"Three things cannot long stay hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth."
- Gautama Siddhartha, The Buddha
Chapter 2: The Emerald Beast and the Unfamiliar Ceiling
Shinji Jordan woke up looking at an unfamiliar ceiling. At first, his orientation was a little off after waking up so suddenly from a very deep sleep but then everything came back to him when he took in the sound of a heart monitor next to the bed and the sterile smell of disinfectant. He sat up and saw that he was in a completely white room and he was also dressed in a white hospital gown.
He lay back down knowing full well the events that took place last night.
Back inside NERV Headquarters and inside the docking bay where the Eva was being housed, Ritsuko Akagi and Misato Katsuragi were still in disbelief that after the battle the Eva was undamaged. Not even a single scratch on the purple paint.
"This doesn't make sense." Ritsuko said as she eyed the data on her clipboard. "We ran diagnostics inside and out of the Eva and there's no trace of the energy that we saw last night."
"I know, Ritsuko." Misato sighed. "We've been over this for the last, what? Several hours? We've turned up nothing. Maybe the Eva acted on its own."
"Preposterous." Ritsuko scoffed. "Even if it did act on its own; we would have data to go on but it's like the computers registered nothing. You and I and everyone else in the control room know what happened. We all saw it with our own eyes."
"You don't have to remind me. But I wonder how the public is taking it."
"Public scenario B-22 as we predicted."
"So we're covering up the truth again?"
"We don't even know what the truth is ourselves so really we are reporting the truth in some small way. But at least the PR people are happy. They finally have something to do."
"Yeah, but-"
"Doctor Akagi!" A worker called out from a nearby walkway.
"Yes?" Ritsuko answered.
"We just got a call from the hospital. The pilot has woken up."
"What's his condition?"
"They say he's fine." The worker answered. "Though he says he doesn't remember anything about what happened last night."
"You don't think it could be brain damage could you?" Misato asked in sharp concern like a mother wondering if her child had broken its arm.
"From what the hospital reported they say everything is healthy."
"Thank you." Ritsuko said as the worker dismissed himself.
Misato eyed Ritsuko and saw how she furrowed her brow. It must have been frustration that she won't get any answers but the other possibility was one that she voiced.
"You don't buy that he doesn't remember?" She asked.
"That part doesn't matter. At least the pilot is still alive and we can continue our fight."
"So the city is to become a battleground?"
"I'm afraid so."
Inside a darkened room a secret meeting was underway with Gendo Ikari and five other individuals. Every single one of them looked at the commander with narrow eyes of suspicion.
"We understand that you gave that toy to your son, is this true Ikari?"
"Correct."
"History does repeat itself when money and manpower are being wasted by you and your family. However, we also understand that there was an unknown incident that involved the Eva defeating the Angel and that NERV is still investigating."
"I can assure you all that it is being taken care of." Gendo said calmly.
"We don't want your assurance. We want results. If the Eva and your son are connected to this unknown incident we want to know about it. Despite how the Human Instrumentality Project should be your top priority this incident must also be taken into consideration since it might be used to our advantage. Which is why we want you to put your son under close surveillance."
"I shall handle it personally."
"There must also be the added consideration that since the Angels have become public knowledge NERV must take steps to handle the situation with utmost care. Especially if a similar unknown event were to take place."
"I understand."
"Given this we will also consider adjusting the budget to aid in the development costs of Unit Zero. The rest of the meeting doesn't concern you. Your presence was most appreciated."
Back at the NERV Hospital, Shinji was trying to occupy himself with very little success. The television in his room only displayed the public announcements that NERV had issued to the public. And there really was nothing to read or toy with. So really the only thing that he could do was sit and look out the window.
Finally, he got fidgety and got out of bed and was about to head into the hallway when he noticed a hospital bed being pushed by a nurse past his room. The person on it shocked Shinji. It was a young girl with blue hair. She had bandages on her arms as well as a patch over her right eye. But the one exposed eye was a very deep red that looked up at Shinji with indifference as if she were a lifeless doll looking at someone passing by her box on a toy store shelf.
Shinji said nothing but he heard a voice call out to him.
"Shinji?"
He turned and found Misato Katsuragi walking towards him.
"Welcome back to the land of the living." She smiled.
"Good to be back." Shinji smiled back.
"Here, you told me to hold onto this for you, so here it is." She handed him back his music player. Shinji took it but turned to look down the hall that the nurse and the blue-haired girl had passed him by.
"What is it?" Misato asked.
"There was this girl with blue-hair-"
"Oh, that's Rei Ayanami. She's another Eva pilot."
"Why was she bandaged up?"
"She was in an accident about a month ago while trying to pilot Eva Unit Zero."
Shinji looked back at Misato with concern in his expression.
"She'll be fine. We have the best doctors around here."
"Good."
"So, ready to go? You'll be discharged today."
"Ready when you are."
"Okay. By the way, do you know where you'll be staying?"
"Don't know."
"Hey, since Hal and Carol asked me to look after you, you can stay at my place."
"You sure about that?" Shinji cocked an eyebrow. "I thought you didn't go for younger guys."
Misato gave him a chug on the shoulder. "Nah, I just don't like the idea of a kid like you living alone."
"Alright."
Misato kept up her smile but she remembered a very horrible order.
"You want me to spy on Shinji?" Misato protested to Gendo Ikari.
"Correct." Gendo said with his same robotic coldness.
"How could you ask something like this? He's only a boy for Christ's sakes!"
"Captain." Gendo asserted his authority. "We need to know the exact events of last night. Given the damage our sensors took we cannot recall any data. And even though we saw the events on our screens our recording equipment picked up nothing. Our only option is the pilot and to find out what he knows."
"But he says he doesn't remember."
"We have reason to suspect otherwise. This is why I'm putting you in charge of surveillance of the pilot. Since he will be staying at your apartment this will give your an opportunity to observe him more closely."
"What's next? Are you going to try to use torture on him?"
"Captain. This is also an order."
"Yes, sir." Misato conceded.
Misato was driving Shinji back to her place when she made a suggestion. "I think we should have a party."
"For what?" Shinji asked.
"To celebrate the arrival of my new roommate."
"Is there going to be any weed?"
"What?"
"Gotcha again." Shinji smirked.
"Well, at least your sense of humor hasn't changed."
They had pulled into a local convenience store and picked up a lot of instant meals although Misato picked up quite a few cans of beer. In a way it did remind him of his father and how he sometimes did the same. Thankfully his mother would be the one to curb the drinking so that he wouldn't wake up the next morning puking. Shinji just hoped that he wouldn't have to do the same with Misato.
As they were paying for their items they overheard two women talking about how frightened they were that the city had become a battleground and that they were thinking of moving out to protect their own children. Shinji grew a very serious scowl on his face as he looked down.
That led to a rather uncomfortable silence between himself and Misato. And she had to break it.
"Hey, mind if I show you something?"
"What?"
"It's something very cool."
"Gasp." Shinji vocalized. "You're going to be funny? It's a miracle! Let's all hold hands and sing Kum-ba-yah."
"Oh hah-hah." Misato sneered. "But seriously I want to show you something."
They drove to a hillside that overlooked the city that seemed so empty and desolate like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie. And Shinji had seen many of those on Friday nights on the couch with his dad.
"Here we go." Misato said glancing at her watch.
Over the city a great siren blared and Shinji witnessed something that was both bizarre and awesome. Up from the ground there came buildings. They were growing upward like fast growing trees until at last he saw the city was filled with buildings.
"This city is a fortress designed to withstand the ages." Misato explained. "This is Tokyo-3. And it's the city that you had saved."
"Yes." Shinji said leaning against the guardrail. "Shame the people don't know it."
"So do you remember what happened?"
"Nope." Shinji shook his head. "Wish I did. Why? What happened?"
"We're not sure ourselves that's why I wanted to know myself."
"Well." Shinji scratched the back of his head. "If I do remember I'll be sure to tell you."
"Right. Now let's go home."
Home was a small corner apartment on the third floor. Shinji already figured out which room it was given the boxes that were stacked outside the door. Boxes that he and his parents had packed for him. It still pained him to remember them packing up his stuff and sending him to Japan. They wanted him to stay but the "request" for him to come superseded their legal rights as his adopted parents. And that made him hate Gendo Ikari even more.
Misato had told him that the apartment was a little messy and that was the grandest understatement that Shinji would hear for a while given how the apartment was littered with instant meal boxes, empty beer cans, and empty liquor bottles. As he surveyed it he thought to himself, if my mom only knew. She'd throw a fit to see me living in a place like this. Looks like I have my work cut out for me.
After eating dinner, being introduced to Misato's pet, a warmwater penguin that she named "Pen Pen", and dividing up the chores using paper-rock-scissors (to which Misato had lost most of the duels) she suggested that Shinji should take a bath. That in itself was an interesting event given that he was used to American bathrooms and he needed to remember how things were done in Japan: wash using the showerhead outside of the tub and bathe in the tub.
Upon exiting the bath and putting his boxes away in the room that Misato had given him he laid back listening to his music player and staring at another unfamiliar ceiling. He raised his right hand towards the ceiling and looked at the emerald ring that was given to him and still no one knew that he was wearing it. His father had told him that the ring could disguise itself and hide itself from the eyes of others.
He heard a knock at the door. It opened and it was Misato.
"Shinji? You still awake?" She asked.
"Yeah, I am." Shinji answered.
"I forgot to tell you something. You did something very good and very noble today. You should be proud. Good night, Shinji."
"Good night." Shinji said and the door closed.
As the door closed Shinji began opening up the stacked boxes in his room looking for something else that he knew that his father must have packed in them. At last he found it. A lantern that was emerald green all over.
"Thanks, dad." Shinji whispered. He held the ring up to the lanterns front. There was a flash of green light and then all was dark again. He wrapped the lantern in one of his shirts and slipped it underneath his bed. Upon lying down he started to wonder how long he could keep up his deception. He knew full well what happened last night and he thought back upon it staring at the unfamiliar ceiling.
"Are you ready, Shinji?" Misato had asked through the COM system.
"I'm ready when you are." Shinji responded with his hands on the controls and his eyes set upon the Angel in front of him.
"Final safety locks release!" Misato commanded. "Evangelion Unit One move out!"
Shinji could feel the rumble of the safety locks releasing the Eva. The robot had hunched forward awaiting its pilots' commands.
"Shinji, just concentrate on walking for now." Ritsuko instructed.
"Got it." Shinji responded. "Walk."
He tried to walk but the robot was so damned clunky. The first step forward was easy but when he made the second step forward the robot fell forward. Oddly enough Shinji felt no pull or push inside the cockpit when the robot fell face first into the street.
"Shinji! Get up!" Misato cried out. "You've got to get up!"
But events had moved too quickly for the Angel made the next move in picking the Eva up by its skull. It also grabbed onto the Eva's left arm and began to pull and twist on it. Shinji felt a crippling pain shoot through his arm as if it were about to be broken in half.
"Shinji! That's not your real arm!" Misato explained.
And then the Angel broke the arm. However, it wasn't the first time that Shinji had broken his arm. Once when he was nine he fell off a jungle gym and as he fell his arm came underneath him while his body landed on top of a steel bar. That sensation went beyond any kind of pain that he could recall at least until the Angel had broken the Eva's arm.
He then looked up and saw the red sphere in the monsters' hand start to glow a bright pink.
"SHINJI MOVE!" Misato screamed.
But he couldn't as a battering ram slammed against the Eva's head and consequently against Shinji's head. It felt like he was being kicked repeatedly by a steel toe boot.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
At last it broke through. The spear from the Angel's arm had broken through the skull and skewered it. The force of the blow had thrown the Eva backwards against a nearby building. It slumped forward and a red liquid began to erupt from both wounds like a double ended geyser.
Shinji was grasping onto the front of his head and looked at the Angel with fury. He pulled back his hand and looked at the ring. It was starting to glow an emerald light as it grew brighter and brighter he understood everything.
"In brightest day." He said. "In blackest night. No evil shall escape my sight. Let all those who worship evils might. Beware my power…GREEN LANTERNS LIGHT!"
All had become chaos inside the NERV command center.
"The power cable has been disconnected!" An operator shouted. "The Eva is now operating on battery power. Wait….new energy signature detected."
"Is it the Angel?" Ritsuko asked.
"Negative. It's coming from inside the Eva."
"What did you say?" Misato demanded.
"The energy signature is unlike anything we've detected. It's growing in power and-"
Before the operator could finish his sentence all the computer consoles in the Command Center began to spark and erupt in smoke, broken plastic, and shattered glass.
"Status report!" Misato ordered.
"Unknown." Another operator stated covering his eyes from the explosion.
"My god…" Ritsuko uttered as she looked up at the screen.
Misato looked as well and she couldn't believe what she was seeing on the monitors. The Eva was glowing. The light was a bright green hue that consumed every inch of its body. Most of the purple components became green, others became black, and the hands became white. In the center of its chest a strange symbol had appeared and shone in that same emerald hue.
.
Shinji sat in the cockpit with the green light of the ring all around him. He knew that the ring was powering himself and the Eva as well. Through the monitors he could see it had changed into that green hue and that made him look down at himself to see that he too had donned a similar suit of green, black, and white.
"I understand now, dad." Shinji said. "You were the Green Lantern. And now so am I."
He didn't grip onto the controls like he did before. Looking down at the left arm he saw that it was still limp from when the Angel had broken it. Giving it sheer concentration the emerald light had enveloped the arm and repaired it. Shinji moved his left arm and the Eva did likewise without any problems.
Using his own body as the controller he made the Eva get back to its feet and in a sphere of emerald light the Eva flew towards the Angel like a baseball being thrown to the catchers' mitt. Before it could lay a hand a great field of orange octagons spread outward from the Angel's face. Shinji tried to break through it but it was no use.
"Typical." He sneered. He raised his hands towards the orange force field and a battering ram made of green light materialized in the robots' grip. "Time for a taste of your own medicine, bitch."
The Eva took the emerald battering ram and slammed against the barrier that separated him from his enemy.
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
At last the field began to crack like glass until finally it shattered and there was nothing left of the orange force field. Shinji raised his hands and changed the object in the Eva's hands. This time he made it into the shape of a great spear and lunged it at the Angel's red core like it was the bulls' eye of a dart board. The red core had cracked and the spear was stuck. The Angel emitted a sound that could have been a cry of pure panic or desperation. For it threw itself forward and wrapped itself around the Eva.
"It's going to self-destruct!" Misato shrieked.
But there was nothing that could be done for the Angel had indeed self-destructed. It erupted in a great cross of purple light but far below there was something that no one had expected. The Eva was still standing amid the inferno of hot fire surrounded by that green light without as much as a scorch mark upon its surface.
That was when the Emerald light had vanished bringing the Eva back to its original purple self.
"Retrieve the Eva and the pilot." Gendo Ikari ordered.
It really was a great moment of glory for Shinji Jordan but he understood the implications of what had happened. As he thought about it he understood that his father had kept the secret for a long time. Most of what people knew about the Green Lantern was in news stories and gossip. And all that was lost with the Second Impact. All that was left was merely rumor and whispers of a time gone by. Not even Shinji recognized the ring when his father had given it to him. It was only after the ring began to glow that everything became clear. Almost like the ring had told him everything he needed to know.
He looked back at the ring and said to himself. "Things are now a little more complicated."
Next time:
Misato's voice: Despite the events with the First Angel, Shinji tries to continue a normal life but when it's discovered that he's an Eva pilot it brings a new kind of celebrity status along with hatred and resentment.
Carol's voice: What no fan service next time?
Misato's voice: Maybe and hey quit butting in on my job!
Emerald Genesis: Chapter 3 – School Days