[EVA] Manga continuation - Stage 69

[M]

Here is the latest Eva manga stage.
Ritsuko is on the move...

Bochan_bird
=========================
Stage 69: Tainted Blood

Cover:
Akagi Ritsuko in the foreground, naked shoulder-up
view, facing slightly downward (= SEELE interrogation
scene)
Akagi Naoko in the background in work clothes/lab coat,
profile view, scheming/smirking expression

Scene: Inside NERV HQ
Lead-in text: The darkness in Ritsuko's heart...
(Having been returned to NERV, Ritsuko walks deep in
thought through the deserted spaces of the HQ, her
hands stuffed in the pockets of her lab coat, eyes
focused unseeing on the path before her.)
(At the same time in a different location (alternating
frames), a conversation takes place between the SEELE
monoliths.)
SEELE 04: Is it okay? The handling of Dr. Akagi?
SEELE 01: Unlike Fuyutsuki, it is better to return her.
She rendered distinguished service for the Eva series,
now let her serve us for a bit, for the future of
humankind.

Flashback scene: 2008 Hakone
(Naoko Akagi guides her daughter Ritsuko through the
Gehirn facility in the Geofront -- i.e. the future NERV
HQ pyramid.)
Ritsuko: You said the Command Center framework was
finished so I came to see it, but this place is like a
maze.
Naoko (laughs): Haha. You'll have to get used to it if
you also aim to join Gehirn.
(The two emerge onto a walkway overlooking the vast
Command Center. Immediately below them are the Command
Center tiers and the three MAGI units.)
Ritsuko: Wow...
Naoko: This is MAGI, the first personality transplant
OS.  MAGI Casper, MAGI Balthazar, and MAGI Melchior.
These MAGI are the three "me". Me the scientist, me the
mother, and me the woman. And these three "me" are
constantly quarreling with each other.
Ritsuko: You intentionally left the dilemma faced by
people. That's so like you, mother.
(A figure appears on the walkway behind them.)
Gendo: So, how are things going, Dr. Akagi?
(The two turn to meet him, Naoko smiling brightly but
Ritsuko with a more reserved look.)
Naoko: Oh, good morning, Director!
Gendo: With your daughter, I see. Ritsuko, if I
remember rightly?
Ritsuko: Uh... It's been a while.
(Gendo has a small child beside him, and Naoko bends
down to greet her.)
Naoko: And you, Director, have you brought your
daughter? My, isn't she cute. (somewhat surprised) Oh,
but... I was sure you had a son...
Gendo: This isn't Shinji. I've taken the child of an
acquaintance into my care. Her name is Ayanami Rei.
Naoko: Hello, Rei-chan.
(Rei stares at Naoko, silent and expressionless. As
Naoko stares back, she notices something.)
Naoko (flustered/muttering): This child... without a
doubt... Yui...?
(Naoko straightens up with a troubled look on her
face.)
Gendo: Let's go, Rei. We mustn't be a nuisance.
(Gendo takes Rei's hand and leads Rei away, as silent
and expressionless as ever. Naoko and Ritsuko watch
them walk away.)
Ritsuko: Mother... who is "Yui"?
Naoko: The Director's wife. Although she is no longer
with us...

Ritsuko (flashback/thinking): At that time I saw that
my mother's face was not the face of a scientist or a
mother, but one horribly twisted by a woman's emotions.
And it was two years later that that incident occurred.

Flashback scene: Gehirn headquarters
Ritsuko (flashback/thinking): I had just joined Gehirn,

(Ritsuko hurries through the HQ pyramid corridors.)
Ritsuko (thinking): Oh, no.  I forgot something. And
with Misato returning from Germany after all this time.
(checks watch) If I don't hurry I'm going to be late to
meet her.
(As Ritsuko hurries along the walkway above the Command
Center, she glances down and is surprised to see her
mother and Rei standing on the upper tier.
Ritsuko: Oh! It's mother and... Rei-chan?
Ritsuko (thinking): I wonder what she is doing, and
with such a scary face.
Naoko (glaring at Rei): I couldn't hear you well. Say
it again.
Rei (flat tone/expressionless): Old hag. Not me -- It's
what the Director calls you: "Old hag". "The old hag
won't give up," and "The old hag's served her purpose,"
and so on. He's always saying that to me. I feel sorry
for you because you don't know it, so I'm telling you.
That's what the Director says about you.
(As she listens in shock to Rei's words, Naoko becomes
more and more agitated until she reaches out and starts
to choke Rei who gets a surprised expression for the
first time.)
Naoko (shouting): You... even if you die there will be
a replacement! Just like me!
Ritsuko (shouting): Mother! Stop!!
(But Naoko does not stop and Rei's arms go limp.)
Ritsuko (flashback/thinking): That is how the first Rei
died. (image of Rei dead on the floor) And then my
mother (Ritsuko shouting and reaching out towards
Naoko) threw herself off of MAGI Melchior. (blood
spattered from an impact on the edge of Balthasar down
to Naoko's body lying below in a pool of blood)

Flashback scene: Naoko's funeral
(Ritsuko dressed in black standing before Naoko's
grave)
Ritsuko (flashback/thinking): I wasn't able to stop
her. [NOTE: ambiguous -- could be "stop myself"] I
wouldn't become like that. I don't need the self that
is a woman. I'd never let myself become like my mother.

(A hand is placed on Ritsuko's shoulder, and she turns
to see Gendo standing there. Gendo takes her hands and
sinks to his knees before her.)
Gendo: Only you. With Naoko gone now, you're the only
one who can support me... Help me. (Gendo rises and
puts his hand on her shoulder) Like your mother did.
(black frame) Help me...

Scene: Current time -- Misato's apartment
(Shinji lies on his bed asleep listening to his
portable player. He is woken up by the phone ringing,
and goes to answer it.)
Shinji (thinking): I guess I fell asleep before I knew
it. Where is Misato... at work?
Shinji (answering the phone): Yes, hello?
Ritsuko (phone voice): Just listen to me.
Shinji: Ritsuko?
Ritsuko: I've cancelled your surveillance. You can come
to my location right now without anyone seeing you. Do
you want to know Rei's secret?
Shinji: ..... What are you talking about?
Ritsuko: You'll find out if you come. I'm waiting for
you.

Scene: Central Dogma shaft
(Standing before a door at the end of a corridor,
Ritsuko reaches into her lab coat and pulls out a pass
card which she slides through the lock. However, a
beeping alarm sounds and the door remains locked.)
Ritsuko: !?
(A pistol presses against Ritsuko's neck/back.)
Misato: No use, without my pass, and your eye scan.
Without those we can't enter behind this door. You're
going to show me the secret of this place with my own
eyes.
Ritsuko (smiling): ..... One of Kaji's tricks, huh?
Alright.
(Misato notices Shinji standing behind them)
Ritsuko: But that child comes with us.
Misato: Fine. Open it.

- End Stage 69