Author's Note: Now we get to the nitty-gritty.
Although we might see some weapons make their way into MFE from the universe of Gundam, this is not an actual crossover, so no characters, storylines, or events.
Just wait until we get to Jet Alone, it's gonna be cool.
Begin!
xxxx
/September 20, 2015/
/Tokyo-3, Japan/
The Third Angel's eyes glowed.
CHYOOOM!
Another cross of energy brightened the sky of Tokyo-3, tearing through layers upon layers of armor beneath the streets. Only a few more before the vessel of the Lilim's [Creator/Mother/Source] was open to it.
The resting place of the Angel's [Creator/Father/Source] would soon be known.
Boom!
An explosion blossomed meters away from Sachiel, warded off by a translucent shield of orange hexagons. The Lilim's attempts at diverting it from its current objective were [odd/curious/frustrating/admirable], but the overall futility was apparent.
Even so, the newest weapon that they were utilizing was…intriguing. It observed twenty entities that were, using the Lilim's local coordinate frame, approximately twenty-feet tall with corresponding Lilim proportions. Of particular interest were the tendrils of energy connected to each entity, moving about the universal contours and converging at some point deep within the 'Black Moon'.
Each tendril was a genuine [telepathic/neurological/spiritual] connection; all of the entities were being controlled by a singular [intelligence/coordinator].
Curious.
Sachiel raised its arm, aiming a lance at the nearest entity.
KREEEN!
The entity was already dozens of yards away from the impact zone.
The Third Angel [observed/sensed/felt] the various entities about him, acknowledging the numerous vantage points they possessed, despite their confinement to relatively few planes of existence. With a singular [intelligence/coordinator], multiple viewpoints enabled reflexes and movements that bordered on precognition.
Fascinating.
Even so, their weaponry wasn't enough to pierce the Light of its Soul.
It was at that moment where the Third Angel was introduced to the Lilim concept known as 'the feint'.
KRACKOOM!
A tungsten projectile weighing one hundred pounds slammed into Sachiel's protective shield at Mach 10, immediately shattering upon contact. Although the orange hexagons managed to block the actual shell, the sheer kinetic force bled through the phase space generated by the Angel.
The Third Angel was knocked over onto the street.
Needless to say, Sachiel was [bewildered/surprised/shocked/annoyed] by the Lilim.
Meanwhile, the perpetrator of the attack – a mounted rail gun – receded into Mt. Hakone, its task completed. The P2 System had brought it enough time to fire without retaliation.
Speaking of the P2 System, the mecha it controlled were preparing for another assault.
Twenty mecha were moving in a harmonized yet asynchronous fashion, their forms thick and blocky. The torso and legs of the robots were white in color, with the arms and pauldrons bearing a shade of deep purple. The yellow trimming about the large feet matched the color of the triangular breastplate. The head, although humanoid in shape and proportion, lacked all human features save for twin eyes of green set against black metal. A white mask with grills covered the face, while a red helmet protected the head; a green orb was situated on the forehead, from which protruded two diagonal spikes of red. All in all, the aesthetic of the robots seemed to evoke samurai.
Samurai, however, didn't quack.
"Wark." As one, the twenty mecha took to the air, thrusters emerging from their backs. As one, they fired grenades from their rifles. As one, they scattered, planning for another assault as the Third Angel vanished in a cloud of smoke and fire.
For their first sortie against an Angel, the P2 System and the Defender Gundams were doing exceptionally well.
CHYOOOM!
The violet crucifix that annihilated an entire block – and one of the mecha – revealed that they weren't enough.
"Wark!" The sound being emitted by the Defender Gundams' speakers evoked one feeling: irritation. This was not an enemy that could be defeated on their own.
"We hear you loud and clear Pen-Pen!" Misato's voice echoed through to the Primary Coordinator of the P2 System. "The Evangelion's on its way!"
"Wark."
xxxx
Episode 2: CRASH COURSE (Angel Attack)
xxxx
/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"Provided that the Professor doesn't get too dramatic," remarked Fuyutsuki, standing stoically behind the Operations Director. The man had a tendency to go overboard when he wanted to make an impression.
The Ops-Director turned on her heel, flashing a cocksure smile at her superior. "Don't worry Sub-Director, we'll keep the Angel occupied as long as we can. Besides, Pen-Pen's doing fabulously."
"And they said Gundams were a waste of time! Impractical, a waste of resources!" Dr. Akagi cackled madly. Crackling electricity would have made for a very appropriate background at the moment. "Well WHO'S ONE CAN SHORT OF A SIX-PACK NOW?"
"That would be you senpai!"
"Indeed! Fufufufufufuu!" Clearing her throat, Dr. Akagi turned towards Misato, seemingly unaware of Lieutenant Ibuki's insult. Not that it was an actual insult; for Dr. Akagi, affirmation was affirmation. Regardless of how quirky. "At any rate, we've seen that sufficient physical force can make it through an Angel's AT-Field, but I wouldn't want to risk losing the Hakone rail gun for another shot." That the rail gun didn't actually penetrate the Angel's shield at such close range went unsaid; no need to induce even more panic.
Misato grinned as she looked at the various holographic readouts in the air above her; the region containing Tokyo-3 was a mass of green topographical curves, evoking rough representations of Tokyo-3, the mountains of the Hakone region, and Lake Ashi itself. Various technicolor lights denoted their various defensive armaments, their current ammo levels, and their structural integrity. The rapidly-moving violet dots signified the Defender Gundams under control of the P2 System. The large red orb signified the Third Angel, accompanied by charts detailing its energy readings.
Needless to say, they were quite massive.
"Okay then." Misato looked down upon the various technicians monitoring the individual components of Tokyo-3's defenses, NERV's primary support systems, and the MAGI themselves. There were at least a hundred of them, looking like tan-clad drones. Meanwhile, right in front of her were four terminals, serving as the locus of all information, coordinated and headed by four individuals, each one bearing the rank of Lieutenant. At the moment, there were only three; the fourth was busy attending to the activation of Evangelion Unit-01. "Aoba, Hyuga; make sure that Groups B and D fire in a staggered manner! Keep the Angel's focus divided!"
"Roger!"
"Ibuki, keep an eye on the P2 System's uplink. I don't want Pen-Pen losing contact with any of his Gundams! Be ready to transfer over when Unit-01 launches."
"Roger!"
Misato turned towards Dr. Akagi, who had yet to change out of her wetsuit. "Ritsuko, make sure Miyata gets back to the bridge once Unit-01's been fully prepped. I want him at his terminal by the time we launch!"
The depraved doctor sighed. "Don't worry, he's always punctual. Besides, if he isn't…" Ritsuko suddenly smirked, in a positively manic fashion. "He'll be on KP duty for my cat, RANDALL!"
Lieutenant Ibuki impulsively twitched. Hurry up Miyata-kun!
xxxx
"You've already been introduced to these people." The screen flashed, revealing Misato. "Lieutenant Colonel Misato Katsuragi: Operations Director and Acting Chief of Section 2." A second flash revealed the blue-haired girl from before. "Sergeant Rei Ayanami, Pilot of Evangelion Unit-00." Another flash revealed Ritsuko, this time wearing a blue blouse and black skirt under her lab coat instead of a wetsuit. "Doctor Ritsuko Akagi: Head of Project E and Chief of NERV's Technical Branch. She's the primary overseer of the MAGI."
"The MAGI?"
"The supercomputers that regulate almost all of our day-to-day operations; they also run the municipal government of Tokyo-3 and administer all public services." The image shifted to that of three green squares situated around a red square. The three blocks on the perimeter bore the titles MAGI-01: MELCHIOR, MAGI-02: BALTHASAR, and MAGI-03: CASPER. The central block simply read MAGI-00: HEROD. "They reduce the amount of manpower needed to operate NERV-1."
Shinji nodded thoughtfully.
Gendo – holding a customized PDA that he had pulled out of his cloak – was standing beside Shinji, waiting for the various technicians to finish calibrating the Entry Plug for Unit-01. At the moment, he was introducing his son to his new coworkers. Well, the important ones, at any rate. "This is Kozou Fuyutsuki: Sub-Director of NERV-1 and my Second-in-Command. You might remember him with less wrinkles."
Shinji looked at the PDA, recalling the sight of Fuyutsuki from his youth, before he had been sent away. "He looks a lot older now…"
"This job can be quite stressful." Another flash. This revealed a woman with a slim face and long brown hair tied into a ponytail. Bearing a mellow smile and black eyes, the woman seemed rather unassuming compared to Misato, Dr. Akagi, and Rei. The uniform she wore probably helped: slim white pants and a tan jacket with orange stripes along the shoulders and a blue, triangular stone over the zipper. A black undershirt could be under the collar's opening. The uniform itself left relatively little to the imagination in terms of body structure; along with some nice…assets (not up to par with Misato or Ritsuko, if Shinji had to be honest), her lithe limbs bore some muscle tone. "This is Lieutenant Shiori Aoba: Tactical Officer and Second-in-Command of Section 2."
"What is Section 2?" asked Shinji.
"Do you recall seeing men in black suits around Tokyo-3? Even as a child?"
"Yes…are they Section 2?"
"Decoys. Though they do provide security, the rank-and-file of Section 2 are dressed in an anonymous fashion. They're tasked with protecting the integrity of our facilities."
A blink of confusion. "Then…why have the men in black?"
"Give people what they're looking for, and they won't see the bat coming to the back of their head."
"…that's…an interesting metaphor."
"I know." There was another flash, this time revealing a young man. The only significant differences from Shiori Aoba's uniform were the looser pants, colored tan instead of white, whilst the brown boots were thicker and had a smaller heel. His chocolate-brown hair was slicked back in the photo, ending in well-trimmed spikes. He wore horn-rimmed glasses with maroon frames, the color closely matching his dark auburn eyes. His lips were shifted into a light smile, looking for all the world like a sensible, well-mannered guy. The kind of guy you wouldn't expect NERV to hire. "Lieutenant Makoto Hyuga: Communications and Logistics Officer."
"He looks like a nice guy."
"He is. He doesn't have any significant quirks or psychological issues. Makes me wonder why I hired him."
Shinji was almost too afraid to ask. Almost. "…so, why did you?"
xxxx
/March, 2011/
/Warehouse, Geofront, Tokyo-3/
Professor Ikari looked silently at the large parcels that sat within the Geofront warehouse, filled to the brim with vital components for the monthly refurbishment of the MAGI mainframes, munitions, various minerals and electronic gear for Project E, ludicrous amounts of bottled water, packets of instant ramen, one machete, and a Shiro Sagisu CD. The variety of materials and the actual quantity were quite impressive.
He turned his gaze to the prospective employee beside him. Makoto Hyuga's overall lack of quirks or exploitable personality flaws had been…disappointing, but this performance almost made up for it. "All this for less than one million yen, hmm?"
"Yes sir!"
"Curious. It seems you weren't boasting."
"Well sir, if I may say so, it not only comes down to bargaining and wheeling and dealing, but it involves your presence! It involves investing yourself in the deal, and that goes a long way. Connections help…but so does a smile."
"I see. You're hired."
xxxx
/September 20, 2015/
Gendo decided to be honest. "He's good at haggling."
Shinji didn't quite know what to make of that answer.
Ignoring his son's bewilderment, Gendo continued with the introductions. With another flash, the PDA revealed another woman. This one was far more petite than Shiori Aoba, her rounder face bearing a happy smile. Her dark brown eyes matched the color of her thick hair; her hair reached down to the back of the neck, whilst her bangs curled over the forehead, parting right above the left eye. Her figure, albeit feminine in nature, was very slim; despite wearing the same uniform as Shiori (with the exception of the boots, which mirrored Hyuga's), she didn't quite fill it out as much, so to speak. "Lieutenant Maya Ibuki: Computer Science Officer and Sub-Director of NERV's Technical Branch."
"Calibration's done!"
Both father and son looked up to see a pair of slim, white-clad legs dangling out of the Entry Plug. Shinji briefly smiled at the sound of the voice, which was smooth and quite delicate in nature. Perhaps another female coworker? Hopefully one less insane than the others he had personally met already?
"Well done Lieutenant Ibuki," acknowledged Gendo.
Ibuki? Is this Maya?
As the Lieutenant stepped out of the Entry Plug, Shinji took in her appearance; same uniform, same feminine build. She seemed a little less curvy than the picture on the PDA had indicated, but photos were photos. Besides, the difference was rather minuscule to begin with-
"Shinji." The boy' is thoughts were interrupted by Gendo, who was motioning toward the approaching Lieutenant. "This is Lieutenant Miyata Ibuki: Chief of Engineering and Vice-Director of NERV's Technical Branch."
"A pleasure to meet you!" said Miyata, acting as pleasant as could be.
Shinji stared.
He looked back at the picture of Maya Ibuki. Then he looked back at Miyata Ibuki. Back to Maya's picture. Back to Miyata. Maya. Miyata. "…uh…"
"Before you ask, we're twins."
"Oh." Shinji, having hit his Weirdness Quotient for the day, deciding to risk going further. "…then what's with the uniform?" He had noticed the pattern with the pictures; the tight white pants seemed to be for female officers. However, the brown boots – similar to Hyuga's and Maya's – had no discernible pattern to their use.
Miyata sighed remorsefully, as if used to such confusion. "One of my job requirements as Vice-Director of the Technical Branch, I have to say."
Shinji resisted the urge to ask about what kind of place the Technical Branch was. Then he recalled a particular detail. "Wait…Vice-Director? Then if Maya's the Sub-Director…" Shinji groaned, feeling a ludicrous explanation coming on.
"Akagi-senpai pretty much made the positions up out of whole cloth so she could claim Maya and myself as assistants." Miyata shrugged, having accepted his situation a long time ago. "It's been a rewarding experience so far!"
Dr. Akagi's assistants? He looked back and forth between Miyata and Maya's picture, trying to visualize such cheerful-looking people assisting that madwoman. Then he recalled another detail. "If Dr. Akagi is the Chief of the Technical Branch…"
"Yes?"
"…she makes you wear those pants?"
Another sigh. Miyata seemed used to this line of questioning. "Well, Akagi-senpai insisted. The pants are standard-issue for the women, whilst the boots are standard-issue for the men."
"…why?"
"Well…"
xxxx
/June 2011/
/Ritsuko's Laboratory, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Dr. Ritsuko Akagi stared intently at the two new employees in front of her. Both of them had been transferred over to the Technical Branch. Maya Ibuki and Miyata Ibuki. Looking back and forth between the identical twins – each clad in the uniform tailored for their respective sex – Ritsuko recalled various details from their resume. "So…Maya prefers software and Miyata prefers hardware, hmm?"
"Yes ma'am!" answered the Ibuki Twins. Miyata added, "I specialize in electrical engineering in particular, ma'am!"
"Got it, got it…" Ritsuko mulled over the possibilities that these two presented her. Able assistants, each one clearly capable in their field. They had potential, that they did. "Hmm." The Head of Project E turned on her heel and left the lab.
Maya and Miyata blinked. Finally, the former groaned. "You shouldn't have added that at the end…"
"I like being helpful."
"She's read our resumes, she knows what we specialize in. Why annoy her with information she's already been given?"
"Because it shows initiative!"
"Or she could be angry that you tried to shoehorn yourself into your preferred field despite being a rookie."
"Now you're just nitpicking, sis."
"Well bro, rookies should know to keep their heads down!"
Dr. Akagi was back. The twins looked at the objects that she held in her hands; namely, a pair of standard-issue boots for male employees and the white, standard-issue pants for female employees. "You will wear these," ordered Ritsuko, handing the boots to Maya. "And you will wear these." She handed the pants to Miyata.
Miyata and Maya blinked, somewhat intrigued (and confused) by the demand. "Uh…" Maya raised her hand. "Dr. Akagi-?"
"You will do this. Or else!" Their new boss suddenly grinned in a manner that was both delightful and genuinely creepy. "Yes, 'or else', my new guinea pigs. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN DEATH BY RANDALL!"
The Ibuki Twins looked toward each other with fear, a sense of doom smothering all of their good cheer.
xxxx
/September 20, 2015/
"…and you work for her because…?"
Miyata casually shrugged off Shinji's incredulity. "We got used to it. After all, we ARE working on the cutting edge here at NERV. Besides, the pay's good…though, people still get the two of us mixed up on occasion." 'Occasion' meaning every single day. The two twins looked so alike that it was frightening; the mere word 'twin' was not enough to do justice to their similarity. Miyata had lost count of how many times a guy had hit on him; Maya likewise had lost how many times a girl had hit on her. The rough count by now was in the 400s.
"Father." Shinji turned towards Gendo, feeling a bit of empathy for Miyata; after all, he knew what it was like to be dealing with a somewhat overbearing female (coughAnnettecough). Although to be fair, his cousin had had the advantage of being demonstrably sane. "Can't you order Dr. Akagi to let them wear the normal uniforms?" True, he certainly did sympathize for them; they were assistants with a patently bipolar scientist. However, no man should have to wear such tight pants. Even if they did fit disturbingly well.
"Both Lieutenants Ibuki and Ibuki are used to the requirements placed upon them by Dr. Akagi. Better to keep her satisfied than to have her complaining." Gendo decided to be honest again, if only to reinforce his image as a somewhat loony individual. "Besides, I find it amusing."
Shinji and Miyata stared at the Professor
"You know it is."
Shinji and Miyata turned toward each other. Finally...
"Well…kind of," sheepishly admitted Shinji.
"A little," muttered Miyata.
"At any rate, we have an Angel to fight."
"Right Professor!" Miyata, stirred out of his self-admonishment session, quickly pulled out a headset from a bag in his jacket: small, elliptical pods that bore various points and indentations on a single side were banded together by a thin strip. "Here, hold still."
Shinji blinked as Lieutenant Ibuki placed the headset on and affixed the gray pods to his head, briefly wincing at the chill of the cool metal on his skin. "What are these?"
"A10 nerve connectors."
"Huh?"
"They help synchronize the Pilot with the Evangelion. They serve as an interface between your cranial nerves and the nervous system of the Evangelion!" helpfully explained Miyata.
'Helpfully' being a relative term, of course. "Huh?"
"Essentially, you move the Evangelion by 'thinking' at it," elaborated Gendo.
"Oh. That sounds…pretty cool, actually." A giant robot that moved according to his thoughts? Regardless of how insane NERV seemed to be, that was straight-up awesome. Annette would be seething with jealousy when she found out. "Is there anything else I need to know?"
"The Entry Plug will be flooded with LCL to assist with piloting."
Shinji glanced at Miyata. "LCL?"
"Link Connect Liquid! A hyper-oxygenated liquid that fills the entire Entry Plug, providing the medium by which your thoughts interface with the nervous system of the Evangelion. It also serves as a buffer for the Pilot itself, sort of like CSF for a human brain!"
Shinji stared. "…uh…"
"What Lieutenant Ibuki is saying is that LCL is a cushioning liquid that you can breathe."
Shinji turned toward his father. "Why not just use…you know, air?"
"The theoretical capabilities of an Evangelion include speeds beyond that of Mach 1." Gendo pushed his shades up with his index and middle finger, simply for the sake of the dramatic image. "Notwithstanding the high probability of getting into close-quarters combat with the Angels, the Pilot being reduced to a sack of boneless flesh from simply moving the Evangelion is not something we want happening. Hence the LCL: it provides protection for the Pilot. Besides, as Lieutenant Ibuki said, it is the primary means by which your mind connects to the Evangelion."
"…I see." Shinji mentally chewed on the idea. So LCL is a liquid I can breathe, it apparently 'connects' me to the Evangelion…and it also keeps me from being turned to paste if I get hit. Shinji was understandably pleased at the idea of not dying from a single blow. Or from actually moving the mecha. "…neat."
"I know!" exclaimed Miyata. "Akagi-senpai wanted to call it something else though, but the Professor settled on Link Connect Liquid."
"It accurately describes the function of the material. I.E. it sounds scientific." And despite all images to the contrary, Gendo WAS a scientist with a Ph.D in metaphysical biology. It was practically required that he say something scientific every once in a while. "Besides, Dr. Akagi's objections weren't sufficient to overrule my decision." Her lamentations regarding the 'outage of fanboys over an incorrect acronym' and the 'foolish defiance of death and rebirth' had been summarily dismissed.
Besides; he liked Tang, and LCL was most definitely not Tang, no matter how much Dr. Akagi insisted otherwise. Alas, there was no time to muse on such things. "Lieutenant Ibuki, get to your terminal."
"Sir, yes sir!" Miyata promptly slapped Shinji on the back before taking off. "Good luck Ikari-kun!"
Shinji watched as Miyata took off (wincing, sure that there was now an imprint in his back) before turning to his father. "You've hired the craziest people I've ever seen."
"And they're the best at what they do. As I'm sure you can attest, they also made for the most unique welcoming committee of all time. I win no matter how you look at it." Gendo Ikari helped Shinji situate himself into the Entry Plug; the inside of it was rather bare, possessing only a bulky seat for the Pilot to sit in. Thick handles were situated above the slots where the legs would go; for all intents and purposes, it bore a greater resemblance to an arcade machine than a cockpit for a machine of war. "Take a seat."
Shinji obediently set foot into the Entry Plug, positioning himself into the seat. Given the sheer size difference, it suddenly seemed silly for him to be in there. "So…what now?"
"We'll be with you every step of the way." Gendo grabbed onto the hatch of the Entry Plug, staring intently at his son, trying not to imagine the cylinder as an elaborate coffin. "I'll see you again."
Shinji gulped, suddenly feeling the anxiety return. With no more weirdness, no more insanity, no more strange employees…there was only the impending battle against the Angel. "…s…so will I."
What else could be said? To say anything else would fracture all the confidence he had built up to that point.
Professor Ikari nodded before shutting the hatch, locking it into place with a twist and a click of the handle. The sound of the hatch being shut echoed with a telling finality, one that he wholeheartedly ignored. There was no time to dwell on how dangerous this was.
He watched briefly as the hydraulic arm transferred the Entry Plug away, taking it towards Unit-01. Keep him safe Yui.
With a flap of his cloak, Gendo Ikari turned and departed for the Operations Deck.
xxxx
Just calm down.
Shinji Ikari was unsuccessful at getting his heart to stop pounding.
Not that one could blame him, given that he was about to go into battle against an Angel.
Just calm down!
"Coolant has now been leaked!"
Shinji yelped at the sudden voice breaking through the Entry Plug's speakers.
"Preliminary hardware specs read normal!"
Another voice.
"Cage now in position for docking!"
Were those technicians? Had they decided to let Shinji in on the whole activation process?
"Signal terminator has been ejected. Now inserting the Entry Plug!"
Though Shinji felt the physical movement of the Entry Plug, he couldn't see what was happening; Unit-01's armor had shifted away, revealing an insertion point for the Plug near the back of the neck. Once the hydraulic arm had inserted the Plug, Unit-01's external hardware took care of the rest, screwing the Plug deeply into its spine. Shinji was unaware of this twisting; the actual innards of the Entry Plug were built within a swivel, which the outer shell of the Entry Plug used to twist around without disturbing the Pilot. After the insertion was completed, the swivel locked into place.
"Plug, locked in place!"
Shinji gulped as the Plug shifted once more, unaware of the Evangelion's armor locking back over it.
"Connecting Unit-01!"
Shinji recognized that voice. Ibuki-san? The red lights suddenly shifted colors, changing to yellow and blue and green and back again before settling on fluorescent light. The polished surface of the Entry Plug nearly glowed under the bright light.
"Shinji-kun!"
Shinji blinked. "Er, Misato-san?"
"Were you told about LCL?"
"Y-Yes ma'am."
"Oh good! Try and get it all in a single gulp! Holding your breath just makes it worse. Just ask Rei!"
"Er…"
"Filling the Entry Plug."
Shinji had no time to ponder how similar that voice sounded to Miyata Ibuki before a liquid, colored a strange fusion of orange and amber, began to fill the cockpit. Shinji, despite knowing he wouldn't drown, couldn't help but impulsively hold his breath. This is crazy, this is crazy, this is so freakin' CRAZY!
"Just breathe the LCL Shinji," admonished Dr. Akagi in a very matter-of-fact tone. "It'll be better to just get it over with."
Don't breathe it in don't breathe it in don't breathe it in-!
"BLARGH!"
Shinji grimaced at the odd taste in his mouth, almost forgetting the fact that he wasn't drowning. "This stuff…tastes icky…"
Ritsuko grumbled dramatically. "I told you that we should've put orange flavoring in there! But would anyone LISTEN?"
"Akagi-senpai, we still haven't developed a compound that can do that without negatively altering the chemical properties of LCL."
"Good point Maya!"
"I'm Miyata."
"YOU'RE STILL JUST AS PRETTY!" roared Ritsuko.
"Thank you for the compliment senpai!"
"Shut up Maya!"
There was distinct sound of a young woman's whimper. It was a dead-on impression of a wounded puppy.
Suddenly, the odd taste of LCL didn't really bother Shinji. He didn't know whether to be grateful for the distracting antics of Dr. Akagi…or to lament the fact that he was entrusting his life to people like her.
"Enough with the peanut gallery!" roared Misato. "Continue the activation process."
"Connecting main power!" Klaxons wailed and yellow lights flashed as a mobile hydraulic platform connected Unit-01 to the Geofront's main power grid. The actual link, oddly enough, resembled the handle of a gas pump, with the pump itself inserted into the Evangelion's back. "All circuits are transmitting!"
Miyata's voice echoed once more. "Connecting secondary contacts!"
An electrical current rushed through the LCL, initiating an instantaneous phase shift. Shinji stared in stunned silence as the liquid suddenly took on the properties of air: just as transparent, just as thin, and just as resistant (i.e. not very). Were it not for the bubbles that leaked from his mouth, he wouldn't have known he was submerged. "Whoa…"
Then the acid trip began. So to speak.
Shinji's eyes dazzled as sparks and pinpoints of light danced throughout the Entry Plug. The metal walls of the Plug shifted to an endless rainbow before mutating into a forest-green web of lines and curves that seemed to go on forever; at last, a wormhole of red encompassed the Plug before all went dark. Moments later, Shinji saw a familiar room; it was the chamber that Unit-01 was situated in.
"A10 nerve connectors are stable! Setting Language Interface for Japanese!"
Maya's voice initiated another brief flashback to just minutes before. The A10 nerve connectors…Miyata-san said they connect me to the Evangelion. The vantage point was unfamiliar, but the angle and position said it all. I'm looking through the eyes of Unit-01…
Cool.
"All preliminary contacts are stable! Performance is nominal!"
With adequate power and a connection established, the presence of Unit-01 finally made itself known.
Shinji Ikari felt a strange warmth encompass him. It wasn't uncomfortable or peculiar; heck, it wasn't even physical. It was emotional, to be ironically precise; an unexplainable but loving tenderness that eased his anxiety and made his heart sing with joy. It was an instinctive reaction that Shinji could never recall feeling. However, he knew intellectually that most children experienced this at some point in there life.
A mother's love.
Mother…
Shinji smiled as the remnants of Yui Ikari synchronized with his mind, intent on only one thing.
Protecting her baby.
xxxx
/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"Bi-directional circuits are open," stated Miyata, his eyes watching two wave patterns slowly syncing up. "Synchronization ratio is holding at…fifty-nine-point-eight percent."
It was akin to a rookie baseball player getting two home runs at his first two times at bat. Wonderful, yet wildly improbable. Dr. Akagi stared in astonishment at the screens, watching as the various nerve connections listed themselves. "Amazing…"
"Harmonics are normal," muttered Maya, eyes wide with surprise. "No disturbances and no mental contamination whatsoever."
"It seems that we can proceed then!" Ritsuko turned towards Misato. "The Evangelion is ready to deploy!"
"Right!" Misato Katsuragi turned towards Shiori Aoba's terminal. "Okay Lieutenant Aoba, there are a number of possible points of entry in downtown Tokyo-3. Where should we deploy him?"
Shiori looked thoughtfully at the numbered grid representing the region about Tokyo-3. Speaking in a husky yet feminine voice, she answered, "I'd wager either Duct 4B by the shopping district or Duct 2A, right near the rocket platform. Either choice gives him some distance from the Third Angel, while allowing him freedom to move-"
"Belay that order. Deploy Unit-01 to Duct 22G."
Misato and Shiori turned towards Professor Ikari, confusion in their eyes. "But sir..." Misato looked at the grid. "That deploys him on the base of Mt. Hakone. That's rather far away, isn't it?"
"He needs a brief tutorial on operating Unit-01; emerging on the surface right in front of the Angel is counterproductive in that regard. That being said, the Ducts of the 22nd Ring are the ones farthest from Tokyo-3 that still possess access by roadway." Staring impassively at the image of the Third Angel taking out another Defender Gundam, he finished, "Until the Third Child is capable of freely manipulating Unit-01's AT-Field, I'd rather he not sink into the ground with every step." After all, being over one-hundred and forty feet tall and weighing well over three thousand tons, an Evangelion without use of the AT-Field was simply too massive to walk upon surfaces that weren't heavily reinforced.
"SOMEONE STILL RESPECTS PHYSICS!" exclaimed Dr. Akagi, her monocle projecting the image of celebratory fireworks. "But given this crew, that shall be rectified shortly. PROBABLY BY ME! AHAHAHAHA!"
"Understood sir." Misato, ignoring Ritsuko's abrupt mood swing, quickly opened a communications link to the Entry Plug of Unit-01. On the holographic grid hanging in the air, an image appeared of Shinji, sitting in silence with a small smile on his face. He sure seems awfully cheerful. Maybe the Professor's good with pep talks? "Shinji!"
The Third Child was visibly startled, as if awoken out of a pleasant daydream. "Er, uh, yes ma'am?"
"We're going to deploy you outside of Tokyo-3, so you can get used to moving the Eva."
"Eva? Is that shorthand for Evangelion?"
"Indeed! The ultimate 'screw you' by mankind is also acceptable."
Shinji stared at Dr. Akagi. "…okay…"
"BEGIN LAUNCH SEQUENCE!" roared Misato.
Makoto Hyuga monitored the various affirmations by the technicians in Lymph Node-A, checking off the list as it went. "Primary lock bolts and umbilical bridge have been removed! Secondary lock bolts are now removed, as are the primary and secondary restraints. Removing tertiary lock bolts; batteries are being reported as fully charged!"
"My terminal reads the same. Unit-01 is ready to move!" stated Miyata.
Maya performed one last systems check. "All systems are go. Now moving Unit-01 to the launch pad."
Misato smiled. Like a well-oiled machine.
Shinji suddenly blinked as he felt movement; the Evangelion's Cage – the thick support apparatus that it was currently locked to – was being transported by rail. "What's going on?"
"Unit-01 is being moved the Launch Bay. The catapult is magnetically-propelled, so you'll be up on the surface in no time!" explained Misato.
Shinji frowned at the phrase 'magnetically-propelled'. It brought to mind memories of his father's…unconventional method of delivering a message. "That sounds…like it'll be fast."
"Just think of it as the world's fastest roller coaster. You could hold your hands up and scream if you'd like."
Shinji stared pointedly in response to Gendo's suggestion. "I'll…consider it." Unit-01 slowed to a halt, sliding into one of the multiple launch pads. The Cage locked into place as a magnetic charge built up; the various gates blocking the path to Duct 22G began opening.
"Launch pad is clear, and all gates are open. Unit-01 is ready for launch!" Misato turned towards her superiors. "By your command, Professor."
Kozou sighed as he took in the image of Shinji, steeling himself for what was to come, obviously emboldened by the presence within Unit-01. "Are you truly ready for this, Gendo?"
"Of course Fuyutsuki. If we don't defeat the Angels, we have no future." Gendo smirked as he pushed his shades back up. Now for the dramatic proclamation. All the practice would be worth it; with his right arm extending forward – palm spread out – and the other thrusting backward, his cloak splayed open as if caught by a gust of wind. Perfect for a scene that was sure to be repeated again and again. "LAUNCH THE EVANGELION!"
xxxx
/Launch Bay, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Shinji Ikari felt a brief sensation of clamps releasing his feet before a blanket as heavy as an anvil began smothering him. That, coupled with the unpleasant sensation of his organs flattening themselves, was what he was feeling. "GAH!"
The magnetic rail that Unit-01 was affixed to ran along the surface of the Geofront's outer shell, tracing a great circle before branching off through a tunnel at one of the various rail junctions. Moments later, the Evangelion emerged into the open air, coming to a halt at the base of Mount Hakone. "Ergh…some roller coaster…" Shaking his head to clear his vision, Shinji looked around…and gaped. "Whoa…"
The night sky shimmered with stars, though their light was dimmed by the ambience of Tokyo-3 and the towns and cities throughout the region. From his perspective, the massive spotlights lighting the roadway ahead of him seemed positively puny, like gum balls to a grown-up. Speaking of grown-up…
He was tall.
A square suddenly popped up in Shinji's vision, once again revealing Misato. "You okay up there?"
"If that was a roller coaster, I want my money back."
"Sorry Shinji-kun, no refunds!"
Shinji groaned at Misato's joke.
"Releasing the safety locks on the right arm!" Miyata Ibuki's voice echoed through the Entry Plug. "Okay Ikari-kun, trying moving your right arm. The handlebars are sort of like…placebos, shall we say; they don't actually control the Evangelion, but they give you the illusion of control, which is critical. Remember, 'think' at it!"
Shinji promptly did so, part of his mind still basking in the aura of unadulterated affection that permeated the Entry Plug. Although he unconsciously manipulated the right handlebar to move the hand, it helped bridge the connection to his conscious mind. 'I think to move the hand' is all fine and dandy, but the actual motions made it concrete. After all, it was only natural to assume 'Move the right handlebar' translated to 'The right hand shall move'.
Lo and behold, it did. A tentative flexing of the wrist, a wiggling of the fingers, a raising of the elbow.
Shinji looked with awe at the arm; to those observing the Evangelion, it looked as if Unit-01 was inspecting its own arm. A fist of purple with cornflower blue fingers and orange knuckles changed to a black arm with bright green strips; a ring of green about the bicep signaled another change to purple before meeting the shoulder, which bore the massive rectangular pylons – colored black with bright green tips – that had been seen earlier in the main chamber. "It's moving…"
Shinji thought about looking down, and so he did. The Evangelion's torso was entirely black, with a cornflower blue plates over the pectroals and purple locks holding them in place. The rest of the torso was protected by three V-shaped pieces of indigo metal that wrapped around the torso, with the lowest covering the waist much like a codpiece. The legs themselves were of equally human proportions, monoliths of violet metal with orange kneecaps and green plating over the feet.
A singular question came to mind. "What's with all the purple?"
"Because it's one of the colors that signifies death," answered Gendo.
"…then why not use white?" After all, that was the de facto color that symbolized death in Japanese culture.
"Already claimed by the Mark 06, and the possible option of red has also been claimed by Unit-02."
"The what? Are you saying there are other Evangelions? Why aren't they here?"
"Because the other Units are having finishing touches put on them, and we had no guarantee as to where the Angel would strike. Besides, purple is a perfectly manly color, if that's what you're concerned about."
"What the-? That's not why I…" Shinji sighed. He wasn't going to get a meaningful answer at this rate. "Never mind."
"Release all safety locks!" commanded Misato.
At her behest, the Evangelion was released. Shinji blinked at the sudden feeling of gravity taking hold of him; it was as though his limbs were heavier, thicker. "Ergh…" Don't fall don't fall…stand straight, stand straight! After a few precarious moments, the Evangelion seemed to regain its balance. "Whew…"
"Good work! Now, while you get the feel for moving around, let's introduce you to the weaponry!" Misato looked off-camera. "Lieutenant Hyuga, what weapons do we have available for Unit-01?"
"At the moment, one Progressive Knife and the Mark II Handgun."
"Excellent!" Misato looked back towards Shinji. "Okay Shinji-kun, until we get the time for a proper demonstration of the Evangelion's systems, we'll be remotely opening your weapon compartments. In your left shoulder is the prog-knife, and in the right is the Mark II; let's start with the left."
At that moment, Shinji felt a slight tingle on his left shoulder; simultaneously, the left pylon flipped open, revealing a simple square handle. The boy tilted his head to see the handle, humming thoughtfully as he reached up with his right hand and pulled it out with a loud click. "Huh…" Looking at the blade, it looked like a Bowie knife, save for the fact that the blade itself was nearly twenty feet in length. "What's special about the knife?"
"It's a progressive knife! When activated, it vibrates at an incredibly high frequency, so much so that it can cut molecules!"
Shinji blinked at Miyata's explanation. "That's…really sharp."
Miyata chuckled. "I know!"
Shinji thought about flipping the knife around in his hand, switching from a forward hammer grip to a regular reverse grip and back again. The Evangelion simultaneously performed these actions flawlessly.
"Er…" Misato gulped, apparently watching Unit-01 through a camera outside Duct 22G. "Shinji-kun…be careful with the prog-knife, try not to drop it-!"
Shinji tossed it into the air. Flipping over and over, it slowly fell back down…being caught in a reverse grip. The teenager frowned at the sensation in his hand; despite the fact that the prog-knife easily weighed thousands of pounds, it only felt as if he were holding a 'human-sized' Bowie knife. "This is wild…"
"Um…wow." Misato's flabbergasted expression was a sight to see. "That…wasn't bad, actually. You sure are good with a knife, Shinji-kun!"
Shinji chuckled nervously. "Well…I have had some practice…"
"Oh?"
xxxx
/May 2013/
/Shoreline, Ruins of Okayama-1/
"SHINJI!"
"What's wrong Annette?"
"LANDSHARK!"
"…WHAT?"
"Quick, grab the machete!"
"What! WHY ME?"
The beast roared, and the children screamed.
xxxx
/September 20, 2015/
The ensuing silence, oddly enough, was rather deafening.
Shinji chuckled. "Yeah, that sort of thing tended to happen…"
"…okay, I must admit that I was wrong; you're definitely the son of Professor Ikari." Misato grinned in a manner befitting an imp."When this is over, I am hearing the rest of that story!"
Shinji slumped, groaning as he pondered whether or not to be proud that he was called his father's son.
CHYOOOM!
The sound jolted Shinji out of his introspection, forcing him to gaze beyond the foothills of Mt. Hakone. Tokyo-3 was barely out of his line of sight; the massive violet cross was not.
Misato scowled. "…okay, we're gonna have to improvise. Hyuga, lay out a path to Duct 15E. Maya, relay it to Unit-01!"
"Roger!"
Moments later, Shinji blinked as a trail of orange appeared, superimposed over the road towards Tokyo-3. "Huh?"
"This trail will lead you to another Duct where you can hook up to another umbilical cable. You'll need the extra length if you're going to engage the Angel." It seemed as if Misato were looking directly into Shinji's eyes through the video link. "The defenses of Tokyo-3 will be aiding you, and the Defender Gundams under the command of the P2 System will also be pitching in."
"…you have Gundams too?"
"We're NERV."
Strangely enough, that explained it all. Using mobile weapons that had been denigrated by most militaries seemed like a quintessential 'Gendo' move.
"All I can ask is that you don't die, okay?"
"U-Understood, Misato-san…" Shinji gulped. 'Don't die.' Nice thought. A reassuring caress seemed to envelope him, easing his fear. I'll be okay…I'll be okay…I won't run away…
"Allow me to add one more order for when you meet the Angel."
Shinji looked up, seeing his father's face in the video grid. His hands were folded in front of his face, hiding all features. In particular, the lights of the Operations Deck were reflecting off of his orange shades, making him look like a stereotypical evildoer from an old anime. "Er…yes father?"
"...kick its ass."
Shinji impulsively snickered; after having lived with Aunt Alicia and Uncle Tomoe for so long, a parental figure saying something so juvenile was downright hilarious. It certainly lightened the mood. "Yes sir!" Gripping the handles tightly, Shinji steeled himself for the upcoming battle. "I'm moving out!"
With a lumbering stride, the Evangelion advanced.
xxxx
CURIOUS.
The [intelligence/coordinator] was withdrawing the remaining entities. In all probability, it was acting in [conjunction/accord/synchronicity] with the entity that had just emerged from the 'Black Moon'.
The most [peculiar/fascinating] thing was that this entity lived on multiple planes of existence. HOW INTRIGUING. HAVE YOU LILIM MANAGED TO [CRAFT/BIRTH/MANIFEST] AN ENTITY [COMPARABLE/EQUAL/CONGRUENT] TO ME?
The entity was approaching slowly; although of a much larger scale than the previous [nuisances/pests/trivialities], the most intriguing facet was how much of the entity was present in Sachiel's multi-dimensional perception. The sheer amount of [energy/essence/life] that the creature exuded was actually pressing [down/against/upon] the lattice that the universal contours traveled over.
PERHAPS YOU HAVE [APPROPRIATED/STOLEN/LEARNED] THE TECHNOLOGY OF YOUR [CREATOR/MOTHER/SOURCE]. Such an enterprising species, if that were the case.
Suddenly, the entity began to speed up. Briefly localizing its senses to the lesser perceptions of the Lilim, the entity appeared to Sachiel as a violet giant, now running at high speed.
THERE IS TO BE A CONFRONTATION THEN. I SHALL [BREAK/END/ANNIHILATE/SUNDER] YOU AS WELL.
The entity was there, but now was here. The Light of its Soul suddenly felt a [foreigner/intruder/attacker] infringe upon it. A strange sense of ethereal violation came upon Sachiel before an uppercut sent it airborne.
[INDECIPHERABLE] CREATURE! YOU DARE [ABRIDGE/DEADEN/BREACH] THE LIGHT OF MY SOUL?
The Third Angel landed on its feet. A litany of oaths dedicated to the destruction of this newcomer and its [creator/source/inventor] manifested as a piercing howl that rattled Tokyo-3, right before its eyes glowed.
CHYOOOM!
xxxx
Shinji Ikari had never quite gotten over his misgivings regarding this whole idea.
Though he had known about the eventual return of the Angels, and why he – and he in particular – had to fight, the doubt and fear had dug in, clawing out a spot in the back of his thoughts. Even when his father and his new coworkers had distracted him with their various quirks and inanities, it had remained like a stubborn weed. Even the warm presence of his mother within Unit-01 hadn't completely smothered it.
That weed blossomed and grew the moment a cross of energy impacted Unit-01 in the chest.
"AAAAAAGH!" A burning sensation gripped his chest, coupled with a distinctly weightless feeling as Unit-01 sailed through the air. The Evangelion landed on its back and slid; in perfect synchronization, Shinji felt a dull scrape across his back. That hurt…that hurt…
"SHINJI-KUN!" screamed Misato. "GET UP!"
That really hurt…
The Third Angel was upon him, holding him in the air with both hands. The beast's elongated fingers wrapped around his wrists, and began to pull.
…but…
Unit-01 seemed to murmur as the Angel's arms flexed. The limbs bulged, as if spontaneously growing muscles.
…I've been hurt before!
Unit-01 curled both legs upward.
POW!
A thrust kick with both feet sent Sachiel flying.
Shinji grimaced as Unit-01 wobbled on its feet; even though the strength and power of the Angel would've annihilated any human, the Evangelion seemed to shrug it off relatively quickly. To Shinji, the pain, though great, was not as bad as he had expected it to be. True, he would later question (vociferously) his father on the wisdom of having the Pilot experience the Evangelion's pain. He would also question whether or not the Evangelion actually qualified as a 'giant robot'.
Now? He was marveling at the fact that he had sent a giant monster flying. I can do this…I can do this…I can do this!
Unit-01 clutched the progressive knife tightly before charging.
The Third Angel was getting back to its feet right as Unit-01 slammed into it, stabbing at the giant red sphere embedded into the Angel. The Angel let loose a dull growl, as though irritated by his efforts. A distinct smell of ozone lingered as the space about the otherworldly beast shifted.
An orange field of concentric hexagons flashed, blasting the Evangelion backwards.
"It's an AT Field!"
Shinji had no time to ponder Ritsuko's proclamation. All he knew was that it was in the way. I won't run away…I didn't come here just to run away…! With a frustrated howl, the Evangelion pounded on the seemingly impenetrable wall.
let
Shinji grimaced as he tried to pierce the AT Field with his prog-knife. It wasn't even budging!
me
The warmth was returning. Shinji kept pressing forward, confidence surging in synchronicity with the growing presence of his mother's remnants.
help
"Sync ratio is rising!" The voice of Maya didn't quite register. "It's at SEVENTY PERCENT!"
YOU
The phase space of the Angel's AT Field wobbled and weakened; the progressive knife slid right through.
The Angel's ensuing warble indicated, for lack of a better term, absolute shock.
Wasting no time, the Angel moved forward, clutching Unit-01's head with both hands. With a foreboding sound, both lances retracted.
BOOM!
The Third Angel's upper body vanished in a flash of fire and smoke as the remaining Defender Gundams opened fire, bearing rocket launchers proportional to their size. At the same time, various artillery cannons and rocket platforms opened fire, showering the Angel with a sample of mankind's deadly arsenal.
Taking the opportunity, Unit-01 stabbed the Angel's wrists with the prog-knife.
Misato's voice suddenly rang out. "Opening the right pylon! Grab the Mark II!"
Shinji reached up with his left hand, pulling out a large matte-gray pistol by the grip. It looked similar in design to a Desert Eagle (not that Shinji would know), save for the fact that each bullet was the size of a large sedan. I've never really fired a handgun before…
Then again, he was really close; aiming wasn't really an issue, right?
…always a first time for everything!
Shinji pressed the handgun against the large red sphere and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The large projectile bounced off of the sphere. Am I doing anything?
yes
"That's the Angel's core! Keep hitting it!" yelled Misato.
don't worry
"Roger!" Shinji aimed and pulled the trigger again.
Bang!
The shrill titter that emanated from the Angel was a sick parody of a human's scream. With a lumbering twist of its torso, the beast retracted its arms, the prog-knife sliding out of the wrists with an audible splurch as purple blood leaked from shredded flesh.
The Angel's eyes glowed-
POW!
Unit-01's fist smashed into the Angel's face, halting its attempted attack with the energy cross. Not to be deterred, the creature raised both arms and aimed them at the mecha's chest.
KREEEN!
Twin lances of violet slammed into Unit-01, cracking the breastplate. To Shinji, it felt as if someone had just thrown baseballs at point-blank speed at his ribs.
It only made him roar. "My cousin hits harder than you!" Unit-01 stabbed the prog-knife into the Angel's mask, embedding it deep into the flesh.
The Third Angel responded by smacking Unit-01 in the face with the back of its hand, sending the Evangelion into a nearby office building.
Shinji grimaced, almost unmindful of the dull pain simmering across his face. The pain seemed fresher, sharper; on the other hand, the entire experience of piloting was that much clearer, that much more in focus. The ever-present maternal warmth, by this point, had completely inundated the Entry Plug. I won't run away…I won't turn back…
i'm here for you
I…
The Angel advanced, only for the Defender Gundams to strike at its legs in conjunction with another barrage of mortar fire.
don't be afraid
Won't…
Unit-01's eyes glowed.
Someone was screaming. "Sync ratio at EIGHTY PERCENT!"
LOSE!
The Evangelion's right hand curled into a fist before smashing into the red core. The shockwave from the sheer force of the blow caused the windows on the nearby buildings to shatter.
It also created a spider-web of cracks in the Angel's core.
Without hesitation, Shinji raised the Mark II handgun towards the core.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The core cracked and splintered into hundreds of pieces, remnants flowing out as a crimson tide before a bright white light emerged from within.
"Energy readings are spiking!"Misato's voice was panicked. "GET OUT OF THERE!"
xxxx
[INCONCEIVABLE/IMPOSSIBLE/ASTONISHING].
Sachiel's very essence was [compromised/fractured/defiled]. There was no longer any way to maintain a [stable/complete] form.
You have been defeated. [Unfortunate/Distressing/Alas].
Sachiel recognized the [voice/presence/mind] as that of its kin. [INDECIPHERABLE], LISTEN TO ME. THE LILIM HAVE A [WEAPON/CREATURE/ENTITY] THAT IS [COMPARABLE/EQUAL/CONGRUENT] TO US.
I will endeavor to inform the others when they [awaken/rise/manifest].
MY CURRENT FORM IS [COLLAPSING/IMPLODING/SHIFTING]. THE RELEASE OF ENERGY MIGHT DESTROY THIS [WEAPON/CREATURE/ENTITY].
Do not be afraid, [INDECIPHERABLE]. Your soul will return to our [Creator/Father/Source]; you will be [INDECIPHERABLE].
I WELCOME [PEACE/ABSOLUTION/SLEEP]; IT IS MY [WISH/DESIRE/GOAL] THAT ONE OF YOU AWAKEN [INDECIPHERABLE] FROM WHEREVER THE LILIM HAVE [BOUND/VEILED/SUPPRESSED] HIM.
Worry not. It is only a matter of time before we are [one/complete/united]. Until then…be at peace.
Sachiel acknowledged its defeat. However, in death, it found solace.
The Angel's limbs became slack, wrapping around and constricting Unit-01 in a deadly embrace as its core ignited.
DOOOOOOM!
A green crucifix brightened the night sky, marking the grave of the Third Angel.
xxxx
/Operations Deck, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
"Blue Pattern's gone; the Angel's been completely destroyed."
The entire bridge crew stared in stunned silence as the screen on the holographic grid was blanketed with white light.
"What's the status of Unit-01?" Misato stood over Maya's shoulder, eyes twitching with worry. "Is Shinji-kun okay?"
"The MAGI are still inconclusive. There's still too much ambient energy from the Third Angel to get a clear reading," replied Maya, voice thick with concern. After all, she had just witnessed the possible death of the Third Child.
Misato grimaced. It couldn't end like this. It just couldn't! "…Pen-Pen, can you get a clear visual?"
"Wark."
"…nothing yet, huh?" Misato felt an odd twinge grip her heart. This can't be how it ends, is it?
Further behind, Gendo and Kozou calmly watched the suddenly solemn proceedings. The Sub-Director murmured, "Do you think he's okay?"
Gendo was quiet.
xxxx
it'll be okay
Silence.
xxxx
"Of course." Gendo thought it was interesting, how worried everyone seemed to be. For him, the outcome was a foregone conclusion. "There was never a doubt in my mind."
xxxx
don't worry…
Stirring.
xxxx
"After all, she would never let him die. Not if she could help it."
xxxx
you are NOT alone
A pained groan.
At last, he awoke.
xxxx
"We've got vital signs from the Entry Plug!" Miyata was downright ebullient. "He's alive!"
A cheer went up throughout the Operations Deck. The image finally cleared, revealing a kneeling Unit-01, arms crossed over its head. The armor of the mighty mecha was charred and cracked, as though a bomb had gone off right in front of it. Which, to be truthful, was a suitable explanation for what had just happened.
"Put the Pilot on screen!" ordered Misato, a confident and happy grin on her face. The Angel was defeated! They CAN be defeated! And our rookie didn't even die! Her evening was looking better and better.
Moments later, a video screen of Unit-01's Entry Plug appeared on the grid, revealing a somewhat bewildered and weary-looking Shinji Ikari. "So Shinji-kun, how're you doing up there?"
"…I feel…tired…"
"To be expected. You just beat the Third Angel after all!"
"I…I did?" Shinji blinked, as though suddenly waking up from a dream. "That…all happened?"
"Yep! You're a bona-fide hero!"
Another round of cheers erupted from the technicians and the various officers, prompting Shinji to nervously chuckle. "Well…thanks…I mean…" The Third Child yawned as the combat-induced adrenaline rush faded. Coupled with a downright exhausting day, he was on the verge of passing out. "…I had to do it…had to fight…" The boy's words drifted off into an incomprehensible slur, sleep finally taking him. The Evangelion's eyes immediately dimmed as the sync ratio plummeted.
Dr. Akagi smirked. "An enterprising specimen! He's done…marvelously well. There shall be SCIENCE to do!"
"Give the kid a break before you traumatize him," reprimanded Misato. "Aoba, have a medical team extract the Third Child. Hyuga, you're in charge of retrieving Unit-01." The Lieutenant Colonel ruffled her hair before walking towards the exit. "Everyone else is free to do whatever. I'm going to prepare a victory party for our new Pilot!"
Gendo and Kozou stared as the Operations Director departed with a skip in her step. Fuyutsuki couldn't help but smile. "She seems to have taken quite a liking to your boy."
"That's why I've decided that she'll be Shinji's caretaker."
Kozou stared at his old pupil's face, expression hidden by folded hands. "Why Katsuragi?"
"My duties as Supreme Commander of NERV require long hours. You know this; I don't think he'll appreciate being alone at my relatively empty apartment. It's not like I won't visit."
"No, I mean, why her?"
"You are equally busy, Aoba is too axe-crazy, Dr. Akagi is too liable to experiment on him, and the Twins are sycophants to the person liable to experiment on him."
"What about Lieutenant Hyuga? He's rather well-adjusted amongst the senior staff."
"He's too normal."
Kozou Fuyutsuki resisted the urge to sigh.
"Katsuragi is capable of being a mostly-responsible caretaker, and her life is just crazy enough to help Shinji acclimate to his new line of work."
"If you say so."
Gendo chuckled in response, all the while watching the holographic grid; the primary maintenance crews began to converge on Unit-01. "I know so. This is only the beginning."
xxxx
/Medical Ward, NERV-1, Tokyo-3/
Sergeant Rei Ayanami was somewhat conflicted as to her current opinion of the Third Child. Although confined to her room in the Medical Ward, she had been able to witness Unit-01's battle via the wall-mounted television, which transmitted a large, open view of the Operations Deck. Not only had she witnessed the bridge crew's actions during a full-scale operation, but she had been able to see the video feed of Unit-01's battle against the Third Angel.
All in all, she had to say that he was…adequate. There was certainly potential, but he needed a lot of polish.
I will have to inquire as to whether the Professor will let me train him.
After all, it wouldn't do to have an Evangelion Pilot be unprepared. The Angels to come would not be so easily defeated.
xxxx
To be continued…
Next time…
Episode 3: Welcome to Tokyo-3 (Memories, Changed and Unchanged)
xxxx
Author's Note: Well, a lot of action here. Next chapter is somewhat of a breather; Shinji meets his new roommates, and has his first day of school! Wondrous!
See you soon, and please review!