbye," I answered him just as politely, and was about to leave, but stopped and came back.
"Excuse me," I asked, leaning over to a small slot in the armored glass. "Can you tell me where the nearest supermarket is? And preferably more?"
"Yes, of course, sir," the guard put the magazine aside and leaned closer to me. "Once you get to the surface, walk two blocks, then turn left for about five minutes on foot, and you'll see a large black and yellow building with a glass roof. This is the Vostok hypermarket, there is everything there..."
"Thank you," I thanked the guy and went to the exit. I wish I was going shopping in an unknown direction...
And what exactly do I need? It seems like a lot of things, but what exactly is it? A watch, a normal player, a phone, boots, or something to buy for yourself... What else? Mmm... Damn it! In short, first of all, I need a notebook and a pen!..
***
Yes, this Vostok is really a hypermarket!.. A hefty six-story building with lots of elevators and escalators-and how am I going to find what I need here? People, help me!
Yeah, and here comes the help in the person of a manager in a uniform blouse and with a badge...
"Is there anything I can do to help... you?" The last word spoken by the young girl manager was uttered with a great deal of uncertainty. Well, that's understandable - on the one hand, the shape of a NERVE, and on the other, a fourteen-year-old kid...
"Yes, ma'am," I said, trying to dispel all her doubts about how I should be treated. "I've only recently been transferred to this city, and I haven't figured it all out yet... Could you or someone else help me get some things? Can this be arranged?"
"Of course," the manager was still looking at me skeptically enough, but not so much anymore. "Only consulting services will be included in the price..."
"It doesn't bother me, ma'am," I snapped. I've always dreamed of saying something like that!..
"... Young man, this is quite an expensive watch..."
So, these skeptical views have already begun to tire me at every step. First the guide-counselor, now this watchmaker... Or what is the name of the one who sells watches?
"Don't worry, I'm quite creditworthy." I muttered, admiring the chronometer I had chosen. Reliable mechanism, shockproof, waterproof, self-winding... A fairy tale!
Of course, I would have done with a simple "commander's" watch or an "Amphibian", but, alas, there were no such watches. It is not surprising, in general, given the dominance of all kinds of "Seiko" and German technology...
".. It'll do," I concluded, walking back and forth in my freshly bought berc. "The new ones are still simple and undistorted, but it will pass..."
It's a good store, though!.. Something like "For fishing, hunting and tourism", but everything is of the highest quality and of any size, even suitable for me. I got hold of a pair of normal (for me) high leather boots with thick soles - they will be useful when going outdoors, a camouflage windbreaker and trousers - for the same purposes, and all sorts of small things like a Swiss knife, binoculars, a small flat flask, a good lighter and a cigarette case. I motivated the last two purchases as a gift, although, in principle, I didn't lie much - I smoked very rarely, so maybe I'll give it to someone...
Oh, that's what they say, the boy snapped - I never would have thought that I had such a craving for acquiring all sorts of junk...
The problem only arose when buying a healthy hunting knife. They flatly refused to sell it to me, explaining that they needed a permit for weapons, which they said they wouldn't even give me in the next six years...
I had to reach into my pocket (I would also need to buy a normal wallet...) and take out a universal Nerv card...
You should have seen the sellers' faces when they read the information from her. Now they no longer looked at the butt of my Glock like it was a toy...
"... E-my!" I said, shocked, when I finally got to the bookstore.
These are my dear ones... weapons reference books... There are so many of you here... Tanks, aviation, navy, small arms and cold weapons, the history of wars... So, well, to properly match the legend, let's take this, and this, and, perhaps, this, and you can even without bread... I also need a proper briefcase, and not some school stuff, but something more serious that would match the jacket...
...In short, very soon the volume of my purchases increased so much that I became like an overloaded packhorse. And the box, it turns out, just opened! I just had to ask for all this to be delivered at home, and I was in agony... I didn't remember my address, though (what a shame!..), but it was quite expected to be listed on my card.