Nobita's Time Heist

"Um... Rei Ayanami... classmate? Your body has just recovered, so it's best not to do any strenuous exercise. Rest for a while. The process of rapid self-healing itself will consume a lot of energy, and you should feel very hungry right now."

"Let's eat something first."

Nobita didn't know what to call her for a moment. The girl's expression was extremely cold, and with her delicate face, she looked just like an emotionless doll.

The doll stared at him expressionlessly, then at the lunchbox he handed her, took it, and lingered on him for a couple of seconds. She seemed about to say something, but ultimately remained silent, opened the lid, and began to eat quietly.

I thought Shinji was already quite withdrawn, but now I see this guy is even more of a heavyweight! This is probably the most difficult talk Nobita has ever had in all his late-night conversations.

Looking back, Bianbian, Kukuru, Miyako... and many other friends who couldn't sleep and confided in him, were actually all on the positive side. It's just that they encountered some setbacks in life, which came like heavy blows, leaving them breathless and in a state of temporary confusion.

They need someone to listen to their pent-up stress and vent their frustrations, and Nobita, with his strong empathy, perfectly fills that role. Therefore, more than just "night talks," Nobita is like a therapist. He listens to others' troubles, offers encouragement, and helps them regain confidence in solving their problems.

Pay attention, pick it up again! They were always capable of handling their mindset issues; they were just a little confused for a moment. With just a few words, Da Xiong was able to clear the fog and reveal the clear sky.

But now… he's encountered two children with psychological issues, who happen to be at the most sensitive age. They are far more mature than elementary school students, having long passed the age of believing in love and justice. Therefore, many tricks used to coax children are probably useless on them. However, in terms of maturity, they are far from mature; their way of seeing things remains superficial, and they are prone to extremes.

It is precisely because Nobita has an extraordinary capacity for empathy that he finds him difficult to deal with.

He could tell almost instantly that the boy named Shinji Ikari must have grown up in an environment of extreme lack of love. When the boy spoke to him, his eyes would always instinctively dart away, avoiding eye contact. His tone was unsteady, and his entire being exuded a sense of inferiority born of humility.

But... no matter what, at least he's willing to have positive conversations with me. Even though he's intentionally closed off emotionally, I can still gain some useful information from these interactions.

The girl before me showed no desire to communicate, passively accepting information from the outside world. If you handed her a boxed lunch, she would eat it without hesitation; if you gave her a gun, she might shoot herself without a second thought.

Thinking of this, Nobita sighed again, picked up the [Model Letter Writing Pen], and continued writing the unfinished letter, "When I dug you out of Unit-00, the scene was terrifying. Your pilot's suit was stained red with blood, and it was still oozing out. Because of excessive blood loss, your face was also very pale."

“I also asked the boy inside, and he said he didn’t know exactly how you got injured. He said that when you were underground, he saw you lying on a bed, covered in bandages, and on an IV drip.”

"Why did you still come out to fight when you were so badly injured?"

……

"Because it has to be this way."

The girl's cool voice was completely flat, as if she were talking about something that had been natural since the beginning of time.

She turned slightly, her ruby-like eyes fixed on Nobita, a hint of unfathomable depth flashing in her indifferent expression. She answered the question, but Nobita couldn't feel happy, because the answer was still devoid of emotion, like the answer that naturally popped up when he searched for something on a computer.

He couldn't see anything that could be called "emotion" in this answer.

“It’s not a necessity. You might die, understand?” Nobita emphasized slightly. “Once you die, you’ll have nothing left.”

“I understand.” She put down her half-eaten lunchbox and replied calmly, “I was born for this…”

Chapter 346: The Peace Talks Plan

"Haaahh ...

Misato Katsuragi couldn't help but yawn—five hours had passed since the battle ended, and no one in the underground NERV headquarters had gone to sleep.

All the data gathered from the battlefield was flooded into the super biocomputer [MAGI] used to support the base, where it underwent repeated calculations. Countless plans were proposed and rejected, and the analysis of the enemy never stopped for a second, but so far, the information obtained was still very limited. As it approached 4:30 in the morning, everyone was only human, and inevitably some began to give in, with efficiency visibly declining.

But... seeing the Commander-in-Chief's so gloomy expression that seemed to drip water, no one suggested taking a break.

Anyone with a modicum of common sense can understand that the nature of this incident has deteriorated to the point of near irreversibility. All they have now is an empty underground base and a group of armed troops utterly defenseless against the Apostles. If the Apostles were to invade at this time, it would be like leaving the city gates wide open; they could only watch helplessly, unable to do anything.

How is Shinji doing now?

Is that little girl, covered in wounds yet piloting Unit-00, still alive?

Too many questions filled Misato Katsuragi's mind. Faced with a problem that had stumped so many people, she was thankful for the first time that she wasn't the final decision-maker. Even if the higher-ups investigated, the one who would ultimately bear the responsibility would be Commander Gendo Ikari.

However, although Misato had always had a bad impression of the commander, she did not think it was a good idea to dismiss him at this time.

Only a demon can truly fight a demon. Similarly, if Commander Ikari weren't around…

"Ugh! So cold!" The sudden icy touch against the back of her neck made her shiver. Without turning around, she could guess who it was, and she grumbled irritably, "Honestly, Ritsuko... what time is it!"

“It’s 4:50 a.m..” Ritsuko Akagi, the chief of the Technical Development Division 1 at NERV headquarters, a woman with a head of cool blonde hair, was smoking a cigarette and mischievously touching Misato’s neck with a bottle of iced Americano, a satisfied smile on her face. “Thanks to them, it’s another all-nighter tonight. Seriously, my beauty sleep plan is completely ruined.”

"Thank you." After all, they were old friends of many years, and Misato knew she was trying to ease her tension and worry. She took the cold coffee but had no appetite for it. "Has MAGI finished processing the data?"

"We've dealt with it all... but actually, not much of it was useful. In the end, we don't even know who the enemy is." Ritsuko didn't show any despair. As a researcher on the front lines of technological development, she had already realized the vast gap between their side and the enemy after witnessing the entire battle.

The technology was so advanced that it looked like magic.

"Let's go." She took it upon herself to reach out and straighten a strand of hair that was resting on Misato's shoulder—the action made Misato blush because they were so close.

"The fifth operational meeting must be attended by all personnel."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Please look, everyone. This is an aerial view of the main urban area of ​​Tokyo-3."

……

“It seems perfectly normal.” Misato confirmed several times, finding it utterly absurd. “Why are you showing us this? The most important thing right now is to confirm the safety of those two drivers…”

"This aerial view, taken five minutes ago, is from one of the aerial cameras of the camouflaged building B-29, located in the southeast of the city—it was confirmed to have been destroyed five hours earlier in the battle between Unit-5 and the Angels."

This short sentence contains so much information that it requires careful consideration from everyone. However, everyone has been working for too long, and their thinking ability has inevitably declined.

Finally, Fuyuki cleared his throat and made a concluding statement: "The damage caused to Tokyo-5 during the firefight five hours ago has been completely repaired."

"Isn't this a kind of demonstration? He's declaring to us that he not only has the ability to defeat us, but also the ability to repair all the damage caused by the battle. Unit-00 and Unit-01 are parked in the city center, visible to the naked eye, so for now, the problem isn't too big. The real problem is that the pilots of the two EVAs are missing. Without pilots, the EVAs are useless. Even if we recover them, finding two more suitable pilots will be as difficult as climbing to the sky."

"In addition, just three hours ago, a dense fog suddenly descended upon the city, reducing visibility to less than or equal to 3 meters. According to MAGI analysis, the weather conditions at the time theoretically did not support the formation of such dense fog, and the possibility that the enemy had acquired weather weapons cannot be ruled out. This point needs to be taken into account when formulating operational plans."

"In addition, according to Commander Ikari's explicit instructions, Unit 2 and its pilot have been urgently dispatched from the sub-base and will arrive before dawn at the earliest."

"Unit-02?" In Misato Katsuragi's memory, the pilot of Unit-02 should be a child around the same age as Shinji and Rei Ayanami, so she subconsciously felt that it was somewhat unreliable. "Unit-00 and Unit-01 have both been defeated one after another. Now that things have come to this, adding another EVA, wouldn't that also..."

"Don't misunderstand, Commander Katsuragi." Gendo Ikari maintained his posture of "hands supporting his chin and glasses reflecting the light" and said in a deep voice, "I don't intend to have Unit-02 participate in the battle. The reason for bringing it here is to deal with the Angels. The war between humans and Angels has already begun, and we face the possibility of being invaded at any time. At critical moments, there must be at least one EVA that can be put into use in the city."

Finding suitable pilots (who are essentially "pilots") to match with EVA is incredibly difficult. While abilities can be trained later, simply getting the machine started by sitting in it is an immense challenge. To date, despite exhausting all available resources, only three pilots have been matched, and two of them are currently missing. No wonder they are so anxious.

“Ikari, you should understand... One night is barely enough, but if it goes on any longer, the news will be impossible to keep out. The city has been in a state of war, and if Unit-01 and Unit-00 are not in the designated area, the people at SEELE will definitely know.”

Dongyue reminded him, "There are still two hours until dawn. Regardless of the final outcome, I suggest we get some sleep now. The human brain has a limit to how long it can operate continuously; once that limit is exceeded, the ability to make decisions will decline proportionally."

"Since this unidentified adversary is willing to take the initiative to repair the city, it at least proves that his hostility towards us is not as great as we imagined. Perhaps we can try to resolve this dispute without bloodshed."

"..." Even Gendo Ikari, who had always maintained a ruthless and hawkish stance, sighed and nodded. "This is indeed the direction we should strive for."

“If it comes to that, let me go.” Misato Katsuragi took two steps forward, her expression unwavering. “I’m the one who brought him into the battlefield.”

"I also want him to come back safe and sound."

Chapter 347: Reversing the Pointer

The initial thrill of solving the puzzle had worn off, and looking at the black hole pen on the table, everyone fell into deep thought once again.

Just as its name suggests, it can only depict a black hole that goes in but never comes out. Any supplies can be sent into it, but with just this pen, like the legendary mythical beast Pixiu, it can only go in but never come out. In other words, they can only communicate with Nobita in one direction. Nobita might also send messages, but without the matching White Hole Pen, they will never receive them.

"Well, it's not entirely incomprehensible, after all, he didn't have much time." Dekisugi sighed. "Even for Nobi-kun, it's normal to make mistakes when he's in a rush."

"So, we're just going to stand here and watch?" Gian shrugged. "All we need is that White Hole Pen, right? Nobita left behind a gadget-making machine, why don't we try making one? Even Nobita has made gadgets by hand before, how hard can it be?"

"I've already tried this..." Suneo's tone was equally helpless, and he even rolled his eyes. "Guess what?"

"After hearing my request, the invention machine buzzed for a while, but didn't produce any design drawings as before. I originally thought it would be very thin; after all, it's just a ballpoint pen, so the design drawings couldn't be that thick. Who knew that an AI-like voice came from the receiver, telling me bluntly—the function of the gadget I described is listed as 'technology prohibited from research' in the 22nd century. It's said that... if it falls into the wrong hands, it could cause quite serious consequences. Forget about making it, it wouldn't even be available for sale on the market."

"What?" Fat Tiger's jaw dropped in astonishment at this conclusion. "They can build military fortresses, but they can't make two tiny ballpoint pens? What kind of logic is that?"

“The dangers perceived by people in the future are probably not the same as the dangers we perceive. Perhaps this gadget has some little-known uses, and what consequences it might cause…” Dekisugi pondered. “In that case, the control over certain gadgets in the 22nd century is even stricter than that over modern Japanese firearms. (Japan doesn't ban guns, but its gun control laws are quite strict; citizens can legally purchase various firearms through applications, including attending firearms courses and exams, undergoing psychological and physical health reviews, and passing background checks.)”

"What really surprised me was, if this gadget is so dangerous, why is it in Doraemon's pocket? Shouldn't he just be a childcare robot from the future?"

……

"..."

"..."

Gian and Suneo exchanged glances, and Izumi realized something was amiss, so he repeated, "Right?"

“It’s hard to say. Sometimes, Doraemon will bring out some unexpected things that deeply shock us.” Shizuka pursed her lips, hesitated for a moment, and decided to be honest with her best friends. “During the Xin Dynasty, we learned from Nostradamus that there was an item called ‘Return to the Origin’. Every time it is used, it creates a completely new time tributary, hence the name ‘Anti-Entropy Technology’. It is also a dangerous thing that is forbidden to be researched in the future.”

"Later, Nobita told me that Doraemon's pocket... seems to be different from other cat-type robots. Some items that were discontinued for various reasons can be found in his pocket."

The mystery was partially solved, but it didn't improve the current situation. Everyone was still staring at the black ballpoint pen, at a loss.

"We need a pen with completely opposite functions, right?" Gian sighed, recalling his former adventure companions. "If only Nobita were here at a time like this. If we went to the moon now, could we still find him?"

"Nobita Rabbit?" Dekisugi was completely confused. "Is it... a friend you met during your adventures together?"

"To be precise, it's a new race created by Nobita, and they live on the moon—but that's another story. Nobita is one of the moon rabbits, and she's a very skilled reverse engineer, even able to reverse engineer 22nd-century gadgets." Shizuka accurately summarized a classic development in a theatrical film, then shook her head. "We buried the [Different Theories Club Badge] inside, remember?"

"On the contrary... on the contrary... Speaking of the contrary, I feel like I've seen this scene somewhere before." Fat Tiger tried hard to recall, but the scene was too bizarre, like recalling a scene from a dream. "Fish were chained up, and a cat was in a goldfish bowl; people were wearing hats but had shoes on their heads; two people were carrying a four-wheeled cart; a thief was catching a policeman; and Doraemon's head was completely upside down, a weird and strange one."

It has to be said that these kids had incredibly rich childhood experiences. Even with such abstract content, Suneo and Shizuka were vaguely reminded of their own memories—Nobita and Doraemon had done so many abstract things that this one could only leave a faint impression on others.

Doraemon once described it as "something I can't think of using it for," and if there were a list of useless gadgets, it would probably be on it.

If the word "opposite" hadn't been mentioned today, this prop might never have had the chance to appear again.

"【Inverted Pointer】—!!"

(The Reverse Pointer: As the name suggests, it can reverse the properties of things and living beings. Doraemon once accidentally touched the Reverse Pointer, but only his head was reversed, making him quite demonic. In this inverted state, Doraemon's thinking was very chaotic. Holding the pointer, he kept using the gadget on the streets, causing a series of scenes comparable to dream cores, and the whole city was thrown into chaos. In the end, the gadget worked in a wonderful way—it gently touched Nobita's head, which suddenly gave him extraordinary intelligence and allowed him to master the method of writing with both hands at the same time, designing a floating amusement park.)

(This prop is from "Nobita's Airship Amusement Park")

In principle, none of them had actually used this gadget before, so they were extremely cautious. Just to be on the safe side, Shizuka first used the replication mirror to duplicate many black hole pens, then carefully raised the pointer and touched the pen tip. The effect of this gadget was peculiar; it was one of the few gadgets whose final outcome was completely unpredictable, relying entirely on luck.

The best proof is that Doraemon's head was turned upside down, but Nobita's head became smarter.

Fortunately, this pen, imbued with boundless hope, eventually drew a white circle on the table.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Snapped!"

A letter flew out and hit Xiaofu squarely on the nose. He covered his nose and cried out in surprise, but his tone was surprisingly cheerful. All the hard work of so many people day and night had finally paid off.

"Stab!"

Shizuka tore open the envelope somewhat impatiently, read two lines, and her expression changed interestingly. She frowned slightly, as if complaining, but a smile remained on her face.

"Speaking of which, wasn't the first letter written by Shizuka's side?" Gian stood on tiptoe, wanting to peek at the contents of the letter. "What did Nobita say?"

"N-nothing...it's definitely not something he wrote himself. He probably used a model letter pen or something. Takeshi, he wrote you a lot of fan letters with that pen." Shizuka instinctively hid the letter to the side, flicked her hair, and her eyes were somewhat evasive. "He...is still the same as before."

"When you encounter someone in trouble, you can't just sit idly by."

Chapter 348: The World in the Mirror

"Your heart rate is jumping really fast all of a sudden, are you okay?" Ritsuko's slightly teasing voice came through the channel, "You used to be able to get up to 120 without even breaking a sweat."

"Maybe it's because I didn't sleep a wink last night? Honestly, since I started this job, I've been getting less and less sleep."

Misato Katsuragi rolled down the car window, rested her chin on one hand, and fiddled with the steering wheel with only one hand, letting the strong wind blow her beautiful, long, flowing hair.

For some reason, the activities that usually gave her a thrill had no effect on her now. Her heart was pounding, and her temples were throbbing, not from the car chase, but from nervousness. Her jaw was chattering, and she needed to use every last bit of strength to keep her voice from breaking. She knew very well that Ritsuko was trying to ease her tension a little. She didn't want her friend to worry, so even if she was faking it, she had to make it sound like a relaxed spring outing.

Unfortunately, tone of voice can be deceiving, but physiological reactions cannot.

After careful consideration, Gendo Ikari ultimately decided to execute the tactics proposed by Vice Commander Fuyutsuki. Since Misato Katsuragi volunteered in the early morning, this crucial task naturally fell to her. However, NERV used their cutting-edge technology to install miniature monitors almost entirely on her body, ensuring that everything she saw and heard could be transmitted back underground immediately. Furthermore, Gendo Ikari assured her that "sufficient and reliable" fire support would be positioned at a distance, and that her safety would be the top priority should the situation change.

Of course, Misato didn't believe a word of his assurances, which was probably why she couldn't sleep. Courage is one thing, but voluntarily stepping into a completely unknown and seriously threatening new territory is quite another.

“Remember the purpose of this mission, Commander Katsuragi,” Fuyutsuki reminded him. “We must find out the whereabouts of the two pilots. They will play an indispensable role in the upcoming series of operations. Even if it’s for personal gain, we must find them to avoid being held accountable by SEELE!”

"Oh, I know, really, don't rush me... The time is so tight, and the road conditions are so bad, what can I do?"

Misato couldn't help but complain, "The fog is so thick. When the people evacuated, cars and other things were left on the road, parked haphazardly. What if I drove fast and crashed into them? Although I guess you don't care, just like when you sent Shinji and that girl, you can always find replacements, right?"

The effects of sleep deprivation became apparent at this moment. Misato became unusually agitated, and her tone of voice changed. She inadvertently blurted out her innermost thoughts. Realizing her adult restraint, and especially since the person on the other end of the line was her usual superior, she immediately broke out in a cold sweat and hastily tried to cover it up, "Well… Vice Commander, actually that's not what I meant. The road conditions are a bit bad, but I'm quite familiar with the city roads…"

"..."

"Zizzizi..."

The jumbled static made her suddenly realize something was wrong. She pressed her hand into her in-ear headset, frantically adjusting it, but heard nothing except for the increasingly loud static. The surrounding fog thickened, and suddenly, all her means of contacting the underground headquarters were cut off. She felt like a small, lost boat adrift on the vast ocean, with no hope of rescue whatsoever.

"laugh----!!"

She finally sensed something was wrong, slammed on the brakes, and after the ear-piercing screeching of tires against the road subsided, only a deathly silence remained on the deserted street. The thick fog still lingered, every house was tightly shut, and not a single bird flew overhead. Only the tangled web of power lines, dominating the already limited patch of sky in the shadows of the tall buildings, remained.

She suddenly felt like the heroine of a horror movie, who, through a series of coincidences, stumbled into Silent Hill alone.

Are you looking for someone?

In the midst of the intense tension, even though Nobita's voice was soft and meant no harm, it still startled her. But what surprised her even more was that this seemingly ordinary boy was actually the one who had orchestrated the entire battle, effortlessly defeating Unit-00 and Unit-01. Because his tactics were so sophisticated, appearing as if he had taken down his opponents with nonchalance, Misato had assumed he must be an old man over forty.

She instinctively tried to adjust the miniature camera attached to the button so that the people in the base could see Nobita clearly. Then she realized that all her real-time communication devices had malfunctioned. And facing this opponent who was much gentler than expected, her prepared explanations suddenly became useless—this child wasn't much older than Shinji!

She had to start rethinking what diplomatic approach she should take when communicating with him.