Neon Genesis Evangelion

An Alternate Retelling

Chapter I

Major Misato Katsuragi, Dr. Ristuko Akagi, along with First Lieutenants Aoba, Hyuga, and Ibuki stood in the briefing room, assessing what they had just heard – The Nerv 2nd branch stationed in Nevada, USA had completely vanished.

"What do you think happened over there?" questioned Misato.

"We aren't too sure," Ritsuko replied, "it's still under investigation…"

They watched the last seconds of satellite video feed above the 2nd branch US Nerv base.

After the video feed finished, Maya Ibuki proceeded to list the extent of losses due to the incident.

"Due to lack of communication with the US Nerv 2nd branch, we can estimate that, Evangelion unit 04, its support group, and all the other facilities within an 89 km radius have been completely destroyed…"

"…Along with thousands of people…" Ritsuko added meekly.

"This is horrible…" Misato gasped.

"According to the time schedule, it would appear that they were in the process of installing the experimental S2 unit from Germany."

"Potential causes range from a lack of structural integrity to a preliminary design stage error… That's 32,768 possibilities right there—"

"And that's not mentioning sabotage," Misato interjected.

"But…it wasn't really an explosion, was it? It was a disappearance," Hyuga replied.

"In all probability, they were swallowed by a Sea of Dirac, just like Unit 01 was," Ritsuko answered.

"And the restored S2 engine?"

"Apparently gone…along with our hopes…"

Misato, arms crossed, replied with frustration, "It's all because we're being forced to use things we don't understand."

"Yes… things like the Evas…" Ritsuko thought.

Misato and Ritsuko rode the large escalator downward, after they left the briefing room. Misato was the first to break the silence, "What'll we do with Unit 03?"

"We'll receive it here. The US government doesn't want to lose the 1st branch as well."

"Didn't they insist on the right to build Units 03 and 04? And now they're foisting it off on us? They're really pushing it."

"Well, you can't blame them, after a disaster like that, anyone would get nervous."

"And how are you going to do the test activation? Will you use Re's dummy plug?"

"I'll have to make a decision soon."

"I see…"

Misato and Ritsuko reached the bottom of the escalator and parted ways. Ritsuko made her way to the testing ground, where the prototype dummy plug was stationed. She had to present it to Commander Ikari.

Ritsuko and Commander Ikari stood in front of a red entry plug, "This is the dummy plug prototype," Ritsuko explained, "Rei's personal data has been loaded into it, but it's not really possible to digitize a human mind and soul… A fake, that's all it is. It copies a pilot's thinking process. In the end, it's only a machine."

Gendo Ikari, hands crossed behind his back, assessed the dummy plug, "It transmits a signal pattern to Eva, and Eva believes there's a pilot and synchronizes. That's enough. Load the data into Unit 01 and Unit 02."

"But, there are still some problems with it," Ritsuko replied.

"That's not important. As long as the Eva activates, it's sufficient."

"Understood."

"I've delegated the transportation of the Units to the U.N."

"Units? Wasn't Eva Unit 04 lost, along with the entire 2nd Nerv branch?"

"Heh, Evangelion Unit 04 is intact, along with the experimental S2 engine," Ikari replied.

"I see…"

"The Units will be here by the end of the weekend. At that time, you'll take care of them."

"Yes, Sir, we'll perform the modifications and activation test in Matsushiro."

"Hmm… And the test pilots will be…"

"Use of the Dummy Plug is not recommended at this time. Two of our prospective candidates…"

"Will be chosen as the Fourth and Fifth Children?"

"Yes, there is one child whose core can be prepared immediately."

"...And the other one?"

"He's not the same age as the rest of the Children, in fact, he's a little bit older – but he did synch with Eva Unit 02 with no foreseeable difficulties…"

"He has prior experience with Eva?"

"He was selected at the same time as Soryu, but due to unknown personal reasons, he refused to continue piloting Eva Unit 02 and thus the Second Children was chosen as Soryu."

"I see… I'll trust you to gather both children for the activation testing."

"Yes, Sir."

Toji Suzahara slammed his lunch down onto his desk and sat down with a large smile on his face.

"Lunch time! Lunch time! This is the single best thing about school," Toji said ecstatically.

"WHAAAAAT? What do you mean you forgot to make our lunches?" Asuka screamed directly in front of Shinji.

"I didn't have time to cook last night. I had too much homework."

"And that's your excuse for me having to without lunch!"

"Uh-oh, the newly weds are fighting!" Toji shouted out, loud enough for the entire class to hear. This created a large laughter directed at Shinji and Asuka.

"Oh shut up!" Asuka and Shinji retorted in unison.

Meanwhile, back at Nerv, Misato was in Ritsuko's office, "What's with the grim face?" she asked.

"Well, it's the Unit Activation Tests. We'll be using the Fourth and Fifth as pilots."

"The Fourth…and Fifth… They've been found?"

"Just Yesterday."

"But I haven't received a report from the Marduk Institute yet," Misato replied suspiciously.

"The official documents will be delievered tomorrow… don't worry Major."

"Dr. Akagi… you said tests… I was under the pretense that there is only supposed to one activation test… are you hiding something from me again?"

"…Unit 04 was recovered…"

"Unit 04! But I thought…"

"It doesn't matter what was thought… the fact is that Unit 03 and 04 will arrive soon. And we need pilots, it's only a matter of luck that these two were found when they were."

"Well, okay… So, who're the kids?" Misato asked.

Ritsuko opens up two files, each side by side to one another on the computer monitor for Misato to see. On screen, to the left, appears a bio of Toji Suzahara, the designated Fourth Child. And on the right, on screen, appears a bio of Kei Kurosawa, the designated Fifth Child.

"Jeez! It's THEM?"

"It can't be helped. All the possible candidates were gathered together for protection."

"It's so hard to tell them… about Suzahara… Asuka will be fine. Her pride keeps her piloting her Eva. Rei is exceptional, with no problems with her Eva or our work. Shinji probably knows the most about the down side. I don't want him to suffer any more hardships."

"I know, but we need children of this kind, in order for us all to survive."

"Are you saying not to complicate the issue? But – Kei is no 7th grader, he's in high school – he's too old to pilot an Eva!"

"Kei has synchronized with an Eva before… the problem will be getting him to cooperate with us…"

"…Do you want me to handle acquiring Kurosawa – I do know him… so, it might be easier if you let me handle it."

"Sure, Major, I'll head over to Shinji's school tomorrow and acquire the Fourth, while at the same time; you head over to Kyoto and acquire the Fifth."

"…Right…"

Authors Note

Well, this is it, the first chapter of the alternate reality, it starts out pretty much like episode 17 does, and however, you see soon the subtle to drastic changes that have occurred. Unit 04 is not lost, and two new pilot candidates have been found. What is Misato's connection to Kei Kurosawa? Is Misato forgetting about Shinji's delicate life with the re-emerging presence of Kurosawa? Will Misato be able to tell Shinji that Toji is a candidate as the Fourth? Find out next time in the next chapter, Chapter II – "The Fourth and Fifth Children"