Chapter 602: Asuka's Yearning
Asuka's question shifted the atmosphere of the gathering slightly toward the future.
Maine shook his head, his steady voice echoing in the room: "Not exactly. New exploration missions require detailed planning and preparation. Especially for those two worlds, according to preliminary reconnaissance, the situations are rather... special. Before receiving clear orders, we mainly conduct routine training, maintain equipment, and assist the base with some perimeter guard duties."
Dorio added, "Furthermore, having just returned from Elysium, the team also needs time to rest and reorganize, digest the experience of this mission, and assist the Tech-Priests in analyzing and sorting the medical data we brought back."
Pilar waved his mechanical arm and chimed in, "That's right, just the data structures and energy matrices of those Med-Bays will be enough for those red-robed guys to study for a while. We can take it easy for the time being."
Although Maine's squad indicated there were no new adventures for the moment, the "normalcy" revealed in their words—that dimensional exploration was an important part of their work and life—still deeply touched the three teenagers sitting across from them.
Shinji kept his head down, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the cold surface of his beverage can. He recalled his days at NERV; apart from training and fighting, there was only endless confusion, self-blame, and alienation from the outside world. He had never imagined that fighting and power could be used like Maine's squad did, to help a completely strange world break its chains, and to acquire technology capable of saving countless lives.
This experience was entirely different from the feeling of being forced to pilot Unit-01 and having to hurt others in order to protect specific people. A faint desire, one he hadn't even clearly realized himself, sprouted from the bottom of his heart—perhaps, in another place, in another way, his power could also be used for... "the right" thing? He wasn't entirely sure, but the story of Maine's squad had indeed opened a new window for him.
Rei Ayanami remained quiet, but her red eyes slowly shifted among the members of Maine's squad. She didn't quite understand complex concepts like "adventure" or "changing the world," but she could sense that the relationship among the members of this team was quite different from the relationships between people at NERV, or the tangled dynamic between herself, Shinji Ikari, and Asuka. They were more like a cohesive whole, each holding a clear position, acting toward a common goal. This pure relationship model based on function and collaboration seemed easier for her to understand than one filled with complex emotional entanglements, and it even... gave her a trace of indescribable comfort.
As for Asuka, her feelings were the most direct and intense. Her azure eyes sparkled with undisguised envy.
"Being able to go to so many different places, see all sorts of things, and use your power to do something... something that actually shows results, something interesting." She paused, as if weighing the words on her tongue, trying to draw a clear line against the heavy, ambiguous mission of "saving the world" from her memories. "This is way more interesting than being trapped all day in this dusty base of nothing but metal and rock, doing endless training, and waiting for an enemy to pop out from some unknown corner!"
Hearing this, Rebecca chuckled. She habitually patted her flat chest, her tone full of agreement and enthusiasm: "That's right! Although it gets pretty sketchy sometimes, and if we screw up we could lose our lives, but how should I put it? Living like this is way better than rotting away in one place! You guys didn't see it with your own eyes, the expression on those pampered snobs' faces in Elysium when they saw us crash through their precious turf like descending demons, haha, it was absolutely priceless!"
"Every world has its own unique physical rules, social structures, and potential dangers." Falco's voice sounded with its usual prudence. He looked at Asuka, his eyes serious. "Not all explorations are like this time in Elysium, with a clear objective, a relatively controllable process, and ultimately achieving a seemingly 'perfect' ending. We have also encountered many failures, paid hefty prices, and had to accept numerous setbacks. The unknown, while bringing opportunities, often also implies risks that far exceed estimations."
Maine's heavy figure shifted slightly. He acknowledged Falco's analysis and nodded steadily. However, his gaze swept over the three young pilots and finally rested on Asuka, whose eyes were blazing with undisguised yearning. He added a sentence, his tone peaceful yet carrying a certain weight:
"Falco is right; the road ahead is never smooth. However, being able to cross boundaries that ordinary people cannot imagine, personally step into different starry skies, witness with your own eyes and even participate in writing the stories of those completely different worlds... this experience itself truly carries a unique, irreplaceable value."
These words, peaceful yet precise, struck a chord in Asuka's heart.
It did not evade the cruelty of reality, yet it profoundly pointed out the meaning of another dimension that life could possess, beyond everyday survival and combat. This was not just the thrill of adventure, but rather an affirmation of the broader possibilities of existence itself.
The light sparkling in her eyes did not dim because of the warning; instead, due to these words, it became deeper and more resolute. A vague hope quietly took root in her heart—perhaps one day, she and her EVA could also become part of this grand narrative, rather than just weapons passively responding to threats.
She was no longer just the ace pilot yearning for recognition. After witnessing a broader world, a new longing for free exploration began to take root in her heart. She was no longer satisfied with merely acting as a used weapon, repeating slaughter and survival on a fixed battlefield. The experience of Maine's squad outlined for her a possibility of a more proactive and colorful future.
The gathering continued for a while longer, mostly with Rebecca and Pilar sharing some of the luxurious sights and anecdotes they had seen on the Elysium space station (or rather, what they considered "stupid luxury"), prompting Asuka to occasionally utter comments of amazement or disdain. Shinji would occasionally ask a question or two in a low voice, while Rei Ayanami remained quietly listening throughout.
When the gathering finally ended and everyone returned to their respective quarters, the corridors resumed their usual silence.
However, the state of mind of the three EVA pilots was already completely different from a few hours ago.
What Maine's squad brought was not only long-lost delicious food and a relaxed social atmosphere, but also a wind from the vast world outside, blowing open their originally relatively closed worldviews. Regarding the future and the potential application of their own powers, they began to have some vague ideas that were completely different from the past.
Meanwhile, deep within the base, Ryo (second avatar) had already learned of this chance gathering through the ubiquitous sensors.
He did not interfere with the ideological changes of the pilots. As long as these changes did not affect the execution of missions—and might even translate into a more proactive will to fight or a spirit of exploration in the future—it was perhaps not a bad thing for him. After all, the more diverse and adaptable the forces in his hands were, the more chips he would hold when dealing with this complex and dangerous universe.
The medical technology brought back by Maine's squad and the potential shift in the mindset of the three pilots—these were all variables continuously accumulating within his grand plan.