Now, his wish was going to come true.
After his new father in this world had gotten over the shock caused by Ranma's enthusiasm when the pigtailed teen had been confronted with having to pilot the giant purple monstrosity, he had quickly ordered his son to get into the entry plug and told the NERV employees to get EVA 01 ready for launch.
“I'ma gonna pilot a giant ro-bot, I'ma gonna pilot a giant ro-bot!” Ranma sang, barely managing to keep himself from bouncing in his seat with glee.
After singing that same line for several minutes, Ranma quickly got bored with it and was just about to tell those NERV goonies to get their asses moving and finally turn on his new toy, when the radio cracked to life.
“Okay, Ranma,” came Ritsuko's voice, “We're now going to flood the entry plug with a liquid called 'LCL'. Don't worry, though, it's breathable and it will oxygenate your blood directly, so there's nothing for you to be concerned about.”
“Hey! I ain't afraid of no stupid liquid! Just get on with it already!” Ranma snapped.
“Alright, alright. I just wanted to give you a heads-up, no need to get so hostile.”
Even though he couldn't see the blonde scientist, Ranma could feel Ritsuko rolling her eyes in annoyance. He took a deep breath to get his rampant excitement under control again and decided he'd better apologize. No use in antagonizing the people he'd be working with in the future, or else they might decide not to let him pilot the cool robot anymore.
“I'm sorry, Miss Akagi, I guess I got a little carried away there. But I really want to get out there and kick that monster's ass!” He said, clenching his right fist.
“That's alright, Ranma. We're all a little tense right now.”
Feh. I'm not tense. I just want to finally kick some ass.
He could hear the sound of fingers typing on a keyboard, followed by Ritsuko's voice again.
“We're ready, Ranma. Remember that you can breathe the LCL.”
Just as Ranma was about to tell her that he wasn't an idiot and that she didn't need to tell him the same thing twice, a bad smelling, orange liquid began to fill the entry plug. In no time at all, the plug was flooded and Ranma took his first breath of LCL.
And began to hack and cough like he had just taken his first drag from a cigarette. “Gaaah, this stuff tastes like blood!”
“How do you feel, Ranma? Is everything alright?” Ritsuko asked.
“Yeah, I'm fine. Just didn't think this stuff would taste so bad. Can't you make this 'LCL' with mint taste or somethin'?”
“I'm afraid that's impossible.”
Ranma's musings of how cool it would be to get out of his giant robot with a fresh minty breath after kicking some giant monster's ass were suddenly interrupted by the blonde scientist.
“Okay Ranma, we're starting the synchronization process now, which directly connects your consciousness and nervous system with the EVA unit. You might feel a little dizzy.”
This is it, thought Ranma as he gripped the control handles tightly.
-V-V-V-
The LCL suddenly became colourless and the entry plug was turned into a kaleidoscope of colours. A few moments later, the colour shifting stopped and everything was back to normal again.
Ranma ignored the frantic technobabble coming from the radio as his excitement for the upcoming fight grew. Soon he'd be able to go out and kick some ass.
“Huh? What's this?” Ranma murmured as he felt a familiar presence. He was only able to feel it for a few short moments before it was gone again, but he could easily recognize that presence anywhere.
It felt just like Akane, but that couldn't be. He had left the tomboy behind when his wish had been granted, just like he had left everybody else from his old life behind. He somehow got the impression that feeling Akane's presence inside Unit 01 was not a good thing.
Unbidden, the faint memory of a conversation between Nabiki and her younger sister about the EVAs actually containing people came to his mind, but since it had nothing to do with the fights, he hadn't paid much attention to their talk. But, if his memory was correct and Nabiki and Akane hadn't been lying, the fact that he felt Akane's aura coming from the robot could only mean one thing.
“How the hell did Akane end up in the giant robot thingy?” Ranma asked himself.
The young martial artist focused his attention back on the conversation broadcast over the radio and, as he was about to tell Ritsuko of his findings, heard the last thing he wanted to hear.
“Synchronisation failed. Nerve connections rejected. Abort operation.”
“WHAT?!” Ranma screamed in disbelief, “No way! Do it again! I wanna go out an' fight the giant monster! C'mon, do it again, damnit!”
“I'm sorry, Ranma,” Ritsuko said, “but I guess you just aren't able to sync with the EVA. I guess I should have told you this sooner, but the chance for a successful synchronisation with Unit 01 are only 0,000000001 percent. I'm sorry.”
“What are we going to do now, Mister Ikari?” Misato asked the commander of NERV. Her face was a mask of utter disappointment, which was also reflected in the faces everybody else present on the command bridge. Ranma's enthusiasm for piloting the EVA and his all around eager attitude made the failed synchronisation test all the more devastating.
“Eject the entry plug and reconfigure Unit 01 for Rei. Send Ranma back to his guardians, I have no use for him if he can't sync with the EVA.” Gendo replied in a cold voice.
“Understood, Sir.”
-V-V-V-
Ranma didn't hear the conversation going on between the NERV operatives. He just slumped in his seat, totally devastated that he wouldn't be able to pilot the cool giant robot, after all. The cool giant robot which somehow contained Akane.
“GAH!” He screamed suddenly. “You stupid, uncute tomboy, this is all your fault!” He punched his right fist into the wall of the entry plug, almost putting a hole in it. “Why the hell won't you work? C'mon, ya stupid tomboy, don't ya go an' get in my way again! Work, will ya!” Ranma hammered his fists against the entry plug again and again, all the while cursing his erstwhile fiancé.
-V-V-V-
“Ranma Ikari, stop this at once!” Misato ordered the boy. “You are damaging UN property!” She couldn't believe it. She had been positively surprised when the young boy she had been ordered to pick up had turned out to be a happy, confident young man instead of a reclusive and withdrawn boy. Now she was wondering if maybe that wasn't such a good thing.
“S- Sempai, look!” Maya said while pointing at the computer monitors displaying the synchronisation status.
“Hm? What is it?” Ritsuko asked. She glanced at the monitors indicated by her assistant and gasped. “This is impossible!
“A-10 nerve connection normal, all preliminary contacts established, synchronisation ratio is at 49.4%. Harmonics seem to be normal, too. How is this possible?”
“Oh my god, look at the EVA!” Somebody interrupted her thoughts with a shout.
Outside, the EVA's eyes were glowing a bright white and it suddenly opened its mouth before it let out a loud scream that shook Central Dogma to its foundations.
Fuyutsuki turned his attention from Unit 01 to Gendo Ikari. “Seems like she objects to being called an uncute tomboy.”
“Indeed,” Gendo answered and rubbed his ribcage, suddenly overcome with phantom pains from the one time he had dared to use that particular expression with his late wife. It had all been in good fun, too. How was he to know that this was the only insult which could really rile her up? If he ever met that okonomiyaki selling guy again, he was really going to kick his ass for suggesting it.
“Uhm, guys?” Came Ranma's hesitant voice over the radio. “What's going on? I can suddenly see outside the entry plug.”
“I don't know how you did it,” answered Ritsuko, “but somehow the synchronisation succeeded after your little temper tantrum.”
“Does that mean I can go outside and kick some giant monster ass now?”
“Yes, it does.”
“Woohoo! What are we waiting for then?”
Ritsuko had to smile at the young boy's enthusiasm, even if she found his little display earlier slightly disturbing. “Misato?”
“Huh?” Misato blinked at her blonde friendly stupidly, before she suddenly snapped back into focus again. “Right! Sir, Unit 01 ready for launch!”
“Launch EVA 01,” Gendo replied calmly.
“LAUNCH EVA 01!”
The giant purple monstrosity was released from its restraints and moved to the huge elevator, which transported it to the surface at a rapid pace.
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(Posted Wed, 03 Oct 2007 02:17)
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らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
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