Any author-original Characters/Mecha/Items/and others will be tagged with '*'. This is set several years after the following conflict of the Neon Genesis Evangelion series, created and owned by Hideaki Anno. Neon Genesis Evangelion: EVA Reborn
Contact 01: On Defence
My head tilted off an angle and I felt it drop forward. A fearful surge went up my spine as my consciousness slowly awakened. I must have dozed off, I thought to myself. As my eyes opened, something took me completely off guard…everything was pitch black.
Was I blind?
Suddenly, bright light flooded before me. It stung my eyes and they began to water like a well. Ow…guess not. I rubbed my sun-glared eyes with my left hand and I blinked them open. Oh yeah, I remember now.
I was sitting in a small but cozy compartment of a solar powered magnetic train. How I knew it was not a normal train was the fact that I barely felt any small bumps or rocking whatsoever. It was as if this train was gliding on air.
I shook off the thought as I straightened. Several strands of my mid-length amber hair fell off of my shoulder and across my chest. I turned to look out the window. I could see my reflection against it, despite the bright light flooding into the compartment.
I saw my own deep blue eyes and a timid complexion. In particular I leaned a little closer to see my two hair bands on the top left and right corner of my head. They were a simple pair of cherry-like spheres that tied a small bundle of hair, like miniature pig-tails. I clearly remember how my mother loved the way I set my hair, she said it reminds her of the days she had long ago, exciting days.
Actually come to think of it, I thought, I was on my way to that very place; the place where my mother used to live and spent those days. It was called Tokyo-3. Speaking of which…
I sat up straight in my seat and gazed down at my lap. I saw my black and silver framed laptop opened in front of me, on top of a folded table of the train compartment. It was pitch black, but transiently it flashed several spots of green light. I touched its mouse-pad and it brightened to life. It automatically reopened something that I was typing at, before I dozed off.
It was my email to my mother. I leaned closer to the screen, against the glare of the sun, and started to check over my letter. I always have this sticky habit of double checking my work…maybe that is why I finished university at age 16. Mother once mentioned that I had her smarts.
'April 20, 2042.
Dear Mother:
As you asked of me, I am on my way to Tokyo-3, that place you used to live in the past.
I still remember those special, yet scary, bedtime stories you've once told me; monsters coming down from the sky to take over the world and how giant robot knights defend the planet. Though I know such monsters and knights don't exist, I find that Tokyo-3 being an actual place is intriguing.
Back to the task at hand, I am currently taking the train there, as you instructed. The only question is: who is this friend of yours that I am meeting? Is he a scientist? If he is or not, why would he be interested in my research project of energy generation and consumption?
I have so many questions to ask you, while you're back in Switzerland, but I could not help one thing. The land I am going through is amazingly beautiful in nature. Trees stand as high as buildings, rivers wind through the forests like roads, the lushes land makes you feel really at home.
I hope to see you again soon, mother, after I pass my research information to your friend. If you get this message, let me know what souvenir you want as soon as possible.'
I smiled as I finished up the rest of the message by typing my name in.
'Love your daughter: Keiko Langley-Soryu Birmingham*
P.S. I really really love you mother [^_^]!'
I could not help a giggle as I sent the message through wireless internet. My laptop notified me of a successful transfer and I turned it off. As I closed it I took a moment to survey the outside scenery again.
Everything outside was a beautiful sight. Healthy green trees stand at guard over the soft forests, birds fluttered about in the air, and patches of colourful flowers spied on me from behind walls of rock and trees. My smile widened, but suddenly it flattened without me even knowing it. I could not believe what I saw.
I pressed both hands against the window. I pulled my face closer to its glassy surface. I stared out in wide-eye horror. I just could not believe it.
Outside the window, far from the train yet felt close, was a massive crater. It was filled to the rim with glistening water. How I knew it was not another lake: there were no lakes in history that has a perfect circle shape…only man-made lakes can do that…destructively man-made…
A shiver coldly drenched down my spine.
*****
I heaved my heavy suitcase after me as I exited the train station. I made it to Tokyo-3. I stopped for a second and stood up straight. With the back of my arm I wiped off the sweat from my forehead. I took a moment to adjust my favourite wide-brimmed summer hat, with a violet ribbon wrapped around the top with a pretty butterfly tie. It was hot, really hot.
I hefted the backpack on my back, a special one designed as a teddy bear with a wide tummy. I looked left and right at my surroundings. It was quiet, really quiet. Actually there was absolutely no one at all.
Both the city streets and the train station terminal were completely void of life. Not even a raven popped out of no where to scare me. Heat waved from the concrete ground, playing with my vision like a frightening mirage. I only saw hundreds of buildings being constructed or reconstructed, my guess at a dead-slow pace. It was a ghost city.
I shrunk my arms closer to my body as I held onto my backpack's straps with anxiety. Anyone here? I thought. I quickly took out a photo from my pocket. My mother's friend said that this person was going to pick me up. I had forgotten to look at the picture when I first received mother's friend's note, the old fashion way: a letter by mail. Now that I looked at it, I knew that I would have a lot of doubt in coming here at the first place.
The photo was of a woman, possibly older than 30 years old. I could not tell for sure, I knew how women like me are sensitive about revealing such life-changing secrets. Just judging by the look of this women in the photo, I guess she could blankly tell you without even caring. She had long wavy dark purple hair, a pair of sophisticated yet lazy eyes that wearily stared at the camera, and wore a mismatch set of clothing of a tank-top, Jeans, sunglasses above her head, and no socks. She was drinking some sort of canned beverage while glaring, or blankly staring, at the one who took this photo. I felt a sweat drop hovered across my head.
I flipped the photo around and there was a hand-written signature at the bottom-right corner. 'Misato-chan'. My eyebrow twisted with anxiety and utter confusion.
Who was this woman?
*****
"AAAAACHOO!"
A woman in her late 40s sniffed as she rubbed her nose with her slender finger. She raised her head to eye-level and glared off into empty space.
"Okay, who's talking behind my back…"
This woman had long deep purple hair, hard yet strangely kind and lazy eyes, a fit body, and a half-grin on her face. She wore a set of military uniform that belonged to that of an unpublicized faction, with the level of a Deputy Commander. Her hair was tied to the back of her head by a red hair clip as she blankly stared ahead of her path. She gave a wide yawn as she lightly patted her mouth.
"Still can't get used to waking up this early," she mumbled.
She was walking down a long and somewhat narrow corridor, made out of steel and state-of-the-art secured computer technology. She came up to a thick and sturdy iron blast door, its jaws clenched to prevent passage. She sighed.
"Open sesame," she mumbled. In seconds, she swiped a white ID card down a nearby card scanner. A screen at the level of her head flickered green letters to life, along with an image of her face that had a pretty and fresh smile on it: Misato Katsuragi.
The door yielded after acknowledging her identity and split itself open with a hiss. Misato, unimpressed, stared at the fearsome opening of the doors' jaw. She nonchalantly stepped right through it. Just after she passed the threshold, the door closed and her feet faltered. She lightly bolted forward, as if her body was pulled the other way. She turned.
A corner of her, slightly over-large, uniform got caught by the doors' teeth. If it had an ability to smirk, now would have been the time. Misato narrowed her eyes.
A foot, in a black high-heeled shoe, flew and stomped onto the face of the door. After a painful second, the doors hissed open and released Misato's uniform.
"Stupid door," she muttered. The door closed again, this time avoiding to snag anything else of hers. She dropped her foot to the ground, spun on her heels, and marched off, "Okay people, what's the sit'ch?"
She strode up to the end of a platform, she appeared on, and looked over the railing. She was within a massive dark chamber that housed several military command platforms with hundreds of computers, holographic screens, several wires of thick and thin sizes, and only a crew of less than eight people.
One level down was another platform, commandeered by three personnel, of the overall eight, and one empty seat. They each rapidly typed their fingers across their consoles. Several digital screens brighten to life. Holographic data analyses were rapidly projected around them. Their eyes glimpsed from one screen to the next.
A young man with short spiky dark brown hair leaned in closer to a screen that had just glided up to his vision. He adjusted his brown rimmed glasses across his nose bridge as they reflected the exact images of the screen. His working table had several opened manga of various titles, a mug that was half full with cold coffee, and several crumpled balls of paper cluttered in on corner. He quickly adjusted something to his computer and brushed apart a pair of paper balls away. At the same time this revealed a small table-sign with a name inscribed onto it: Makoto Hyuga.
"We've got contact. Early warning signals of 1000 km radius went off exactly 23 minutes ago!" called out Hyuga.
Misato raised an interested eyebrow, "What is it? A plane? A stray warship? A pelican that ate something metal…" She frowned and let out an irritated breath, "God, I hate it when that happens…"
To Hyuga's left was man with long hazel hair, similar to heavy-metal guitarists' lengthy hairstyle. He had stern narrow eyes and a deep-in-thought complexion. Balanced beside him was an electric guitar, its black and white lacquered flesh scarred and dulled out. His table-sign nearby him had his name inscribed onto to it: Shigeru Aoba. He lightly rubbed his right eye for a moment.
"This thing's not man-made that's for sure! This sucker's moving 215 km/h and getting faster," replied Aoba.
Finally, the last of the three computer technician was a female. She had short brown hair, round eyes that were prepared for even worst-case scenarios, an elegant figure, and a strong yet soft voice. Across her clean and tidy desk was her table-sign exposed clearly in bold black letters: Maya Ibuki.
"Commencing a comparison scan on the unidentified object to any possible creature or vehicle…Results show zero possible matches," reported Ibuki.
Misato passively stared with weary eyes at a large holographic and three dimensional map of a city, that hovered in the center of the entire room.
"Ibuki," answered Misato in a flat tone. Ibuki swivelled around on her chair and looked up, "Run it through the other scanner…"
A quick flash of fear crossed Ibuki's eyes. Even Aoba and Hyuga lifted their heads to nervously look at Ibuki from the corner of their eyes. Ibuki shook of the tingling feel that ran down her spine. She whirled back to her screen and boldly faced her duties.
"Aye-aye, ma'am."
Misato let out a short and shaky breath, her expression never changed. That was when she noticed the fourth and empty seat to Ibuki's right, "Say, where's…"
"Here." Everyone turned to their right, at a door that had just opened to flood in a small flash of bright light. A figure stepped into the command room as the door slid close. She halted under the command post's dim lighting.
It was a young woman. She had long and curly golden blonde hair, neatly combed eyelashes, rose-pink lipstick, a milky white complexion, and a pair of cold blue eyes. She placed one hand on her hip as everyone stared at her. She also donned on the tan-colored uniform of a computer technician and wore long white skin-tight pants that went with it. Though everyone in the command room knew who she was, and have worked together before, they could never get over the fact that she looked like she was still in the middle of high school; for she was still in the middle of high school.
She gave a loose and lanky salute to Misato, "Deputy Commander Misato. This is Kiera Ichikawa*, reporting for supposed duties."
"Where were you anyway?" whispered Hyuga.
Kiera threw Hyuga a nasty look that even made Ibuki shiver, "What do you think? I was in the bathroom!"
Aoba grimaced and turned back to his computer screen, "For nearly an hour?" Without warning, a large and thick Chemistry textbook flew and smashed into him at the back of his head, "OW! HEY YOU BRAT!"
Kiera stood straight, almost innocently, as she smirked, "Never question a lady's sense of time whenever we go the bathroom! Besides, I had to reapply my make-up, otherwise this dankly room will ruin my complexion."
Misato slapped a hand to her face as she sighed, "Ichikawa, Ichikawa…"
Aoba rubbed the back of his head with a snarl. He snatched up the book and angrily tossed it into a nearby recycling bin.
"HEY!" shrieked Kiera. She was about to run to the recycling bin until she heard Misato call her.
"Never mind that, Ichikawa, I'll get it back for you later before you have your midterm today, okay?" she groaned, "can you please just get into your seat and be on stand-by in case this situation turns ugly…"
Kiera stood up straight and placed on hand on her hip. She raised an eyebrow, "What situation?"
Ibuki's computer screen suddenly blared a warning signal. Everything cleared across its surface and was replaced with a black screen, with large bold electric red letters:
BLUE BLOOD MATCH: CONFIRMED ANGEL.
Ibuki gasped in terror. Hyuga bolted up from his seat in surprise. Aoba calmly remain seated as he stared at the words from over his shoulder.
"You…can't be serious," uttered Ibuki. Kiera was speechless.
Misato still had her usual weary expression as she blankly stared at the words below her. She simply blinked and started to rummage through her pockets.
"That situation," she muttered. She pulled out a small red box, with the word POCKY written on it. With her thumb, she flipped open its lid.
"Okay everyone, you know the drill…sort of…" uttered Misato, "either be on the ready…or hope it's another false alarm."
Ibuki, Aoba, and Hyua returned a nod and immediately turned back to their computer screens. Kiera lightly shivered.
"Afraid, Ichikawa?" asked Misato. Kiera blankly turned to Misato. The Deputy Commander gingerly pulled out a chocolate covered cracker-stick and lightly nibbled at it with her lips, "You shouldn't be. You're or boy's field operator…right?" She snapped the Pocky stick in two and munched on the top half through her lips.
Kiera snapped out of her reality, as if the Pocky caused it to happen. She recomposed herself and spun of her heels, "O-of course not! Watch a pro at real work!" The young woman breathed out an 'hmph' and spun her swivel chair around. Just as she plopped herself down, she nearly fell of its edge when it suddenly turned back to its original spot. She squeaked with surprise, but quickly slapped her mouth to silence it.
Ibuki, Hyuga, and Aoba all gave her quiet looks. They turned back to their work.
Misato rolled her eyes and started to nibble at her Pocky again. She leaned forward and pressed a button on another metal desk to her right.
"Hey you there? This is Central Dogma, get your butt over here right this instance…" Misato straightened a little bit as she finished up the rest of her Pocky. She kissed her fingers and looked up.
High above her head was a massive symbol painted in slightly faded red colors. It was of a large Japanese Maple leaf, cut in half and placed on an angle. Four letters were painted over the empty half, slanting downward across the leaf's side: N E R V.
Misato Katsuragi stretched a short and dreamy smile, while she read a half-ring of words that completed the symbol's overall circle.
'God's in His Heaven. All is right with the world.'
"You better get over here quickly," smiled Misato, "Commander Ikari…"
*****
700 km off the coast of Tokyo-3, sailed a heavily armed and armored warship, Sekai no Tamashi of the Japanese Defence Force, with powerful naval cannons. Several guns across its sides and deck shimmered as if freshly spit-shine and waxed off.
Captain Ryokai Uchinaga* quietly walked across the deck of his ship. With silent and hunter-like eyes he scanned the distance horizon of the peaceful ocean. He took in a deep breath and let it out in one refreshing moment.
"What a beautiful day…to bad I couldn't go fishing with my grandson on such fine weather…" he sighed.
Suddenly, something surged in the back of his mind. It was as if something was telling that this moment of peace, will be soon to shatter.
"Captain!" Uchinaga perked his head up at the call of his title and turned. It was one of his marines, but only paler looking than before, "Captain! Unidentified object is heading into Tokyo-3 sea territory at high velocity. Your orders?"
"Binoculars." The marine instantly saluted and pulled out a pair of binoculars from his gear he wore. The Uchinaga held him to his eyes and adjusted the sighting, "Where?"
He needed not to ask, for he saw it. It was unbelievably large; that was the first thing that popped into Uchinaga's head. It was as massive as an American aircraft carrier and despite its size it practically glided across the water like a speed-boat. It was covered in tight and thick armor, almost fashioned to be like the shell of a turtle, crossed with an armadillo. It was triangular in overall design, as if it can be used to split battle-cruisers into clean halves.
"Impossible…" breathed Uchinaga.
The marine stood at attention, "Your or−"
"Fire at will!"
Without seconds wasted, Sekai no Tamashi's guns spun on their heels and howled out a devastating cannon-fire. Several .50 and .70 calibre turrets and smaller cannons, turned and opened fire like mad.
The strange-ship ploughed through the ocean, large waves of sea flew behind its trail. Tiny bullet-fires deflected off of its tough hide. Cannon shells screamed through the air and collided with the strange-ship head on. Still the strange-ship continued on, unfazed.
A cold shiver went down Uchinaga's spin. That was until another set of ballistic barks snapped him out of his fear. He turned and spotted a battleship, with more cannons on its deck than he had ever seen. It was the Umi-Kenshin, thought Uchinaga.
The Umi-Kenshin fired all guns directly at the strange-ship. Despite the effort though, the strange-ship simply took the full brunt of the attack. It started to turn off a little from its original course. Uchinaga's eyes' widen with shock. Umi-Kenshin was now in the strange-ship's path.
Before he knew it, the strange-ship slipped right through the battleship. Seconds later, the battleship was sliced into two halves and a loud eruption took place. Its main engine was critically hit. Without less then a minute the entire battleship, as long as a skyscraper itself with over 100 000 pounds worth of armor plating, sunk like a broken paper boat.
Uchinaga could not believe his eyes as he watched one half of Umi-Kenshin sunk to the bottom of the ocean. Finally, he watched helplessly as the strange-ship quickly made its way to Tokyo-3 in the horizon beyond.
*****
"Target has bypassed main JDF defensive fleet. It is now 10 km to Tokyo-3 and closing fast!" cried Hyuga.
"JDF battleship Umi-Kenshin has been completely sunk!" exclaimed Ibuki.
"Geez…and that was one of the JDF's most prized ships…" muttered Aoba.
"Okay…we've got a problem…" whispered Misato. She snapped off another half of a Pocky and quickly munched on it. She leaned over to the desk and pressed the intercom button, "Commander, Commander, hurry it up. I think we have a real sit'ch on our hands!"
"Sorry I'm late."
Misato perked her head up with realization. Ibuki, Aoba, and Hyuga immediately turned around in their seat, stood up to full height, and offered the new entrant a crisp salute.
"Commander Ikari, sir!" they cried in unison.
Kiera was so in-depth in her work, she practically missed what her fellow technicians just mentioned. When she realized what they said, she sprang up to her feet, straightened her NERV uniform collar and salute more strictly than she had ever done.
"C-Commander Ikari, sir!" she yelped.
Misato nonchalantly turned her head up at an angle and looked up with her eyes. She smiled cheerfully at the person behind her.
"Yoooh!" she smirked.
A tall thin man stood behind Misato with a calm and quiet composure. He had deep blackish brown hair and had deep hazel eyes. He glanced at everyone in the command post of Central Dogma through his pair of yellow-tinted sunglasses with silent, yet not hostile, eyes. He was clean shaven as he stretched a peculiar half-grin.
"At ease. Please carry on," spoke Commander Ikari in a soft, yet charismatic tone.
Instantly Ibuki, Hyuga, and Aoba simultaneously turned on the spot and sat back into their seats, continuing on with their work. Kiera, on the other hand, was a tad bit slower in reaction. She nervously turned and sat back in her chair trying to get back to work.
"Ichikawa-san," said the Commander.
"H-hai!" squeaked Kiera. She jumped in her seat and turned to look at the Commander. She was surprised to see him still grinning as he gazed at her.
"We may need your help again, like last time…are you ready for it?" he asked.
Kiera was taken aback. She recomposed herself and stared right back at the Commander with utmost confidence, "Definitely! I won't let you down!" With a proud smile, she turned around and got straight into her work.
"What took you?" asked Misato with a sly grin.
Ikari lowered his gaze a little, "I went to visit him…sorry it took this long."
Misato never turned her head, but gazed at him from the corner of his eyes. She changed her grin into a comforting smile.
"Can't get enough of him, can't we?" she asked. Ikari nodded. Misato instantly turned her attention to the task at hand, "Okay people, tell us again what we got here?"
"We've picked up an unidentified object heading straight for Tokyo-3!" reported Hyuga.
"A JDF battleship has been destroyed and the object is still continuing toward us," added Kiera.
"It is currently 1000 miles away and in less than 25 minutes the object will hit our coastline," said Aoba.
"It has been confirmed that that…" spoke Ibuki, but her voice choked for a second, "the old Angel confirmation system has acknowledged the object to be of Angel origin."
Commander Ikari said nothing at first. He immediately set himself into the seat of the metal desk. He folded his hands in front of his mouth and the light reflected off of his glasses.
"So…they finally made their move…" uttered Ikari.
"Your call," said Misato.
"All stations go on full alert. Increase maximum situation status: Red Level 4. Begin transformation sequence of the city defence systems. Start preparing for anti-Angel assault."
"YES SIR!"
Misato grinned as she watched every one work as diligent as they can, "This is no longer a feint I suppose, they really are coming…"
Commander Ikari stared at the holographic model of Tokyo-3 that floated in the center of Central Dogma, "The servants of the world when it was merely a newborn; the protectors of the natural order that govern the laws of the stars and the universe; the harbingers of oblivion to sinful mankind; the sibling species of the Angels…Requiems…"
*****
I let out a long and exhausted sigh. When is she going to be here?
I was sitting on top of my briefcase as I hugged my teddy-bear backpack. Under the hot and dry weather, I waited for exactly two and a half hours for this 'Misato-chan'. Maybe she was caught up in traffic. I came to realize the mistake to my theory when I remembered I was smack dab in the middle of a ghost-city. I sighed again.
"So tired…and hot…" I breathed. That was when I heard something.
I perked my head up as I heard a strange sound. It sounded like an airplane about to fly over my head. The noise grew louder and louder as I searched the skies. Strange, I thought…there's nothing.
A loud eruption nearby took me completely off guard. A powerful gust of wind nearly shoved me off my seat as I braced myself against it. It was so sudden I could only gasp with surprise. What…was that? I turned to the source of the noise. My eyes widened tremendously. Oh my God.
Several meters parked away from me, was this giant space-ship like object. Its metal skin was dark forest-green and looked like a shell of a tortoise, only deadlier. It had torn through several buildings as it was unevenly balanced against the broken concrete. I leaned back a bit to look behind it. I gasped again, at the sight of total destruction that trail hundreds of miles from here and all the way to the exposed coastline. A shiver crawled down my spine.
Suddenly, I heard a hiss. It was followed by mechanical thunks and gear shifts. To my surprise, the strange space ship started…to move. It separated itself into various parts, mechanically changing every second. It was transforming somehow, from its ship form into a growing humanoid form. Bulky armored legs outstretched, giant robot arms pieced themselves together to become longer, and it started to stand as several parts of its body finished its changes.
I did not know what to say. The giant robot stood almost as high as a building. Its head popped out of its chest and its final transformation was completed. The head had a single v-shape eye and a pupil-like light skimmed across it from side to side. It turned to look around it and noticed the half-demolished building, which it smashed through from its recent landing. The robot stared at it for a long and quiet moment. Suddenly, it swung a massive arm into that building and it was immediately destroyed.
I could not scream, both my voice locked with fear and I lost my breath. What was this thing? This iron monster?
As if it had heard my thoughts, the robot turned to me.
Though I could not scream, my soul did it for me.
*****
"Requiem has reached the heart of Tokyo-3 and has transformed into Goliath form!" shouted Hyuga.
"That's the second time I've seen an enemy like that…" breathed Aoba.
Within Central Dogma, an aerial camera was active and was on live-feed to the command post's main massive plasma screen. They watched in silence from its landing to its transformation. All of them were stunned in with shock at the sight, all but two.
Misato had a full Pocky hanging out of her mouth, like a straw, and she lightly played with it with her lips, still looking weary and unimpressed. Commander Ikari still had his hands folded in front of his face, concealing the lower half of it from other's eyes.
"This is the first time that a Requiem has ever set foot on Tokyo-3…" spoke Misato, her Pocky still hanging on her lips. She turned to Ikari as he stayed silent, "What now?"
"Misato!" called Ibuki.
Misato perked her head up at the name and turned to Ibuki, "Yes?"
Ibuki too turned to Misato, only her face was pale, "There's a civilian in the city."
Everything went silent.
Misato never changed expressions, but blinked, "What?"
Ibuki turned around and pressed a button. The main plasma screen was immediately cleared of the Requiem attack, to a more focused view of the city streets. At first it was empty, but that was when a figure ran across the street.
Misato and the others could not believe their eyes. Even Ikari could not help a gasp.
"That can't be possible," uttered Ikari, "Tokyo-3 has already been evacuated several years ago and forbidden access to anyone other than us. Who is that?"
"Analyzing now!" called Ibuki.
In seconds the plasma screen focused closely on the figure, revealing her identity. It was a young girl, with a tank-top and pink skirt. She had a wide-brim summer hat on her head that concealed what she looked like. That was when a gust of wind blew it right off her head. Misato gagged and froze with horror. Her Pocky fell out of her lips.
"Freeze frame!" called Ikari. Ibuki did.
The image stopped, with a clear look on the girl's identity. She had mid-length amber hair, deep blue eyes, and a frightened look on her face.
"KEIKO!" screeched Misato. Ikari nearly fell out of his seat. He turned on Misato with a fearful expression.
"WHAT?!"
Suddenly, Misato realized something and she slapped her face, "Shoot! I forgot to pick her up at the train station!"
Ikari gasped and he turned back to the image of Keiko Langley-Soryu Birmingham. Without another word, Ikari bolted from his seat and ran for the door.
"Wha-hey! Where are you going?!" cried Misato, frantic.
Ikari had just open the door when her turn to her over his shoulder, "Prepare Unit-01 for launch!" He ran out of Central Dogma.
Misato quickly called after him, "What? Again?! Wait! Shinji-kun!"
*****
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
I leapt forward just as a massive arm nearly swiped my head off. Instead, it totalled another building, what would have been an apartment complex. Dust and rubble rained down over my head, but I knew I can't stop now.
Its after me, why?! I had no time to think at all as I sprinted down the empty street.
"HELP!" I screamed. No use. Of course, ghost-city. I could not believe my lu-
Suddenly, the ground behind me shattered and a powerful force threw me off my feet. I sailed across the air and crumbled painfully across the street. I felt every inch of myself snap into many pieces. Though I knew I was not paralyzed, I felt like my body can't move. I wearily gazed up at the sky. It was filled with the smog of destruction, as the sun tried to reach its rays of light to me. A large figure loomed over my body.
The machine merely stared down at me, as if waiting and watching me die. I can't die, I don't want to die. Even if I did…I wish to die in my mother's arms.
The machine had enough of looking at me. It started to raise its foot over where I laid. It's strange…I don't feel afraid, only sad. A tear rolled from my eyes and down my cheek.
Good bye, mother…
*****
Misato lurched forward over the metal desk and slapped its surface with her right hand.
"ALL TOWER GUNS, TARGET REQUIEM AND FIRE!"
*****
I heard something. I struggled to glance around me as whirring noises caught my last moment of attention. It was the buildings. Like the machine above me, they too started to transform.
They swiftly opened up to unfold multiple cannons. They turned like tower guns and fired straight above me. The shots collided with the machine and it was forced backwards. Its foot also stepped away from me as it stumbled backwards from multiple cannon-fire.
Somehow I felt strength return to my body and I tried to at least sit up. I looked around at the tower guns. They kept firing as the machine stumbled. It quickly regained balance and stood sturdy on the ground, the attack no longer having an effect on it. The machine leapt up high into the air and crushed down onto one of the tower guns. I saw large pieces of metal fly into the air and crash onto the ground.
I raised my arms to shield myself, as debris scattered around me. It was until one large piece of the tower's remains landed right next to me. I lowered my arms and gazed at it, spotting a half burned away symbol painted on its surface. I could not make out what it really was, but I could read four unique letters.
N E R V.
Strange, I felt like I've seen these words before.
*****
"Status, status, status…Come on, someone give me a status report on Unit-01!" nervously chattered Misato. She nibbled on her nails as she anxiously waited for any news of Ikari and the Unit-01.
[This is Shinji Ikari!] buzzed Ikari's voice, via an intercom through the metal desk, [Unit-01 is ready to launch!].
Hyuga nearly fell forward on his seat as he quickly pulled himself close to a microphone on his desk.
"B-but, sir! The new vertical launcher has not been completed yet!"
[…Guess we'll have to use the old one…] called back Ikari.
Aoba suddenly appeared right next to Hyuga and snatched the microphone out of Hyuga's hands and to himself, "Is that possible?! Does that thing still even work after all these years?!"
Suddenly, Ibuki appeared right next to the too men and also swiped the microphone out of Aoba's hands, "You may need to reconsider, sir, or Unit-01 can't withstand the initial launch pressure!"
[I have faith!] Aoba, Ibuki, and Hyuga were taken aback by Ikari's words of strong confidence, [I believe! Please also believe in Unit-01!]
The trio fell silent for a moment. Finally they said, "Roger!" With that they went back to their seats.
Kiera's fingers rapidly danced across her keyboard. Multiple screens appeared and disappeared as long lines of code scrolled down across them.
"Preparing vertical launch sequence!" called out Kiera, "Confirmed, Unit-01 has been placed onto the platform and is ready for immediate assault! Misato, permission to continue!"
Misato gave herself a half-grin, "Let him fly."
Kiera returned a nod and raised her right index finger, "Unit-01! Launch!"
She pressed down the ENTER button.
*****
In NERV's main hangar and launch bay, metal latches pulled back with loud sparks. A platform shot up at high-velocity, rising higher and higher. Hundreds of pounds worth of G-Force weighed heavily down on the platform as it rose. Thousands of miles above, gates opened up from different sides of the tight launch-shaft. Finally, an opening of light flashed open.
*****
I pushed myself to my feet as I struggled to keep my balance. It proved to be effortful as my head spun badly with dizziness and pain. I have to leave…
I started to limp away down the empty and torn up street. The massive machine behind me had just crushed apart the last of the nearby gun towers. It grinded the towers' remains under its feet before it started to follow me.
I forced my legs to move faster, but my entire body was very heavy and sluggish. I could not help it as I tripped to the ground. I felt the earth shook with every step the giant machine took.
I turned around and stared at it. The machine slowed its approach towards me and started to reach out a hand to take me. It's over…I'll never see my mother again.
Suddenly, before I knew it, the ground opened up behind me. I whirled around and saw a massive iron gate split open in a square. Metal rods extended out and strip-lights buzzed to life. What was happening now?
That was when it happened. A metal platform instantly came to a stop at the opened gate. I was taken aback. The platform was empty. A shadow flew over my head and I looked up.
Up in the sky, under the sun's ray, I could make out a small dark figure. It looked like it was flying straight up. It twisted itself into a rapid spin and started to descend. The machine stopped its hand and looked up at the sky as well.
The figure descended down and sliced a hole right through a cloud. Before I could gasp, the figure smashed right into the chest of the machine.
The machine flew backwards, as if shoved off by a tremendous force greater than itself. It skidded several miles down the city, shattering buildings in its path. It finally stopped by crashing into a thicker building. Rubble and dirt fell over its shoulders and it gazed up to its attacker, its eye flashed red.
The figure elegantly dropped down from the sky and landed right in front of me. The sun came down and revealed to me what it was. To my surprise, it was a who.
Standing before me was a young man, almost close to my age. He had short and unkempt navy blue hair, a pair of cold and monotonous greenish-purple eyes, and a strong figure. He wore a strange dark purple and yellow framed jacket, a bright green and blue-edged shirt, and black pants with a pair of red strips down his leggings.
There was a transient moment when he glanced at me from over his shoulder. I didn't know what to say, but thousands of questions took over my mind.
Who was this boy?
Suddenly, he spoke to someone, someone invisible. His voice was flat and void of emotion, yet had a sense of gentle life in it.
"EVA-01, Atticus*. Entered mission area. Awaiting orders."
*****
Kiera stretched her fingers and adjusted her headset with a smirk, "Unit-01's launch sequence was a success! Told ya I could handle this!"
Hyuga practically sagged his tense body in his seat. Ever since the launch sequence first began, he, Ibuki, and Aoba, were all anxious to see if the boy had made it.
Misato gave a proud smirk, "That's our Atticus."
The door behind her opened up and in stepped Commander Ikari. His uniform is un-buttoned and smeared with several patches of grease and oil. He unrolled one sleeve down his right arm and completely forgot about the other.
"Atticus, listen carefully."
*****
I sat on the ground, dumbfounded. This boy, he…fell from the sky and was able to push the machine away single-handedly? What was going on? Suddenly I heard faint buzzes of voices. That boy, Atticus, held up a hand and touched a small ear-fin-like device clipped to his left ear.
[Atticus, listen carefully,] crackled a deep male voice, [Here are your objectives: either destroy or ward off the Requiem from Tokyo-3. Second, protect a girl named Keiko Birmingham from harms way.]
Atticus stayed quiet for a moment. Slowy, but suddenly, he turned to me.
"Keiko Langley-Soryu Birmingham? Acknowledge," he asked plainly.
I remained sitting on the ground, frozen stiff with utter confusion. Somehow, my mind was able to make my head nod in answer. Soon, Atticus turned back to the task at his hands.
"Priority target located and confirmed. Keiko is under my protective measures."
[Listen up,] called out a woman's voice, [you have a time limit of less than eight minutes before your initial energy core runs out of juice and powers down. The Commander and I will do all we can to support you. Your highest priority is to protect Keiko. Got it?]
[Hey Atticus!] called out another younger female voice, with an irritated tone, [if you remember me, I'm Kiera. Your field operator from last time. Make sure you follow my instructions if you want this mission to go smoothly. Now stick to your objectives and kick that creep's butt.]
"I understand. Commencing mission," replied Atticus. He dropped his hand. Silently, he stared at the machine up ahead. Atticus levelled his head.
The machine ahead of us suddenly burst out of its fallen spot. Monstrous debris flew everywhere, demolishing everything in a short terrifying rain of broken rocks. Atticus stayed calm. He started to walk calmly forward across the shattered street.
"Target confirmed: Requiem, Titan Category. Estimated time till mission end: T minus seven minutes and 30 seconds…" He stopped and readied himself, as if to attack, "EVA-01, engaging the target."
He leapt forward in a massive blur. My eyes barely blinked by the time he reached the machine up ahead. A whirlwind like hurricane kicked up from his run.
The machine continued to charge and threw a giant fist at Atticus. He skilfully ducked and ran under the attack; the ground behind him took the machine's blow and shattered violently.
Atticus back flipped upward into the air, over the high heights of the machine's arm. He dropped back down and stomped right on top of its arm. The entire machine dropped to the ground, as if a comet's descent weighed it down. The earth rumbled with a volcanic-furious quake. I couldn't help a scream as I clasped my hands to my head and curled up in a human ball. Still, I peeked through under my arms at the inconceivable scene.
Atticus slightly rose from his landing. Suddenly, he sprinted up the machine's arm and towards the head. He was a blur that zipped across the machine's arm, which had the length of a full football field. At the last second, Atticus leapt up and kicked up at the machine's head.
The blow made contact with its iron chin. Without warning its entire body was lifted up by an invisible force and shortly levitated several inches off the ground. Atticus spun around in mid-air and kicked forward like a missile. The attack sent the machine flying across the city's streets. It ploughed everything in its sight that spanned nearly several kilometres away from me.
My eyes were wide with absolute horror. How could such power against that strange machine…be wielded by a mere boy?
Atticus landed onto the street. He stared at the machine ahead of him. Without uttering a sound, he broke into a dash that could have broken the sound barrier.
Correction, he did break the sound barrier.
*****
"Less that five minutes before his power goes out!" cried Kiera. Despite her adolescent looks, her fingers rapidly chattered across her keyboards. She constantly glimpsed at a small holographic screen that had electronic-orange number rapidly counting down by the seconds, "Atticus is giving it everything he's got, but that Requiem won't let up!"
"Hyuga! Aoba! Activate city defences in sector E5 and E6!" commanded out Ikari, "we have to support Atticus no matter what!"
"Hey, Ibuki! See if you can lend him a hand with a short missile strike!" called out Misato with a grin.
"Kiera, continue to guide Atticus as he fights the Requiem! That's an order!"
All four NERV lieutenants returned a crisp cry, "SIR, YES SIR!"
*****
Around the machine, several more buildings opened up. This time they lowered and extended powerful looking Gatling guns. They all rapidly spewed out what looked like to be armor-piercing bullets. Sparks danced across the machine's iron flesh. Despite the bullets' armor-piercing abilities, they didn't even make an annoying scratch to the machine.
Suddenly, two other buildings opened up their roof tops. They revealed hundreds of small holes, but with diameters wide enough to store a car. The sun's ray glinted off from its metal reflection.
*****
Misato slapped the metal desk with her right hand. She leaned forward with a mad grin.
"Rockets away!"
*****
A hail storm of missiles flared out of the holes on top of the building. They soar up high into the sky and instantly curved down in a deadly arc. In a rain of wild-fire, the missiles exploded over the machine. Smoke kicked up everywhere as infernos screamed across the earth.
There was no way, anything could have survived that blast. That was when the clouds started to part, I knew I thought wrong.
The smoke cleared away and revealed something shimmering behind its black walls. It was some sort of field…a blue diamond energy field. The machine was knelt under the giant field, its eye flowing blue.
My God…nothing can stop it. Yet, the boy Atticus kept on running towards it.
*****
"What the?! An AT-Field?!" yelped Hyuga.
"No, a Prism Barricade, but they somehow originated from an AT-Field," replied Misato. She cursed under her breath and gripped the railings before her, "Darn that Requiem…it's like fighting an Angel all over again…only we've got a smaller EVA…"
"I have faith in him," answered Ikari. Misato perked her head up and glanced at Ikari. He was sitting in his chair at the metal desk. His hands were folded in front of his mouth and his glasses reflected an eerie white glow.
"Three minutes before power is up!" called out Kiera.
Ikari raised his gaze, the glow disappeared from his glasses to reveal eyes of trust and confidence.
"Atticus has what it takes…to slay the Requiems."
*****
"Target's Prism Barricade is active," spoke Atticus. He ran towards the machine dead-on, without fear or hesitation in his eyes, "Engage with maximum output."
Suddenly, Atticus leapt and somersaulted high up into the air. I watched in amazement as he ascended towards the sky. The machine too watched, as if surprised by the feat. Soon, Atticus started to charge down from the sky.
[This is Kiera! You have clearance to use the Evangelion Overdrive!]
Atticus called out, "Evangelion Overdrive: X-Calibur Breaker!"
His back, like a robot, opened up several compartments and extended out four small triangular fins. In less then a second, they flared out large diamond-sharp glowing dragonfly-like wings from his back. It was as if they were his wings, which burned bright blue with sparkling white ember trailing after him.
*****
"He's…" breathed Ibuki.
The NERV technicians could not believe their eyes as they stood up from their seat. Misato could not help a proud grin as Ikari passively stared at the main screen. Still, he too stretched a smile.
Kiera looked like she had seen it before, yet had a sense of awe in her sight.
"I can't believe that he can pull off a stunt like that…and he looks like he's an average high schooler…"
*****
Atticus dove straight towards the machine and his diamond energy field. He reached forth his right fist. In one destructive blow, he smashed into the barrier head-on. The machine's barrier sparked with uncontrollable energy as Atticus remained unfazed, pushing himself faster against the field. His right arm suddenly had a series of metal strips that wrapped around his arm and transform into a powerful metal glove.
"Initiating Field sync!"
Suddenly the field ripped a hole open itself, clearing the way for Atticus. The machine could have gasped in horror. Atticus, a burning bright-blue comet, shot through the hole and tore straight through the machine's heart.
Before my very eyes, a white explosion erupted. A powerful shockwave slapped into my body and I was forced to roll back several paces. As quick as it happened, the shockwave died and the explosion was no more. What might have happened for at least an hour or so, could have been less then eight minutes.
A figure landed right in front of me, its back turned, and I let out a shriek. I turned away in fear, thinking it would harm me. I waited. Nothing happened. Slowly, I turned around and stared at the figure. Its back withdrew its fins and the glove retracted away from his its right hand.
It was Atticus. His clothing were a little torn at the edges, his face was covered with faint patches of soot. Either than that, he was still standing with a passive expression.
*****
Ikari stood up in his seat and turned towards the door, "Misato, prepare a chopper for me. I'm going to pick them up."
"Sure," loosely nodded Misato, "but I'm coming along."
Ikari stopped at the open exit of Central Dogma and turned to her old friend and former guardian. Misato returned a blushing and sheepish grin.
"Besides, it was my fault that Keiko-chan was trapped out there in the first place. I still have some responsibilities for her safety as her new guardian."
*****
"Mission complete. Priority target: Keiko Langley-Soryu Birmingham has been safely secured. Enemy Requiem, eliminated," whispered Atticus.
"E-excuse me."
He swiftly turned to me and for a moment I thought I heard myself squeak with fear. I quickly recomposed myself.
"A-Atticus, co-correct?" I uttered. He returned a crisp nod.
"Affirmative."
"Um…I…" I barely could speak the words out, "I would like to thank−"
Suddenly a strange long toned beep sounded off. I curiously looked around, until I realized it came from Atticus.
"Mission time exceeded. Reserve energy, zero percent. Shutting down."
Without warning, Atticus shivered and started to collapse. Bit by bit, he started to fall to the ground, like a wound up doll that used up its last winding. Finally, his eyes went blank and he fell face-forward to the ground.
"Oh, no! Atticus!" I cried. Despite my pain-stinging body, I struggled to crawl over to Atticus. I tried to shake him awake, hoping to help him in some way, "Please, wake up! Atticus!"
The wind suddenly kicked up and pounded my face with dirt and dust. I coughed as I shielded my face with my arms. I heard a rapid whirring sound above me and I peered up into the bright sky.
Descending down from the air was a large double-rotor transport helicopter. As it touched the ground, the propellers slowed down a bit to keep it balanced against the earth. A bulky door opened up and there stood a woman with dark purple hear, with a pair of pilot visors across her eyes, and wore a strange dark-green military uniformed.
What was happening? More problems?
"Oi!" cried the woman, "Keiko-chan!"
Eh?! She knew my name?! The woman leapt out of the helicopter and whipped off her visors. I gasped.
"Mi-Misato-chan?!" Without warning a pair of heavy arms wrapped around my shoulder and neck in a tight embrace.
"WAH! I'm so glad you still remember my name from the photo my commander sent to you!" shrieked the woman, Misato-chan. I could barely breathe under her hug, but I noticed something while looking over her shoulder.
There was a tall and thin man with yellow-tinted sunglasses across his nose-bridge. He wore another strange black and red-framed military uniform. He appeared from the helicopter transport and knelt by Atticus. A surge of fear ran down my spine.
I practically jumped madly in Misato-chan's hug, "Wait! Don't touch, Atticus! Leave him alone!"
"It's alright!" called the man, over the loud humming of the helicopter, "he's with us."
"Eh?" I wondered. The man said nothing else. He carefully picked up the boy and held him in his arms. Atticus had no response as he was silently asleep.
"Miss Keiko Langley-Soryu Birmingham," called the man, "I am Commander Shinji Ikari of NERV in Tokyo-3. Your mother, Asuka Langley Soryu, is a former fellow comrade and friend of mine…I am the one she sent you to look for. We need your help."
Author's Notes
Neon Genesis Evangelion Terminology:
AT-Field: Short for Absolute Terror Field. It is a special defensive barrier wielded by Angels and EVAs in the series, like a force field. It is also known to be the sole containment that holds our body and soul together (through the story) before our bodies transform into LCL liquid.
EVAs: Short for Evangelion.
Evangelion: Biological and mechanical massive mechas with muscle-frame designs. They are the main weapons to use against Angels of equal size. Requires pilot to be born after an event known as the Second Impact and somewhat has a special syncronizable source between their wills.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CHECK WIKIPEDIA: Neon Genesis Evangelion (Anime)