Episode 3 – Home
After Second Impact, York-3 was built in the higher grounds of what was once known as New England. The city's namesake had sunk into the ocean. York-3 itself was a city in progress. NERV had a built it as a "fortress" to protect against the angels. When an angel would be detected, the city's building would sink into the geo-front where NERV's headquarters rested. Unfortunately, not all of the city was blessed with those capabilities and those citizens must worry in designated shelters.
York-3 was a home to many. The Gillian household was not. The home consisted of three men: David Gillian, Cullen Gillian, and Commander Daedalus Gillian. Friends of the boys often wondered how they got away with normal names unlike the father. This is considered by many to be a rare occasion of the man's mercy. The man was over-bearing and rarely smiled. He was devoted military officer and ran his house as such. Cullen and David, both fourteen years old, tried their best stay out of trouble, but often their best wasn't good enough. David felt more distant from his father, though. Cullen could occasionally carry a conversation, but David had never heard a "Good job" from his father.
David's brother, Cullen, was more outgoing. The boys less than a year separated, but David was the younger. Cullen did his best to compensate for their father's distance. Cullen was usually the one to persuade David into ditching chores to go to the arcade or the movies. David appreciated his older brother's charity as Davey had a hard time relating to the kids at school.
David did not look forward to school the next day. Though he had saved the world, it was at the cost of the safety of his schoolmates. No one knew he was the Eva pilot, as it was classified information, but they would no doubt be suspicious after he'd mysteriously disappeared from classes during training.
"Don't worry, bro." Cullen put his hand David's shoulder to comfort him as they made their morning walk to school. "Everything is going to be fine."
"If you say so."
"Bro, I know so. Man, nobody knows that you're the pilot. No scenes. No reason to get nervous. This'll be like any other day."
Despite his brother's comforting words, David felt no easier. He looked down at his feet as they stepped in front of one another and wondered why they did that. "The mechanics of walking are interesting," he thought.
The two walked into the schoolyard. Gossip was rampant.
"Did you the Johnson family? They lost their market."
"That's nothing. Did you hear about Joey Branham? He's in a coma in the hospital because he was hit by debris."
David desperately tried to protect his esteem by covering his ears, but it was no use. The sharp words pierced through his scrawny hands and lodged themselves in his thoughts.
"Yeah, you would think someone piloting something as big as that robot would no how to do it safely."
"Did you hear the Dwight family?"
"No."
"They lost their nine-month old son. The family was going to evacuate, but before they could reach their son the ceiling caved in on him."
Cullen tried to hold up his brother as David stiffened and dropped to his knees.
"Make it stop. Make them quit."
"David, just ignore th-"
David shot to his feet and darted toward the school building's front door. Cullen sadly watched him run into the building then turned to see the entire school yard had been watching the entire scene.
"What? I believe these are tough times on us all."
Cullen then gave chase to his younger brother.
David found sanctuary in a boys' bathroom stall. There he had a moment to recollect his thoughts. "What am I doing? Why am I doing this? Why do I have to pilot Eva? Why me? Why? Why do I have to do it if all I do is hurt people? Father, why did do this to me?"
David heard a rustling in the bathroom. Though he could not see, he knew it was Cullen clearing the room they could talk. The creaking of a stall was heard. "You're done now. Go to class." David forced a smile onto his face imagining Cullen throwing a kid out of the stall. David then heard a rapping at his door.
"Davy, are you in there?" asked Cullen from outside the stall.
"Yes."
"Are you actually doing something in there are you hogging the stall so I can't use it. I've got to go."
The brothers chuckled.
"Look, Davy, I can't think for you. I don't know what you saw in that thing. I wasn't there. I don't know what you did, but did it because you had to. You may have hurt some people, but saved a whole lot more. Those people are safe because of you."
The bell rings.
"Finish up, man. Class is starting."
Cullen leans away from the door and it opens. David walks out. Cullen places his hand on David's shoulder."
"Are you good to go?"
David nods.
"Okay, let's go to class. Don't forget to wash your hands."
David sat silently observing the class divert their attention from their teacher. The old fart didn't seem to care. He was "retiring" at the end of the year and if the children had no value in their future he didn't see it as his duty to force them to feel that way. He just read from textbook.
"Fifteen years ago during a routine experiment in the Antarctic, a meteorite crashed into the polar ice cap destroying everything in its path. Every member of the crew of scientists investigating the area was killed. The south polar ice caps melted. This upset the Earth's axis, thus creating abnormal weather patterns. This was the event known as 'Second Impact.'"
The students unfortunate to have been listening were witness to torture. A student in the back fell face first into his desk creating a loud thwack that echoed throughout the room. David spotted Cullen laying back in his seat and sleeping. The poor child sitting in front of the teacher looked like his soul had been reaped from body and had become a zombie. David continued to scan the room, ignoring the same lesson he'd heard for years, and stopped on a cute girl smiling back at him. The sudden cute smile startled the young boy, and she responded with a wave. Feeling embarrassed, David awkwardly waved back at her.
That night's dinner was like any other dinner at the Gillian household. Despite being an anti-social, Commander Gillian was a decent cook and the boys enjoyed a warm meal with only the sound of their inner thoughts to accompany them.
"David," said the father.
David's head sprung and his eyes widened in the hopes of a congratulations from his father. This was not that time.
"David, tomorrow you are going back to NERV. Dr. Oliver has some tests she wants run on Unit 01. We have to make sure you are ready for battle next time."
"You mean I have to pilot that thing again?" David shot out of his seat and slammed his hands on the dinner table upsetting the plates.
"Of course, David. You are the one and only pilot of Unit 01 and Unit 01 is all we have at this moment."
"Use the prototype! I'm sure there's someone willing to subject themselves through that hellish training I went through."
"David, you have not yet seen hell yet. There are a great many things to fear in this world and you experienced none of them in those seven days."
"What is I won't pilot it again?"
"You have no say. You will pilot it because you are the only one who can. Do I make myself clear?"
"No, nothing about this is clear. None of this makes sense. Why are you risking my life?"
Though he maintained a low voice as to not disrupt the neighbors, the boys watched as Daedulus' fist began to tighten into a fist. He was angry.
"If it is not within you to risk your life before risking humanity then do us all a favor and walk out that door. Never come back. If you want us to find another candidate, then we will, but I will not raise a son who will not protect his family and friends."
Commander Gillian stood and pointed to the front door of their modest home. David looked up at his father then at his brother. The Commander did not flinch. It was then that David could no longer hide his tears.
"If you are looking for empathy, I suggest you crawl into a cardboard box in an alley."
David furiously tried to wipe away his tears, but when one eye became dry the other would sob.
"Go, before this meal I made becomes soggy with your petty tears."
David hung his head and easily sat in his seat again. "May I be excused from the table? I'm not hungry anymore."
"You may."
David left the table and sought sanctuary within the confines of his room. There he laid on his bed while his brother and father finished their supper.
After dinner Cullen came knocking on David's door.
"David, I'm sorry about what happened at dinner."
David didn't answer.
"Hey, I understand. You know how dad is."
There was no response from inside the room.
"Look, I know I never let you borrow my stuff, but I just got the new issue of Voltage Man in my room and I'll let you have the first read. Come on! Talk to me."
Cullen placed his hand on the knob and swung the door open. Moments later Cullen ran into the den in a fright.
"Dad! Dad! It's David!"
The Commander slowly turned his head, but shown no concern.
"He's gone! David's run away!"
