Author's note: See first five Chapters for the disclaimer. Big 'Thank you' goes to GamerJay for betareading. People speaking German in this chapter, so texts in bold mean "language spoken on different language". I'm also trying Italics for emphasis rather than just CAPS too.
On a side note, I was under the impression Antarctica, the place where Robotnik first arrives was in North Pole instead of South Pole… I've corrected that for this and for future chapters and I am very sorry if it was shown on chapters before this one. I'll fix it if I find it as soon as I can.
As for the reviews I got, I would thank and answer them personally via private message but it seems the reviewers don't have accounts, so:
To Christian Ape99: Thank you for all the reviews and all the compliments. As for Misato, you'd be Shocked too if you saw a creature like Sonic in real life.
To JaMaL HaDes: Thank you for all the reviewss and I would update faster than every 10 days or so but unfortunately I do a lot of stuff, can't write faster than this... at least not yet, this is my first writing experience. Also, not many Eva Sonic cross over out there but still means a lot this is the best you have ever seen! Thank you!
To Christian Wolf99: Thank you for all the reviews, but I don't think I'll be introducing more Sonic Characters, if I do maybe it will be… no spoiling. But this Sonic is from the Games Universe, so no Rotor.
(SGE)
Chapter 10: Shadows closing in
Somewhere on the body of endless water that was the sea, somewhere in the middle of the pacific ocean, a plane carrier of model type and name 'Over the Rainbow' with qualifications and general properties and purposes classified by UN level documentation crossed the water alongside a support fleet capable of providing sea support with its warships and air support with the planes it carried to an entire country. Atypically, the fleet carrier in the middle had only a few aircrafts in its surface, for inside the general structure, inside the very bowels of the half a mile long carrier ship was a modified structure, modified to have a three hundred meter long fifteen meter wide and height space, meant to carry the most advanced weapon system known to men.
Placed in that space, lying face down and apparently dormant, a red titanic humanoid machine that filled the space of the carrier almost entirely, sitting on a puddle of LCL that went as high as its shoulder pylons.
Unit-02. Her Unit-02
"Is this thing really ready for activation?" Her smile was interrupted when she heard one of the many technicians passing by, asking another simpleton in German. She watched them traverse the platform below her in their yellow and white jump suits.
"Judging by the schedules and instructions given to all of us…" the other shrugged, answering in German.
The other scoffed. "Giant robots supposedly to defeat giant monsters. And the pilot is that annoying brat? I swear, if-"
The other technician cut him off, elbowing him and gesturing upward, to the platform she stood on, posture high, hands gripping the holding bar tightly.
She glared at them and the both of them scurried away like bugs.
Once they were out of sight, she smiled at herself, at the way she could make each and every one of these maggots scurry away while looking the other way, as if recognizing her superiority.
"Look away, you idiots. Like the peasants of old looked away from nobility," she snorted it out in perfect German, loud enough for the two techs and some other in the vicinity to hear.
She stood out in all the scenery. She was dressed in a grey dress with white collar and white shoes. Hair as a fiery red blaze flowing in the open bowels of the carrier, just by the gargantuan monster lying before her: Evangelion Unit-02.
Going back to admiring her Evangelion and the situation she was in, she smiled a cocky smile. She was an elite pilot of an elite weapon, bent on saving her world. She was literally the best of the best. Of course she was enjoying this voyage to Japan more than anything. Then she glanced at the clock on the wall, reading 9 PM.
It's time! It is TIME!
The thought crossed her head with childish glee and she hurried happily outside, to the deck she and her 'charming prince' made a promise. Already in her favorite dress, already in her best state since one hour before the time of her date, she was ready and willing. She was that eager to be with him.
Because she was ready an hour before, she had nothing to do but kill time until 9 PM, so she settled for staring at her dormant Evangelion Unit for some time. She always found it soothing to look at it. Maybe it was the color (red was her favorite) or maybe it was something else, but she could lose track of time admiring Unit-02.
Now that the time was right, she stepped outside, smiling when she saw a scruffy guy, in need of a shave and ironed office clothes, sitting on a small rectangular green and white stripped blanket set on the metal ground of the carrier and the basket of food she made by his side, several unopened cans of soda by the side and a small battery boom box too. He put out his cigarette and smiled at her when he saw her coming.
She bounced happily towards him, her grey dress flaps and skirt fluttering behind her. "Hey Kaji!"
She lay by his side without asking permission and as if she owned him. There was flirtation in her posture as she laid there beside him.
Much to her dismay, she ignored any sexual innuendos she at least thought she was giving away pretty clearly.
"Let's eat. I'm starving."
She smiled nonetheless and reached for the basket.
She wasn't one to cook anything that took more than five minutes to make, literally thinking that standing up in a kitchen preparing food for longer than five minutes was beneath her. But she was happy with the sandwiches she made.
He seemed happy too. "So, Asuka… Or should I say, 'Miss Langley Sohryu, designated pilot of Unit-02'?" he asked with a smile of mock subordination.
Hearing him say that out loud delighted her beyond measure. "You can still call me 'Asuka', Kaji." She opened a can of soda and sipped it.
His smile became laid back again, and pressed 'play' on the boom box. "Thanks again for the mixed CD."
Still smiling, she answered "No problem. Burning an audio CD is actually simple for a college graduate," she waved her hair with the hand not holding the can, purposefully stressing her educational degree.
"Are you enjoying yourself so far? Being an official and all? Going to NERV?"
She shrugged with mock dismissiveness, "Can't complain," in truth she was absolutely thrilled.
And attempted to change the subject to not appear childish, "How is work?"
He made a dismissive gesture, "Same as always," and looked away. It's what he usually did during such inquiries from her.
The conversation kind of went on to her reaping praise upon herself, and Asuka was disappointed when Kaji didn't reciprocate or even paid heed to the compliments. They were done eating before long and now were just gazing up the full moon and the clouds of the night sky.
"Aaaww. I guess we'll be in Japan by tomorrow…"
"…"
"Misato said She'd be in the carrier to pick us up around noon."
Looking to him with just her eyes, she didn't miss how he became crestfallen upon mentioning Misato. "She's not coming anymore."
Asuka blinked. "Huh?"
"Change of plans. Apparently NERV got hold of new Intel and Misato had to stay in Tokyo-03. Coordinate some other operation."
"Ah, wait, you know Misato? She's the person who was with me in Germany before you."
She kind of figured he and her had a thing in the past, but couldn't figure out why Kaji was emanating such a dejected aura with this new topic.
"I… Don't really like her that much. She seems too contrived."
…Okay, now I'm frustrated… The thought was on her mind the minute she realized Kaji still had the same bored and filled with apathy look up to the moon. So she tried a 'let's woo him' approach again.
She clicked her tongue, "I guess that means a temporary parting between us. How dull. Uuugh…"
He finally half smiled "You'll have plenty of boyfriends when we get to Japan. I hear the third child is a real cutie."
She stretched her legs and body, belching out an annoyed sound before frowning, "I'm not interested in some stupid kid!"
She smiled slightly before rolling over and placing herself on his chest. "The only one I like is you, Kaji-san."
He became crestfallen again, "…I'm honored…"
She rose to try and look him in the eye, "I'm serious, if it's with you Kaji, be it kissing and beyond, I am always ready!"
He wouldn't even look at her, keeping his laid back posture with crossed legs. "You're still a kid, Asuka. Those things are for when you get older."
"Whaa?! That's bull crap," she whined "I am an adult!" She torn down her dress ripping out one button, not quite ripping it apart but exposing her small cleavage and bra. "So see me!" She pleaded.
He embraced her to his own belly, hiding what she exposed, pinning her so she wouldn't move and finally, patting her head like a child.
Like a goddamn child.
She kept screaming in her own head a twisted echo. See me! Look at me! She thought she saw a small doll hanging from the ceiling when she closed her eyes into his chest.
"Asuka, we've talked about this," he whispered in her ear, as soothingly as he could, "It's not going to happen… not ever… I don't want to embarrass you so you have to stop this."
He adjusted her dress back on, "…now…" pushed her gently away from him then off of him, "I've got work to do," and got up and left, leaving her behind sitting on the carrier cold metal ground. Empty cans of soda and food basket and picnic blanket with her.
Rejection and self-loathing coursed through her and, had she not made a promise to herself a long time ago, she would probably be crying right now. Not only that, what little hope she had pinned on the boy Kaji was 'recommending' to her was also lost. He wouldn't be there to see her tomorrow anymore, she wouldn't even see him until she got to Tokyo-03.
Not that she cared. He must be a total pervert like other kids my age anyway… She shook her head, trying to shake the boy she hadn't even met off.
I'll try again tomorrow… She smiled wickedly in the direction Kaji had gone. There's a little 'secret weapon' you haven't seen me wearing yet, Kaji…
Then she got up and went for her quarters. She could just wait for tomorrow there, while preparing her 'secret weapon'.
(SGE)
In the darkness of his private office, Robotnik sat behind his desk, with an old dial up telephone and a laptop computer before him. Out of his desk's range, just in front of his desk and facing him directly, there were seven holographic displaying apparatuses, arranged in an half oval manner facing him. He arranged his fat belly and chair so he would be comfortable, knowing what he had to do next.
Having finally managed to place the same holographic displays that were in Gendo's conference room, Robotnik made the connections using the numbers he acquired from finally managing to look into the MAGI.
He made a connection from what looked like the last loose wire to the dial up phone, "There! Ready to make the phone call!"
He had no time to waste. All Ritsuko had to do to find out someone had been snooping around was access the MAGI directly. Of course the suspicion of someone snooping around would fall directly on him. Relaying on the luck he has had so far, he dialed on the comically huge old telephone dial.
There was a noise of connection being established, similar to the old noises of internet connections, but shorter and more whiningly annoying. Robotnik smiled as he typed SEELE 01 on the console on the other side of his desk.
Finally, the connection sound became the characteristic beeping that indicated the phone on the other side of the line was ringing. His smile grew into a huge maniacal grin and the holographic display saying SEELE 01 appeared before the central holographic display. A black brick with the sayings in white was enough for Robotnik to know this was the real deal. He was talking to the instrumentality committee.
And judging by the number he saw on the display, it seemed fit to state, "Good evening, Mr. Chairman. Lorenz Keel? Is it?"
The holographic display of a black rectangular form just stood there ominously, dark and imposing. Robotnik couldn't know what was happening on the other side.
And like every scientist, he hated not knowing, "Mr. Chairman?"
"I'm assuming this trespassing into sacred territory will explain the incident about two weeks ago, where the sacred scriptures were looked upon. I would also hear of the incidents that have been happening since a few days ago, where out of nowhere, three phantom banking personalities came into the monetary play, along with their own international bank."
Robotnik raised his eyebrows, widening his eyes.
They… they knew! But how? Unlike the MAGI, there was nothing on that UN database that would indicate it was looked at! I knew they would notice the banking activities of the Bank of Golden eggs, but…
Then it hit him, there were seven MAGI computers in total. One of them, probably the weakest one, housed the UN database, which did not include information meant only for the committee, while the most powerful one, the one at NERV Tokyo-03 housed everything else.
He recomposed himself, regaining part of his smile and leaning forward as if to look SEELE 01 in the eyes.
"Of course you knew I was moving covertly for the past few days. Of course you-"
"What is the meaning of this sacrilege?!"
Cutting him off in a booming voice, apparently from above him, six other rectangular monoliths appeared before him, making use of the rest of the holographic displays. They were numbered 02 to 07, the same dark ominous tone of the chairman's monolith.
Huh… So that's why the specifications of the holographic display said it required seven indentations for it to work… the committee only appears when it's possible for all of them to appear.
Diabolically ingenious. They work as a unit. Even when Keel speaks by himself, a call to one of them is possible only when you can call all of them.
Robotnik grinned and gestured at all of the seven monoliths.
"I assure you, brothers-"
"You are not one of us, trespasser!" SEELE 02, the same as before, interrupted him again.
"You have violated sacred ground!" another, SEELE 04 bellowed.
Although Robotnik seemed to be having trouble keeping up with seven ominous monoliths, he was very pleased with this result. After all…
"I have two things that you want, my potential allies."
"We have long walked away from the realms of men! We have a higher existence and a higher purpose." SEELE 05 stated.
SEELE 04 continued, "Correct! The money you have generated for your own purposes means nothing to us."
"Only the sacred scriptures you have gazed upon! Only that you might interfere with our sacred work matter." SEELE 03 spoke for the first time.
"And so, I'm fairly certain your life is forfeit. Unless whatever else you have for us is FAIRLY useful." SEELE 01 concluded.
Confident he wouldn't be interrupted anymore, Robotnik regained his grin and cleared his throat. "I know where the spear of Longinus is. I know how and when your main pawn, the commander of NERV, will betray you."
He went silent for a moment, allowing that information to sink in.
"I know your goal gentlemen. After all, as you already astutely pointed out, I have seen the Dead Sea Scrolls. Let me tell you right now: though I can help you transcend existence, Ikari will claim that process for himself to get his wife back."
An ominous silence sets in the room, making the dreary shadows more accentuated by the dim lights of the seven holograms.
"As for the lance, well let's say my edgings into this war were… unusual. It was an inconvenience I had to hide some of my assets in the icy ruins of the South Pole. Even more so when it took me five days to get to Tokyo-03…"
The seven holograms remained silence. Though no change could be seen in the room, Robotnik was certain the old men were showing curiosity.
"But I managed to set myself in, giving NERV the right ideas to defeat the fourth Angel and Jet Alone. I also managed to claim Jet Alone and 'Japan Chemical Industries' for myself, seeing as though, as you gentlemen already know, I have my own bank here."
"And you've been with NERV this whole time?" the monolith SEELE 06 would have startled Robotnik speaking for the first time, were the circumstances not so edgy already.
Robotnik smiled sarcastically, "Don't you just love how commander Ikari tells you everything?"
Gloomy silence. Again.
"And yes, through simple printing of money out of thin air, in digital form, I managed to salvage all I had when I arrived here AND all I gained from the Jet Alone project. Hehe, don't you just hate fractional reserve banking? So unreliable. So capable of moving resources with just numbers."
SEELE 03 then clarified, "I'll have you know that the Bilderberg group, the Rockefellers and the Morgans were absorbed by us at the same year of Second Impact. Financial superiority also belongs to us."
"Enough." SEELE 01 spoke again. "Where is the Spear?"
"Very close to the place my equipment is hidden, in the South Pole. That's the only reason I found it. I do love convenient coincidences…"
"How is this possible? Your capabilities are equal to that of cabals like NERV. And you are just one man. Who are you?"
Robotnik grinned as if he owned the monolith that read SEELE 01, "I arrived at the South Pole, because it was the single location a Machine I built managed to pin point. Disappointing, I know. But you see, even for a scientific mind like my own, building a machine that gets you… TO ANOTHER UNIVERSE…"
If the old men showed surprise by gasping or widening their eyes or anything along those lines, it was merely Robotnik imagining them doing it. No questions confirming the veracity of his statement were asked so he finished the sentence, "…that's as good as it gets…"
Not giving the committee a moment to answer, he continued, "As for my second point, Gendo Ikari: I am certain that, ever since the times of GEHIRN, your involvement with NERV has been solely in supervising and funding the organization and keeping to yourselves as long as you got results. So you're not certain how the Evas operate, just that they consume a host to get functional. Am I right?"
"And you would have us believe you managed to look into that?" Now it seemed only SEELE 01 was the only hologram with active communication.
Truly, Chairman Keel holds all of this together. The others must just want instrumentality, PAWNS below the king…
Robotnik grinned as he thought that, "Well, not to brag, but yes. Though Doctor Akagi will be able to tell I have looked into it and I, myself, haven't been able to take a look on the lower levels where the Evangelion graveyard and Lilith supposedly are, I have seen the specs storied on the MAGI."
All information that was recorded has been seen. Whatever else that was just words to mouth, only spoken and never written, is still secret…
"And how does that concern Ikari? Well, as I have already stated, you have only accompanied NERV from afar, not caring as long as the Evangelions became functional. Because of that, Yui Ikari was one of the women set for test piloting. Even if it was for the official Eva unit that managed to get confirmed as functional by Naoko Akagi."
He then knowingly nodded at the monoliths, "If you ask me, I think Naoko knew what she was doing. And I don't know who you all are in reality, except for Mr. Keel, but I suppose I don't need to explain what Naoko did and Yui's fate…"
"My daughter gave her life for the future of mankind. I regret nothing. Neither does her," SEELE 07, the most silent of all Monoliths, stated with finality. Even Robotnik, having just met the committee, could tell he hardly spoke.
He then grinned again, nodding. "And that's where Ikari's betrayal comes into the play…"
"Even if Ikari was stupid enough to try and modify Unit 01 somehow, he can't take Yui's soul back." SEELE 01 spoke again.
"Not if he attempted to salvage the soul itself from Unit 01, he couldn't. But if he claims the entirety of Instrumentality for himself, using Unit 01 as a vessel…"
A moment of dreadful silence filled the air, but Robotnik's grin didn't falter nor did he continue speaking.
So SEELE 01 talked again, "Even if Gendo was stupid enough to betray us in such a complete manner, Unit 01 cannot trigger instrumentality just because it has Adam and Lilith in its grasp."
"Ah, you are talking about the S2 engine, yes? Unit 01 can acquire that easily."
"No, it cannot."
Robotnik held himself back not to laugh out loud at the simple rebuttal by the supposedly most powerful man on earth, content with grinning wickedly at the monoliths. Maybe these old men are just a bunch of wieners.
"Of course it can, my unsympathetic fellows. All it has to do is consume an Angel. Those have S2 organs too."
Robotnik was amused at how proficient he was at stunning these old men into ominous silence. Once again, he continued, "Doing so, it would become the Eva unit Ikari needs to have 'his' instrumentality. It would hold both enough energy to trigger the fusion and the soul of his wife."
"…He wouldn't DARE!"
Robotnik almost laughed his ass off again. Hah, the old man who wants to reduce his species to a state of non life in a perpetual egoless existence speaks of DARE about the old man who wants his wife back.
"Can you be certain he wouldn't?"
"Enough of this. What is your stake in this?
Robotnik went back to his 'know it all' and 'I'm useful' demeanor. "I would like to help you gentlemen. Truly, what YOU are striving for is the fairest truest goal. Truly it will create the ideal world."
And after I take Instrumentality for myself, that ideal world will be mine.
"I would be a valuable pawn for you here at NERV. I would help defeat the Angels, because, as you know, I have deciphered the Dead Sea Scrolls, defeating the Angels will be that much easier. I can make sure Ikari doesn't claim anything for himself."
"Are we supposed to naively believe you are more loyal to us than Ikari?"
"I could be backstabbing you right now Mr. Chairman. Ikari has known about me and I have worked for him for the past fourteen days now. I have claimed a giant robot and built several bots that are ready to be deployed all over Tokyo-03. Two hundred and fifty of them."
"…"
"Instead, my Egg-bots and what's left of Jet Alone can serve you. As can I."
"You said you're from another universe. A slider. An outsider. How do we know you won't be a threat as much as Ikari might be to this project, even if only in the future?"
"I have only one loose end to take care of. It will be done soon. All it will take is the Evas stepping on it like a bug."
"The Evangelions are meant for the spawns of Adam and Lilith."
Robotnik smiled while rubbing the remote in his back pocket, "Oh don't worry, in this universe, it WILL be regarded as an Angel… You don't even have to worry about that. Even if you do, it just falls to me, so you can just, AHEM, scratch my back on that regard. As I am scratching yours."
"…"
"And, though recovery is tricky, I can also attain the spear of Longinus. I can't keep it away from Ikari, mind you, because as you know, it is required to restrain Lilith but…"
"Very well."
There was a collective low gasp from some of the other monoliths that Robotnik didn't quite managed to make out, but he grinned satisfied nonetheless.
"For the moment, you will remain as an asset of NERV, and you will be granted immunity under our terms."
"Thank you so much Mr. Chairman." He nodded at the SEELE 01 monolith and then, "Council," at the rest of the monoliths.
"Do not betray us as Ikari would, Ivo Robotnik."
Robotnik raised his right hand, putting his left one behind his back. "I won't."
The holographic displays disappeared and he was in an illuminated area once again. Nothing in his office had changed.
Robotnik grinned wickedly. Not yet.
His left index and middle fingers were crossed behind his back.
He picked up the egg shaped controller from his pocket and looked at the red button in it with an evil smile.
His right thumb hovering over the red button, he said, "This should blare the alerts on Tokyo-03 soon and then draw you out of hiding, Sonic."
He then pressed the button laughing, "Let's see you escape an Evangelion unit."
(SGE)
At the same time, in the Central Dogma bridge of NERV Headquarters, Lieutenant Maya Ibuki was enjoying a cup of coffee when she saw something in her console that startled her so hard she dropped her cup, staining her shirt and making her recoil from the heat of the liquid soiling her chest through her clothes.
"Blue pattern! It's an Angel!" She exclaimed even if the signal seemed somehow different, as if the Angel could not be pinpointed.
(SGE)
A sense of victory totally beyond her highest dreams coursed through her as she walked out of Unit-02's entry plug and ran her hands through her hair, seeping out two handfuls of LCL from it.
Oh yeah! THIS is what I was born for. Now Kaji will DEFINITELY give me the attention I deserve!
I didn't even matter to her that she had to jump from fleet ship to fleet ship to keep the Angel in tow. It didn't matter that she needed fire support from every ship still functional after her jumping around on top of using every resource her Eva had, including the titanium spikes in the shoulder. This was her victory. This was one Angel kill under her belt.
And what an UGLY shark like arshloch it was…
And it was probably that superb feeling of joy that made time fly by after her fight. She had left the deck, leaving a mess to be cleaned up by the crew, barking at some random guy her Eva better be back in position when they got to Japan, she had showered and she had taken a nap in her room.
Her room was small, no bigger than any other quarters of the ship, but she had everything she needed, even if she still cursed the lack of space and the small bed. Among her things, one of the things she needed was a night gown she had bought just for such an occasion. It was skimpy and white, with the parts that didn't hide her privates made of a see through pinkish silk adorned with fluttery patterns on the edges. She held it in her hands with a sly smirk in her face.
Let's see you reject me after I killed the Angel and while I'm wearing this, Kaji.
She showered, scrubbing every inch of her body, shampooing with great care, being extra severe, to completely remove the LCL of her hair and scalp. She put on perfume, combed her hair until it was fluffy and finally, put on the skimpy night gown and her bath robe over it.
She looked at the mirror one last time. She was uncharacteristically serious. She dismissed it as being slightly nervous and remembered how awesome she had been today. She nodded at herself and headed out. His room was just across the corridor, five doors away from hers.
With a sense of childish anticipation she wished she could fight off and a slight trembling she wished she could stop, she lightly knocked on his door. She heard a groan, followed by the sound of the lock ratcheting open, and the metal door swung in. Kaji stood there in all his glory, tie discarded, shirt open, a pencil gripped in his hands. He had some papers or something spread out on his small desk and a strange metal case just by the side of it.
Neither one of them said anything. Asuka couldn't even tell what face she was making. She hoped it wasn't as nervous and flushed as she felt.
Trembling, her fingers fumbled with the knot of her robe. Before it could slide all the way down revealing her, Kaji's eyes went wide and dropped the pencil out of his grasp. Almost roughly, he grabbed the collar of her robe and closed it tightly around her neck. Her hands dropped to her sides.
"Asuka… NO!"
His voice cut her like a blade. "But-"
"NO, Asuka, go back to your room and wait for us to arrive there!
"Please, let me just-"
"I said no!"
"I just-"
"No Asuka! I'm old enough to be your goddamn father!"
She worked her mouth without saying anything, just feeling her face twisting in anguish as he pushed her away from his door, "But… you're not my-"
"I said GO!" She stumbled backwards as he closed his door to her face.
Standing there shaking and staring at his door, her eyes stung fiercely and she fought so hard to keep them dry it hurt. She snuffed as she ran the sleeve of her robe under her nose. She knocked again, and this time there was no answer but silence. She made a soft, strangled sound that was half cough and half sob, and darted back to her room.
She tripped over something, maybe her own feet, and spilled across the floor, another half-sob gurgling out of her throat.
No one saw her. No one saw her for what she really was. No one picked her up. No one really cared about her. For the first time, her decision of being able to be alone that she couldn't even remember why she made really stung her.
Stupid Misato and Stupid Third Child. If they had at least showed up to pick her up as intended, she wouldn't have tried what she just did. She wouldn't have made such a fool out of herself.
After crawling back to her room and into her bed, now she actually felt completely alone. She wasn't sure if she would feel anything else ever again as she laid there in fetal position.
(SGE)
Misato felt something was off about this entire operation.
She readied the defenses for something small. The protective plates and the defense mode of the city should work all the same. So all she did was to request access to the grid of cameras of any type and purpose, be it security or surveillance or civilian owned that had access to the streets while the city was in defense mode. If blue pattern detection and simple eyesight wouldn't see something so small. Would it not have been so rushed and on the spot she would have asked for more cameras in strategic points like fast and long lanes.
Still, it was true that this creature, the so called Angel according to Robotnik, was not human and was unlike anything she had ever seen. Nevertheless she could not shake off the feeling it was not evil, it didn't want to destroy the world. It saved her from Jet Alone for god's sake, and the general impression she had of it was a benevolent one. As if she stared off into something fantastic and out of her world, but still good.
So when the blue pattern was actually detected and she heard it was of so very small proportions that couldn't even be pinpointed or seen by visuals of Tokyo-03, she was genuinely surprised it was somewhat confirmed the little blue creature was an Angel.
Lieutenant Makoto Hyuga interrupted her inner reverie, "Captain."
She looked at him, "We've just received word from the 'Over the Rainbow' fleet carrier. The second child and Unit-02 have just defeated the other Angel Robotnik warned us about. They have also confirmed to be in schedule, Unit-02 and the second child will be in Japan tonight."
She simply nodded, unable to voice any thoughts on the current operation. Something was still off about it.
The usual technical babble from the technicians indicating Unit-01 was being activated. Unit-00 was still undergoing repairs and it would gain a brand new blue paint job when it became active again. Both the mech and Shinji seemed to be doing just fine. Rei was also on standby.
Having heard the characteristic signals of synchronization ready and the Evangelion in position, she ordered "Evangelion Unit-01, launch!"
A few moments of silence befell the Dogma as Unit-01 became ready for battle, right after the characteristic rattling of it launching to the surface.
"Unit-01 deployed through Exit 23 of Sector D."
"Ready all weaponry in it and all neighboring sectors." Misato snapped out of it again, ordering weakly, "Relay the camera grid all over the city as explained. Target is small, unlike the previous ones. Be ready to place it on our main screen. I want to see it, confirm what it is for myself. Any visuals of it yet?"
The techs typed furiously and several screens of different cameras snapped all over the tech computer monitors. But what came in response was something Misato didn't expect.
"Misato-san, I… I think I see it."
Misato needed no other confirmation other than Shinji's weirded out tone as he said that. "Relay Eva 01 visual field to the main screen of Central Dogma!"
"Yes!" Maya Ibuki answered typing furiously.
With a sense of finality, The Eva's point of view came into the big screen and several gasps from the techs observing came into the audible universe. The creature described in the reports from Misato and Robotnik definitely matched what they were seeing on the big screen, except for a few details that made Misato widen her eyes once again.
She was prepared to see the creature that saved her life again. She was prepared to kill it, after confirming it was really an Angel bent on destroying her world and seeing the carefree and good demeanor were lies. She was not prepared for what she saw.
"E-Engaging…" Unit 01's pilot hesitantly stuttered, the camera showing his point of view moving slightly in a characteristic way, indicating the Eva took a step closer to the creature in front of it. No doubt with the intent of stepping on it like a big bug when he got close enough.
However, Misato couldn't let what happened here, what she saw, slide. She was surprised again. Even more surprisingly, she came forth a step forward and ordered, "Wait a second, Shinji."
The massive bot stopped cold as its pilot whelped out, "Huh?"
"That's not him…"