Little Rei: Origin part 2:
by Chibi Rei

     Misato walked into the command room, glancing around. Saddled against her hip,
supported my one arm, was the tiny Rei clone. "I heard the alarm. what's the situation?"

     Maya shot a look at her commander, and the creature she was holding, and decided to
avoid mentioning it. "the next angel has been spotted, we aren't sure what kind of damage it's
designed for, but it's very big, very ugly, and amphibious. ETA 07:00 Monday"

     Little Rei glanced at the controls, then began mumbling in Japanese. Maya and Misato
stared in amazement as the child began pointing at the holographic map.

     Misato blinked. "what? you mean...?" she began to analyze what the child was saying.
"two EVA, organized in a pincher movement, and using progressive lances as javelins? how do
you know..." This was the most impressive show of strategic thinking from a toddler she'd ever
seen. "Where the hell is Shinji?"

     Maya responded quickly after checking her screens for GPS. "he's in class." anticipating
the next questions, proceeded. "Rei is wounded from her last battle, and unfit for combat, and
Asuka is..." she checked. "is... out of surveillance. we have no idea where she is."

     Misato cursed. "Get Shinji down here after school, and brief him. how can Asuka just run
off like that? get a team looking for her, and until then, get Rei. we'll have to brief her on..." She
felt a tugging at her skirt. It was Little Rei.

     "watashi..." she thinks, trying to collect her thoughts, and manages to speak in English.
"I... can... pilot."

     Maya and Misato looked at each other, then to Ritsuko, who was standing by the door.
"I'll prep the EVA for a new pilot." she walked out.

----

     "Sir, this is not going well. I think we may need to use force to recover the subject from
Misato." Ritsuko spoke into her cell phone, walking to the EVA control center.

     "Keeping the subject around could be dangerous to the morale and efficiency of the unit.
dispose of it, by any means short of killing the other pilots or Misato. understood?"

     She nodded, without thinking. "I understand. goodbye, sir." She hung up, putting the
phone away and reaching the control center. "Prep the EVA for a new pilot. change the seat size,
and clear the memory, adjusting for a similar, but new one."

----

     Misato picked little Rei up. "you're gonna be a hero, huh? very sweet of you"

     Maya looked over at the large-headed thing. "Pardon my asking, but.." she hesitated.
"who or what is that thing?"

     "Little Rei here? not sure exactly. she just showed up in my the other day. Shinji was a bit
startled."

     "Really now?" Maya laughed. "I bet that was amusing..."

     "yeah, but I need to take little Rei for a nap. See you in a few minutes, Maya. I'll be right
back."

----

     Walking back towards her apartment, Misato hummed softly while gently bouncing Rei
against her shoulder. 

     "Fly me to the moon and let my play among the stars. Let me see what spring is like on
Jupiter and Mars." the child yawned. "in other words...." She smiled as she noticed the infant pilot
was asleep. "adorable." she carried Little Rei all the way home, putting her down in the makeshift
crib she'd made out of a few pillows, a box, and some empty beer cans.

     "Good night, little hero." she smiled and left the apartment, just as Penpen waddled over
to the crib, peering in.

     "Shimasen..." the superdeformed sibling of Rei murmured in her sleep. "iie, shimasen."

     "erk?" the bird said, tilting his head at her, wondering to himself why Misato was so fond
of such a silly looking creature. after all, he reasoned to the best of his penguine ability, he already
had something small and cute living with her, why did she need this blue haired runt?

     He must defend his territory, he'd decided, and knocked a couple of the beer cans over on
to the sleeping toddler. It produced a yelp of fear as the can hit her forehead, and this sound
pleased Penpen, who did it again., the toddler leaped up and glared at Penpen from over the top
of the box.

     "baka!" she flung one of the cans back at him, and he squawked, then batting a stack of
empty instant ramen bowls at her.

     She returned fire with another beer can, then a plastic spoon. He responded with an old
magazine and a soda bottle. their trash fight continued a few minutes, until both were exhausted,
panting, leaning back to back in the middle of a very big mess, which oddly looked much the same
as before they started., Rei blinked at the penguin., then tickled him. he squawked at her,
something that seemed to be laughing.

     This, the penguin reasoned, could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

END PART 2