Chapter Text
"Personnel clear. Missile launchers on standby."
"Remote launch slaved to NERV command vehicle."
"Power grid diversion complete. Accelerators on line."
While the familiar voices of the bridge crew announced status updates. Misato drummed her fingers nervously on the one blank patch of console she could find in the cramped interior of the field command van.
Everything depended on Shinji. No one was sure how the astonishing events of the afternoon sortie would have affected him. Or her. Misato wasn't sure right now. Shinji had always looked a little... shrunk in on himself when he was walking around in his plugsuit, but this evening, the young pilot – her ward, for all that Shinji's father lived in the same city! – was standing straighter and walking more confidently, and had gained five points of sync ratio compared to the last test. She'd have to talk to Shinji afterwards.
The last status light on Misato's console flicked to green. Resting one hand on the trigger button for the programmed missile salvo, she turned on the commlink. "All right, Shinji-kun. Ready?"
Shinji responded at once. "Ready, Misato-san."
"Start charging in 3... 2... 1... Now!" Misato jabbed the launch button.
The van's tactical display showed the missiles launching in an irregular sequence. The "AT Field active" ring around the Angel's icon vanished. Missiles in flight started abruptly disappearing from the display. The charge indicator for the positron rifle ticked up unmolested.
"Firing!" called Shinji.
The charge indicator emptied in the blink of an eye.
"Angel has stopped firing!"
"Internal reaction has subsided."
"AT Field remains inactive."
The remaining missiles held their trajectory steady. Misato held her breath.
"Drilling activity has ceased at armour layer 21 of 22. Angel has fallen to one side."
"Missile impacts on the Angel's body confirmed!"
"No activity."
"MAGI confirm Angel is inert."
They'd done it.
The Angel was dead.
A chorus of cheers went up among the bridge crew.
"Congratulations, Shinji!" said Misato, remembering her thumb was still on the commlink button. "You did it!"
The clothes Shinji had left in the locker room didn't quite fit right. They were a little too tight in some places, and a little too loose in others, and Shinji was nervous of moving too vigorously after Rei's comment about bouncing being painful.
More unsettling in the moment, sitting in Dr Akagi's office was the scientist's coolly analytical gaze. It wouldn't be so bad if she'd say something instead of just looking. Shinji wanted to get home and get some sleep.
Finally she spoke. "Well, Pilot Ikari. Your synchronization score was five points higher than your recent baseline, which I honestly wasn't expecting. I just need to ask a few questions before you go home."
"Okay."
"Have you felt any discomfort with your new body?"
Shinji thought for a moment. "The, uh, chest support in my plugsuit was a bit tight."
Dr Akagi nodded and tapped away on her keyboard. "Do you feel upset to look in the mirror and see a girl?"
"No. I mean, it was a surprise, but I don't mind it."
"Mm. Thank you. Did you feel upset with your body when you undressed and showered after tonight's operation?"
"No. That was fine. It... I think it was easier than normal."
Dr Akagi paused, looking at her terminal. "What was easier about it?"
"I... well, I never felt good about getting undressed. Especially around the other guys, but even on my own. But..." Shinji fidgeted. How to say the next bit?
"Take your time."
"W-well, getting into a plugsuit with Rei in the room felt fine. And so did getting undressed to shower after the mission."
"I see." Dr Akagi peered quizzically at her terminal. "Well, Pilot. The MAGI have provided some recommendations regarding your status. The first, and most important, is that when we reissue your ID, it should say you're a girl."
"Um..." Shinji gestured at the most obvious sign of that.
"It's not just a physical thing, but I see you're okay with that." Dr Akagi tapped a key on her keyboard. "Second, there's your name. Most people are going to hear 'Shinji' and expect to see a boy."
Shinji nodded. "Is that a problem?"
"It could be. It would make you stand out even more than your hair and eyes already do. Girls can be horrible about things that make you stand out, trust me." For a moment there was a distant, uneasy look on the scientist's face. "There's a couple of suggestions here, or if you have an idea yourself we can use that."
Shinji paused, trying to think of a good name to use. It was quite a challenge. "Suggestions?"
"Megumi. Haruka. Or... hm, no, perhaps that third one's a bad idea."
"What was the third one?"
"Naoko. It's... the name of someone the Commander was involved with. It ended badly." Dr Akagi looked distinctly uncomfortable. "So, what do you think?"
Shinji tilted her head contemplatively. Dr Akagi did have a good point. "Um, can... can I try Megumi? It sounds nice."
"Megumi? Certainly. We'll get your ID sorted out un the morning."