NEON GENESIS EVANGELION: PATHFINDERS


Yes, I do own Gainax, I do own Gonzo, the Christ Statue in Rio, The Statue of Liberty , The Triumph Arch, The Eiffel Tower, the Great Wall of china, etc, etc, etc... :P

That's my second Evangelion Fanfic, also a futurefic, a little further into the future than before, and slightly more to the right, with Dimensional Travel. Also, this is the first translation of one of my fics to the fair language of Shakespeare, so I it is bound to have some strange sentences, and some stuff that might no sound just quite right.

Please, exercise patience and be gentle when pointing the grammar errors (I'm using the Spell Checker but we all now that is not always perfect.)

I'm dedicating this to a fellow writer and EVA shipper, onewingedangel173187, for giving the nudge I need to finally translate my Portuguese fics to English.


CHAPTER 01: ARRIVAL


[In the outskirts of Tokio-3]

In the forest just outside the fortress city of Tokio-3, the peaciful silence and serenity of the day was abruptly interrupted by tiny static sparks... Soon, the silence gave place to thunderous roars, and the serenity was lost as an electrical storm and violent gusts of wind ravished the wild...

A energy sphere appeared, and with it, a distortion in the space-continuum was formed in the center of the storm... as the winds subsided and the static died away, seven individuals became visible... four males and four females, each one of them wearing the same type of combat suit, that had a vague resemblance to the armor that the EVA units utilized. The NERV symbol was present in each suit, although, upon a more detailed inspection, it would become evident that the symbol itself was somewhat different. Under the NERV logo, there were two numbers, each unique to an individual.

All of them started to check their gear and equipments, and one of the females spoke:

- "The Jump was an success!! 20 minutes until EVA 04 activation." - 08 informed.

- "Check all your gear, we have no time to waste!" 06 (another female) said

The female using suit 05 approached the male wearing suit 01 and touched his shoulder...

- "Are you sure that you do not want me to accompany you?" 05 asked, in a low, gentle tone

- "Yes, I am. The team will need you. Don't you worry, I wont fail..." - 01 replied.

02 came closer to 01 and 05 and said...

- "none of us will fail... it is time..." - 05 said.

- "Yes, indeed. Everyone, stick with the plan!" - 01 ordered.

The others gathered they equipment and weapons and proceed trough the forest.... 01 stayed behind as his teammates distanced themselves. He looked up to the sky, and saw some of the JSSFD VTOLs flying over the area. He proceed, running in another direction, away from the group...


[ Geofront, 30 minutes later – 13th Angel Crisis]

- "Reclassify Unit 03 as the Thirteenth Angel. Send Unit 01 to engage the enemy." Gendo Ikari ordered from his console...

On the Main Screen, the live feed from Unit 01 Cockpit and his pilot, Shinji Ikari appeared:

- ==God Almighty, is that the Angel??== Shinji asked...

- "That is the Thirteenth Angel, and he is your target." Gendo Ikari informed...

- ==But... there is a human being inside it!!== Shinji yelled...

- "Immaterial, this is your target. Engage it!" Gendo ordered...

The Angel's elongated arms grabbed EVA 01 by the neck and started to strangle it...

- "Pilot, why aren't you fighting?" Gendo asked, with mild irritation

- ==For the love of God, there is a human being, a pilot like me stuck inside this thing!!!== Shinji replied, in agony

- "Immaterial! You must destroy the Angel!" Gendo commanded

- ==No! I wont kill another human being!!== Shinji yelled back

- "The Angel will show no mercy" Gendo said, trough his teeth.

- ==I don't care! I'd rather die than hurt another human being!== Shinji screamed, with all his revolt...

Gendo shot a glance to Kozo Fuyutsuki, and turned to the bridge bunnies down on the deck:

- "Disengage the pilot's neural connections, and activate the Dummy Plug drivers!" Gendo ordered

Down on the CNC, Maya Ibuki looked surprised to the Commander:

- "C-Commander! This is an experimental system!! Doctor Akagi didn't authorize its use yet!" - the cute, and frightened bridge bunny said

- "I'm authorizing its usage. Now, Use it!!" Gendo ordered, with the full force of his glance...

Maya turned, shaky, and started to type in the commands in your console, when a voice echoed trough the CNC:

- "Ignore this order and step away from the console!!"

From above, the two commanders saw four individuals wearing futuristic combat gear and branding weapons moving in quickly into the Bunnies positions, rendering them into submission in seconds....

They also heard the door to the upper deck slide open. Knowing that no one else had access to the mezzanine, Gendo drawn his pistol, and turned around, shooting repeatedly against the intruder. To his and Fuiutsuki's surprise, however, the bullets bounced at an hexagonal force field...

At the same time, a new AT field allert, and the intruder spoke, in a gentle, but firm voice:

- "Your bullets are immaterial, Commander Ikari.." 05 said.

Ikari and Fuyutsuki observed as the intruder wearing the same type of suit that the team down on the deck approached, and noted the numbers under the NERV symbol. He kept his pistol aimed at her, as she touched one of the controls in her gauntlet and her helmet began to disassemble. Even thought the shadows kept her facial features hidden, the silhouette was very familiar to both commanders..

- "Y-Yui?" Gendo gasped, looking at the stranger in the shadows...

She kept walking, and replied:

- "No, Ikari-dono. Even though you tried to replicate her in me, I am my own person." She said, finally leaving the shadows, revealing the light blue hair and the vivid, red eyes...

- "Rei!?" Kouzo asked,in disbelieve...

- "H-how? why?" Gendo asked, his rational thoughts gone...

- "The answers you seek will not be given by me... Kindly, step away from the console and do not resist... I have no desire to hurt either of you, but I will do so if you interfere with our mission. As you have noticed, I have and AT Field and I know how to use it" 05 said, letting the hexagonal field flicker visible again.

Gendo and Fuyutsuki stepped away from the console as the intruder came closer to the edge and looked down to her comrades. 02 and 06 were eliminating the last of the resistance the few soldiers in the lower decks offered. The female 05 came closer to the wall, and said:

-"Neutralize the opposing forces and prepare for phase two" she ordered...

06 looked up and grabbed her rifle once more, aiming down to the lower decks. She didn't even try to shield herself from the bullets, as an AT Field protected her, triggering a new AT Field alarm on the CNC...

- "E.M.N.!" 06 commanded

The rifle in her hands started to transform, as it made mechanic sounds and parts moved and rotated. Finally, a humming sound could be heard, and light could be seen along the barrel...

- ==Electromagnetic Needles loaded== the electronic voice of the weapon informed...

Aiming the rifle against the lower decks, 06 fired the weapon. Several muffled sounds were heard, followed by explosions along the walls over the access doors... soon, she aimed and the opposite deck, cutting effectively all access to the Main Bridge...

- "Bridge secured" 06 reported

All her teammates then deactivated their helmets, as 05 had done before, resulting in the collective gasps that echoed throughout the deck ...

- "A-Asuka?!" Shigeru Aoba stuttered, looking at the redhead woman that had her rifle aimed at him...

- "Y-you're the Fourth Child!!" Makoto Hyuga exclaimed, as he recognized, flabbergasted, the man wearing suit 02

Maya didn't take notice of the first couple, as she almost fainted at the sight of a older version of herself...

The older Maya accessed the MAGI console and looked up:

- "Duchess, we have access to the MAGI system" - 08 informed

- "Well done, Doctor Ibuki. Capitain, status report?" 05 asked

- "Automated Defenses actives. This will give five minutes to EVA 01!" 06 replied, and glancing at 04, she added - "Now, if the Geek Stooge be so kind and activate the link..."

04 had also deactivated his helmet, revealing the older face of the Geek friend of the two male pilots from NERV. He grabbed his glasses from his pocket and put it on, the frame fitting perfectly with his adult facial features, and said:

- "Its Vice Commander Stooge for you, Captain Succubus." - 04 replied, with a smirk, and turning around to the upper deck, he informed - "the Quantum Link is stable, Duchess.. We may proceed with the mission."

05 nodded, as the live image of another male, wearing the same type of suit as the invaders appeared on the main screen...

- "My Liege, this is Geofront! The Bridge and MAGI are secured. Unity 01 is in dire need of assistance!" 04 said...

- ==Affirmative!== 01 replied

- "Godspeed." 02 said, in a gentle voice...

The man on the screen nodded in silence, and turned away.. he lookep up, and flexed his legs, jumping up the next second, taking off as he flew up, up and away as a new AT Field alert sounded on the speakers... The camera surprisingly moved with him after a few moments, catching up with him and hovering around the man as he broke the sound barrier, flying towards the two EVAs.

- "What is the meaning of this? I demand an answer, Rei!" Gendo spoke, using the same tome he used with mis minions.

The Duchesss turned to face the Commander, her posture ill comme, and a firm and severe glance:

- "I told you before: your answers will come in their due time... You are not in position to demand anything, Commander, therefore, mind your tone. I'm not your servant." The Duchess replied, showing the force of her character in her voice...

Gendo and Fuyutsuki remained silent after that...

In the deck bellow, Maya looked at her doppelganger, that was wearing suit 08, and said:

- "W-who are you?" The young lieutenant asked

08 looked Maya in the eyes and said:

"Please, Ibuki... we both know that we are smarter that that... You can answer your own question, if you just think a bit..." 08 said, turning around to monitor the situation in the battlefield...

Maya observed her doppelganger, and reflected... She was older, probably in the thirties.... she was wearing a futuristic combat suit, and the NERV emblem she wore had a different design from the current symbol...

- "Ok... I would speculate that you are me... from another dimension, or from the future..." Maya said, a bit nervous...

- "Bingo! I told you that we're smart!" 08 said, showing a aura of confidence that the young bridge tech couldn't even conceive that she could one day possess..

The lieutenant observed as his alternate version approached their "Vice Commander" and noticed as she leaned confortably in the console, turned to him, supporting herself in one hand, as the other moved casually to his hair, her fingers playing gently with it, in small curls., with such intimacy that made the bridge bunny face red with embarrassment...

At the center of the bridge, 06 had just finished checking the perimeter, as she put away he rifle. The weapon immediately transformed, retracting into a smaller size. She glanced to 02, who stood high and might and vigilant, and turned away to 04 and 08:

- "Hey, Stooge, how long until communication is established?" She asked

- "I'm working on it, Devil! If you hadn't let the equipment fall, it would already be fully active..." - The Vice Commander informed - "Honestly, Captain, I expected better reflexes from you..."

- "How about next time you carry the equipment and leave the fighting to me and Touji?" - The Captain suggested, in a sarcastic tone.

The Vice Commander turned his head to the redhead and said:

- "When the two of you memorize all of the pre-Empire NERV's staff roster to my standards, I will give some thought to your request." - He replied - "Until then, Sohryu..."

- "Sohryu-Suzuhara." - The Captain cut him short- "Make sure you don't get my name wrong."

- "Asuka..." - 02 spoke, his voice rich, but in a suave tone- "You and Ken can argue later. I don't want to risk any mistake in his calculations. Our schedule might suffer drastically because of that..."

The Captain eyes met 02 eyes and she didn't say anithing else. She had noticed the tension in him, that we almost imperceptible to other, but not to her, who knew him bether than she knew herself. She came closer to him and her hand slipped into his, ans she leaned on him, resting her head on his shoulder.

Shigeru, Aoba and Maya exchanged shocked glances, as they observed the intectarion aming the intruders, in particular, the behavior of he alternat Ibuki and the Second Child.

- "The Duke reached the Angel!!" - 08 informed

- "Alright... now this will be interesting!" The Vice Commander mused


[Battlefield]

Shinji Ikari was almost fainting, when he noticed an object approaching at high speed... he thought he was hallucinating at first, then he noticed that it was indeed, and human form... a strangely familiar voice sounded in his Comm:

- ==EVA Unity 01!! I have a plan to save the pilot!! Immobilize the Angel, no mather what!!==

- "W-who are you?" Shinji asked, fearful...

- ==That's Immaterial at the moment!! Immobilize the Angel as I extract the cylinder in the mecha's back!!== 01 ordered...

Shinji looked at the moster he was facing, and gripped his controls... the eyes of the EVA shined bright as the EVA's hands grabbed both arms of the Angel, holding him in place...

Shinji saw the stranger in a suit that resembled an EVA land on the Angel's back.... he saw, perplexed as an AT Field formed and the net holding the cylinder was ripped apart, allowing the cylinder to be ejected... The stranger then grabbed the cylinder, making the Angel scream in agony, and flew away from the monster with it!!

- ==Pilot rescued! Preparing to engage target== 01 spoke

EVA 01 threwn the Angel far, and 01 flew towards it, liberating a energy beam that sliced on the arms of the Angel.


[CNC]

- "The Angel's AT Field was nullified by the Duke's Field!! He's still in fine form!! Readings from the pilot...he's unconscious, but intact, no physical damage present.

The Captain smiled to 02... the tension in his body gave place to the fervent energy that was his usual as he smiled brightly back to her. His hand flew to the redhead's waist with easy. The suspicions of the Bridge Bunnies were confirmed in a shocking way as the adult Fourth Child's lips locked with the Second Child's lips in a breathtaking kiss. After what seemed like an eternity, their lips parted away...

- "Ok, Neanderthal, settle down...we are not done yet..." - The Captain spoke, in between breaths, with a silly smile in her face...

- "No problem, Red... we can always get back to this later..." 02 said, with a seductive smile

- "I'm sorry to intrude, but I must remind you, Director Suzuhara, that our mission is not yet complete." 08 said...


[Battlefield]

With it's pilot safe, Shinji defeated the Angel without trouble, and with the assistance of the stranger, he did it quickly too. As the Battle ended, Unit 01 faced the stranger

- ==Good job, Pilot... grab all of the cylinders and get them back safely to the Geofront. There is no time to waste!== The stranger commanded

- "B-but who are you and why did you help me?" Shinji asked once more...

- ==Patience, Pilot. Your questions will be answered in due time. Now go!==

Shinji nodded and proceed to collect the cylinders. 01 flew toward the barracks and hijacked Katsuragi and Akagi, the astonished staff around them unable to do anithing to prevent it...


[CNC]

- ==Angel Neutralized, Piloto intact, mission accomplished. Send rescue teams to the area... i'm heading back to base with Major Katsuragi, Doctor Akagi and Unity 01 has the Pilots..==

- "Yes, My Liege...." The Captain replied

- ==Meet-me at the docking bays== 01 ordered

The screen when black and the Duchess looked to her teamates...

- "You have heard the Duke. Doctor Ibuki, seal the MAGI and put the Defense systems on siege mode. If Section 2 attempt anything..." The Duchess spoke

- "Section Two is my responsibility, milady, don't you worry, they're not going anywhere." Director Suzuhara replied, and turning to Shigeru and Makoto, he made a gesture form them to walk - "Lest go, gentlemen, we don't have all day."

Shigeru and Makoto simply noded and walked toward the door... following them, Maya was being escorted by his alternative self and the Vice Commander.

- "Very well then.. To the bays!" The Duchess commanded...

She turned to the two Commanders and said:

- "Commanders, you know the way, now, move." The Duchess ordered, calm as ever.


[Some time later, in the EVA Bays]

Shinji got of his EVA and ran down the stairs to check on his fellow pilots... Rei Ayanami was sitting on the ramp, as were Misato Katsuragi and Ritsuko Akagi. Asuka Sohryu followed Ikari, that moved to help the other pilot...

- "T-Touji?" Shinji spoke, shocked to see Touji Suzuhara get out of the cylinder...

Touji looked confused to Shinji, then looked up to the stranger who was floating mid-air and hovered in front of the pilots...

- "Who... Who the HELL are you and what the HECK are you doing here?" Asuka asked, in her own demanding way

Her answer came from the other side of the plataform, where the NERV Commanders, the Bridge Bunnies and five individuals wearing the same type of Combat Gear as the flying stranger approached... there was something strangely familiar about them...

- "Mind your tone, little girl! No one here has to put up with your bitchiness!" An strangely familiar voice echoed on the deck, startling Ritsuko, Misato and the pilots...

- "WHO DARES to speak to me like that?" Asuka asked, furious with whoever had the gal to speak to her that way.

Asuka turned to the group, looking for the source of the insult, when she noticed a woman with red hair, frighteningly recognizable to her... Captain Asuka Langley Sohryu-Suzuhara glanced at her younger self the same way she glanced at any of her pilots that screwed up bad, as in blowing-a-hole-trough-the-city-into-the-Geofront bad or Exploding-Tokyo-2 bad, or talking-back-to-her bad:

- "I DARE! And you, oh Great Asuka Langley Sohryu, better heed my words, before I give you the spanking that you deserve." Captain Sohryu spoke

- "Y-y-you a-are..."- Asuka stuttered, shocked.

- "I am you" The Captain cut her, in a hard tone....

- "W-what? What the hell is happening here?!" Misato asked...

Another individual stepped in, and said:

- "That, Major, is the question in everyone's minds, and we will answer that in due time.." Director Suzuhara said

- "T-Touji?" Misato said, astonished...

The young Touji glanced at his older self, at a loss for words...

- "I've must have hit my head to hard..." Touji mumbled to himself

Ritsuko noticed the two Mayas and pointed at them as if she was seen ghosts... Rei noted her doppelganger and stoop up immediately, looked at her with a surprised face (as surprised as she could show)... she stood confused. Not knowing how to act or even what she should, or could say, as the Grand-Duchess Rei Ikari smiled to her, with such humanity...

The Head of Project EVA, Maya Aida-Ibuki looked at the Duke, who was inspecting EVA 01, and in her best professional tone, she reported:

- "The Branches in Germany and Brazil are already trying to force their way in the the MAGI system" - The Doctor informed..

- "Obviously they wont succeed." - The Duke replied, in a bored voice.

Kensuke Aida-Ibuki, NERV's Vice Commander smirked in the best Gendo's tradition and said:

- "These overdressed troglodytes have better chance at igniting Fourth Impact than breaching my firewall, even one as basic as the one I used here." - Aida said, in an arrogant tone - "As soon as the upgrades are loaded in the system, all the MAGI network will be under our control, and all of the NERV branches will be at our mercy."

Ritsuko looked in shock at the adult version of Shinji's Geek friend, and glanced at her Maya, seeking confirmation of Aida's words. The young lieutenant nodded discreetly and Akagi's blood turned into ice in her veins. She watched, dumbfolded as the Duke landed, and Shinji, already panicking, asked once again...

- "What is going on here?? Who are you people?? (turning to the Duke) Who are you?? - Shinji asked, frantic

Grand Duke Shinji Ikari glanced to EVA 01 and then to its pilot and touched his gauntlet controls. His helmet retracted, and the Third Child, is face whit as chalk, stepped back as he recognized the deep blue eyes and dark hair... panic struck him, as he found himself facing an adult version of...himself.

The Duke touched again the controls, and his combat suit transformed, turning into a black uniform, strangely similar to Commander's Ikari tunic, but different as a long sleeveless purple robe with fine detailed ornaments adorned his clothes, that had dark blue finishing instead of red.

The others members of the team did the same, converting their combat suits in dress suits, those even more similar to the NERV tunic, with Captain Sohryu wearing the exact same uniform as Gendo Ikari, and with a single len's red-tinted class, that resembled an visor... Duchess Ikari also had an dark uniform, with finishing in white, and a leaner version of the sleeveless robe that the Duke wore... Director Suzuhara had also a Black tunic, with details in Royal Blue, as had did the Vice Commander Aida and Doctor Ibuki, both tunics with gray finishing...

- "Y-y-you..." Shinji babbled...

- " You and I are the same person. Now you understand why I couldn't tell you before who was I... save Touji's life was my primary goal, and I could not risk you having an panic attack...such as the one you're having now." - The Duke spoke, in a slightly amused voice

The adult Shinji grabbed blue tinted glasses similar to the one that his Captain wore and adjusted on his face, turning to his Vice Commander. Aid immediately reported to their leader:

- "Shin-man, The Quantum Link transmitter has a stable signal. We can start communication as soon as Your Higness wish." - Aida said.

All turned to the Vice Commander, and the Duke, as the latter said:

- "For obvious reasons, we wont initiate contact here, Ken... we must find a mor suitable place..." The Duke declared.

- "We can use the Commander's Office" - Captain Sohryu suggested

- "No.... all that pre-quantum equipment will be fried if we activate the link there. And we need a room close to one of the main power conduits..." - Doctor Ibuki retorted

- "How abut the Portal Chambers?" Suzuhara asked.

- " The Portal Chambers do not exist in this timeline, Director." - The Duchess explained

The Duke looked around, and then raised his hand slightly. At once, all the alternative versions became silent, an authority that didn't go unnoticed by the members of NERV:

- "I know exactly the place. And we will be able to use it without major complications..." Duke Ikari informed

The older Shinji walked towards the door, taking a brief moment to glance at the NERV Two Commanders. Gendo was secretly impressed with the way this olderverion of his son carried himself, and the aura of authority that surrounded him... the seriousness in the Dukes vanished in a smile, as he approached the Duchess... She touched his face tenderly, and her gesture was reciprocated in the same fashion, as the Duke took one of his hands to the back of her neck as the other hand brought her closer to him by the waste. He leaned his torso as she came closer and her vivid red eyes closed in the anticipation as she was kissed lovingly by her consort.

Officers and pilots watched in awe as the royal couple shared a tender moment, in particular the younger versions of those performing that scene... Shinji turned beet red as he saw the dashing and self-assured attitude of his older self and the way he simply walked to the older Rei and kissed her. Misato's surprise turned into a full grin as she witnessed the older Pilots kissing, in front of the younger pilots. In the back of her mind, she was already plotting, even despite all the predicament that they were in themselves.

Rei had her mouth slightly open, a first for her, and her eyes were unflinching, watching every second of the action in front of her. She felt her cheeks burning, as they reddened, the result of the embarrassment she didn't understand yet she was suffering...

Asuka watched the same scene astonished, but a single action from her older self caught her full attention, making her gasp... She saw the older Asuka's lean herself against the older version of the Stooge Jock, and his hand move into her waist, as he held his Captain... besides her, Touji, that was grinning like Misato at the Ikari couple scene, noticed the Red-Devil gasp, and looked at her shocked face, but she wasn't looking at what he were looking, so, he followed her line of vision and...

- "Oh, no!!! Hell, no!! No way!! I Died and went straight to hell!! That's it!! That's the only logical explanation!! " - Asuka proclaimed, in disbelief

The Ikari couple parted lips, and glanced at the Second Child, with amused faces...Touji recovered from the shock, and said:

- "No, no... no, no, no, that cannot be!! I sunk so much that I ended up with Satan's Bride???" - O Jock protested, also in disbelief

Touji Sohryu-Suzuhara gave one of his trademark glances (one of those that makes Seele agents, assassins, spies and five-star generals UN piss themselves ) to his younger self, making the Fourth Child seriously thing that the Section Two Director made the temperature drop 10 degrees at that moment...

- "It is better to show some respect with my with, Fourth." The Director spoke in a hard, ruthless voice.

Touji became slightly pale for a moment, up to the moment when the Director couldn't take it anymore, and broke his stone hard facade in a sound laugh, receiving immediately a mock-punch in his arm from his wife:

- "The poor thing, Touji!" - The Captain reprehended him- "You almost made him wet himself. His aversion to me is perfectly understandable and justified, considering just how much of a bitch I was..."

- "HEY!!" - Asuka retorted with righteous indignation, only to receive the same panties-wetter glance from her older counterpart, that silenced her that same second.

- "Justifiable or not, to not see all your qualities and the fantastic woman that you are, and furthermore, how blessed any man would be to have you at his side ins just plain, simple and old-fashioned idiocy." - The director defended his view, fiercely - "I might have been immature but I was never an idiot."

Asuka was too speechless by the Director's words to even gloat... next to her, a equally speechless Touji watched every gesture of his older self with the the Captain... he lost any coherent tough at the sight of the way Suzuhara looked at hi wife.

- "If you, Suzuhara's are done with the romantic interlude, I would really appreciate if we got back to the mission." - Vice Commander Aida interjected. - "We still have a planet to save, you know?"

The Section Two Director turned to his old friend and said:

- "And we have a planned second honeymoon that we have been trying to have for two years now." - Suzuhara retorted, with a malicious smirk

Aida threw his hands to the air,in a mock-gesture and said:

- "Oh, the drama, the drama!!"- The Vice Commander proclaimed- "Just because you two were abducted, brain-washed and turned into Seele assassins... Tough Noogies"

Most of the NERV staff looked shocked at Vice Commander's cold reply. Doctor Ibuki rested a hand in her husband left shoulder, and The Duchess, moving from her consort, did the same on the opposite side of the Geek. Aida glanced at the two dames in disbelief for a moment, and exhaling in defeat, he looked at his old friend, ho still held the same shameless smirk...

- "Ok, ok... I let you borrow the Island... Happy now??" - Aida asked, himself less than happy.

The same smirk of Suzuhara reflected on Sohryu as the Director replied:

- "Thanks, Ken-man, I knew I could count on you." - Suzuhara spoke, immensely enjoying himself...

- "Whatever..." - Aida mumbled, turning around.

The Vice Commander walked to the Duke, that kept and discreet air of amusement, e patted his friend on the back, as the two of them moved toward the elevators. He glanced the rest of the group behind him and said:

- "Ok, lets not waste anymore time..." Ikari ordered...

The five teammates nodded in response as the Duke took the lead.

- "Aye-Aye!" Sohryu spoke, grabbing her rifle and pointing at the Two Commanders - "You heard him, move your fat asses."

Suzuhara made a hand gesture to the Pilots for them to walk with the others, and also to Misato e Ritsuko. Ibuki drew her weapon, aiming causally at her younger self and the bridge bunnies and her head nodded towards the elevators, a gesture that they understood perfectly. They where waiting for the lift to arrive, when dozens of soldiers ran on the nears catwalks.

The Duchess raised her AT Field as soon as she noticed the guards, shielding herself and the group. Ikari looked at the soldiers, and turning to Suzuhara, he spoke:

- "I thought you had taken care of the opposite forces..." - The Duke said, with a annoyed tone. - "Touji..."

The young pilot looked at the older Shinji, believing that he was speaking to him, but his older self stepped up, taking the front line of the team:

- "Just an inconvenience, Shin-man" - Suzuhara said, touching the badge on his tunic....

The fabric on his right arm dissolved, revealing a organic looking limb that seem to have dozens luminous filaments under the skin, trough which several light signals roamed in a orderless fashion...

- "Rei, if you excuse me." - The Director asked.

The older Ayanami raised her force field enough for him to pass, and defiantly, he looked at the weapons aimed at him from all sides, and gave a dark smile... High and mighty, the Director raised his technorganic arm, fist formed, and pointed at one of the catwalks. The soldiers fired against him, only to have their bullets deflected by a skin close deflector field, as the lights in the arm started to converge in a orderly manner to his fist, and the beige skin acquired a darker tone, in contrast with the bright light on the knuckles...

A single muffled thunder-like sound was heard, the sound of energy burning the air around it, the beam of energy from the Section Two Director's arm to the catwalk holding beams, and the utter destruction it caused in its path... The entire section of the platform shook as the remaining beans gave away to the weight of the soldiers, and,collapsing, and taking a dozen of NERV's finest's to the LCL pool...

Touji's eyes almost doubled their size as he witnessed the deadly power of hiw older self.

On the other side of the group, Captain Sohryu threw her rifle to the Vice Commander that grabbed it with one hand, turning on his heels and aiming strainght at the other catwalk:

- "Taser mode!" - Aida yelled

Sohryu's weapons transformed, and things that resembled suppressors came along the barred, as the electronic voice informed:

- ==Electric Charges loaded==

Aida smirked, as he aimed at his first targets and he said to the Duchess:

- "Your Highness if you also excuse me..." - The Geek said

The Duchess nodded and lifted the Field once more as the Vice Commander ignored the enemy fire that his deflector shield protected him from, kneeling and firing in rapid succession, each shot hitting a soldier with the force of lightning, throwing them against the wall and or the LCL pool, all of them out cold in a heartbeat.

On the main front, Suzuhara moved with superhuman speed, jumping the large distance between the catwalk and the main platform, a feat that no human bean could achieve, and landed soundly, shaking the whole structure.. He took five terrified soldiers with his bare hands, their destiny,the LCL pool several meters bellow.

As he work was not yet done, Suzuhara jumped on Unity 01's shoulder and from there, he leaped to the opposite side of the Bay...

At the same time, Sohryu nodded to the Duchess and in a split second that the older Ayanami lifted the Field, she dived, rolling in on the floor and running, stopping behind Unity 03's cylinder, she spotted a sniper ready to strike her husband, and took action...

The Captain glanced at the sniper, and the lens in her glasses started to shine.. a concentrated bean emitted from her eyes sliced in half the rifle and a second bean hit the soldier with the blunt force of a hammer, smashing him against the wall. And letting him slide down unconscious on the floor.

Under the baffled glances of pilots and officers, the older Azuka put another half dozen of guards to sleep the same way...

- "Right front clean!" – The Captain reported.

From the service tunnels, three soldiers wearing special ops gear rappelled down in the middle of the platform, their weapons hot in their hands.. The Duchess moved, coming in between the trio and her party. At the same time, the Duke tapped on Aida's shoulder, and receiving the immediate attention of his friend, he nodded at the three men...

Aida turned to the three ops, that immediately fired, their bullets stopping at the Hexagonal field of the Duchess. The older Shinji marched, opening his left hand as me moved. A flash of light appeared, turning into a tangible form, that shaped in a long sword. Ikari's hand gripped tightly the sword as he yelled:

- "Kensuke!!"

- "The one on the right!!" - Aida yelled back.

The Duke pass through his consort's AT Field as if didn't exist, and raised his blade, in a impressive sprint, as he sliced in half the rifles, in two well executed swings, and finalizing with a well placed kick on the soldier that Aida indicated, sending the guy flying back, bouncing on the steel floor, and falling in the LCL pool.

One of the other two remaining soldiers drew a knife and attempted to stab Ikari, but the Duke gave another swing with his blade, slicing trough the metal and flesh of the hand that held the knife. The assailant fell to his knees, screaming in agony, as Ikari moved to his last target.

The last soldier tried to get his pistol, but he was impaled by Ikari's luminous blade with such violence and might that he was lifted from the floor by the attack, hanging only by the lethal blade that killed him...

The Coldness that the Duke showed as he killed his enemy fed the general feeling among NERV officers that the older shinji Ikari was as ruthless as his father. He lowered his blade letting the soon-to-be-dead body of the soldier slide to the floor, and then he released the weapon, opening his hand, and the blade became light and faded...

Turning his back to the dead soldier, Ikari gave a dark glance to the soldier that was on his knees, and that was right know looking at him with terror filling his heart. He tried to draw his pistol, but the Duke's hand grabbed his hand, bending it in a unnatural way, the sound ob broken bones fading among the chaos of the battle that was was approaching its end...

The pistol fell to the ground, at the same time that Suzuhara, having eliminated all the remaining resisting forces, leaped again, landing soundly in the main platform. Behind him, Sohryu walked calmly, herself having taken many enemies with her optical beams. They came closer to the group, as their leader was ready to perform an execution.

The Duchess lifted her AT Field as Ikari raised his hand. The frightened soldier rose from the ground, against his will and in the air, he was turned to face his enemy:

- "Of all the decisions that Seeli such as you made today, to shoot my wife was by far the most regretable." - Ikari said, in a even tone, as he closed his hand in a fist.

The sick sound of bones being crushed echoed in the bay, and the lifeless body fell to the ground as the Duke released his supernatural grip and lowered his arm. Sohryu noticed the struggling soldier on the edge of the pool, trying to keep his hold to the rail, and she grabbed him by his vest, and raised him from the LCL, in a remarkable demonstration of strengh.

The soldier fell on all fours, throwing up all the blood tasting solution, anddidn't even reacted as she tossed away his helmet, revealing the face of a frightened young black man.

Duke Ikari looked at him with a neutral face and Aida, behind him, spoke:

- " Isaac Nio Leboi, Second Lieutenant, 23 years old, from West Africa, married, two daughters..." - Aida said, and after a brief pause, he corrected himself - "Scratch that... no children until 2018. Seeli tried to recruit him the same year, he resisted the endoctrination and was executed after that."

Suzuhara exchanged glances with the Vice Commander, and brabing the soldier by his arm, he raised him up to his feet:

- "One saved, a billion more to go." - The Director said. - " Be glad, you will be a father and will live to enjoy the experience. Summon the paramedics for the injured and the rescue team for those who are stuck at the bottom of the pool, and inform you comrades that they are to stay put and not try anything funny, or they will see me. I will address the troops in due time."

- "W-who are you guys??" - The soldier asked

Aida glanced at him with a smirk and said:

- "We're the good guys."

The soldier watched, in shock, as the group simply turned away and got into the lift, leaving the bay behind...


END OF CHAPTER 01


Roster of Non-Native Characters (not all of them appeared yet, but they will on the next chapter, so, no suspense here.)

01- Grand Duke Shinji Ikari

02- Section Two Director Touji Sohryu-Suzuhara

03- Pilot Kaworu Nagisa,17th Angel Tabris

04- Vice Commander Kensuke Aida-Ibuki

05- Grand Duchess Rei (Ayanami) Ikari

06- Captain Asuka Langley Sohryu-Suzuhara

07- Doctor Hikari Hokari

08- Project E Head Researcher Maya Aida-Ibuki.