Secrets should never be forgotten…
Chapter 11
Medical Mechanica VI – Part 1
Seconds later
Mabase
The NERV van careened across the streets of Mabase returning to her home where the three pilots were, unaware of what was happening.
"Maya, what is the intensity of the signal?" Misato asked.
"It's still growing, but has not escalated to the same size as that of the previous readings…" Maya replied typing away on her laptop.
Misato looked ominous, "Get in contact with the NERV facilities here and initiate battle readiness. Make it so that Unit-01 is ready to be deployed at a moments notice."
"Ryoukai!" Maya called up the base and issued further instructions as the NERV van stopped outside the house.
Inside Misato's house
Shinji and Asuka were having a light snooze, the sun lazily streaming in through the window. They were woken by a large slam and loud footsteps. The door burst open and Misato looked at the both of them.
"Wake up you two!" She yelled, "We have an emergency!"
Shinji snapped his eyes open. Oh no… Not again… Asuka opened her eyes but knew that she couldn't help in any way. She couldn't see it yet, but she was worried. Misato had opened Rei's door more calmly and told her the news. Soon they were all out of their rooms in their ordinary clothes and walking down the stairs to the awaiting van.
"Move…" Spoke Misato to the Section 2 agent in the driving seat, "We'll get there quicker if I drive."
Mein Gott… Asuka thought before her stomach was left behind, the van squealing off towards the makeshift base.
One minute later
NERV Base-M
"We're here!" Misato cheerily said.
Everyone walked or staggered out of the van. The Section 2 agent, unused to her driving had to run behind a bush to throw up, his digestive system being ravaged by the speeds they attained. Maya who had been in a car with Misato once knew what to expect, but she still walked unsteadily, her legs wobbly and clutching her laptop close to her chest. Asuka and Shinji were paler than usual, many strands of hair deviating from the scalp at odd angles. Rei seemed normal, no paler than she usually was, although one strand of hair was standing straight up on her head, a small kink in it. Glancing back to the battered van, she saw her reflection and patted down the errant hair.
Misato strode immediately towards the holding chamber for Unit-0 beckoning for everyone to follow her. Like a typical airport, the semi-cylindrical building opened the door to allow the people in. Shinji gasped, it was almost an exact replica of the inside of NERV Headquarters. Unit-01 was in a deep pool of red-pink fluid, the mechanisms built to insert the Entry Plug. Misato went to a small metal locker and withdrew a familiar outfit.
"Here are your plug suit and hair connectors Shinji-kun." She spoke seriously and pointed with a thumb behind her, "Go behind that curtain and change into it quickly."
"H… Hai." He stumbled off towards there and closed the curtain.
Misato turned to Maya, "Energy readings?"
"Still growing, but soon reaching the level it was before." The brown haired tech replied.
"Any clues as to its offensive weaponry?" Misato asked.
"No, nothing as of yet," Her laptop was making regular beeps, "The Magi have no idea of what to expect from this enemy."
"I see…" Misato pondered.
"I'm ready…" Shinji stated, his clothes neatly folded as he was now wearing the plug suit and hair connectors.
"Good Shinji-kun." Misato cracked a smile at him, "Let's go to Unit-01…"
They all walked there together, Misato and Shinji moving closer to the Entry Plug whilst the two other pilots and Maya watched on. Shinji clambered into the Entry Plug and looked at Misato who was looking at him oddly.
"Good luck Shinji-kun…" Her eyes seemed to be welling up. Shinji didn't know what to make of this.
"A… Arigatou Misato." He answered hesitantly.
The seal closed on the Entry Plug and the automated procedures moved it into the back of Unit-01. Pressing a button in the hastily constructed command centre, the Entry Plug rolled into place inside Unit-01. After the LCL filled up the plug Shinji felt the usual sensory bombardment of being linked to Unit-01 as synchronisation was initiated.
"Synch Ratio at 83% and holding." An unknown technician reported.
"So he hasn't changed much since last time then…" Misato wondered to herself.
Asuka and Rei were in the command centre, not having an Evangelion meant that Rei couldn't pilot yet, and Asuka had such a poor sync ratio that she couldn't link to Unit-02, which was held in the same fluid in another hangar. Rei stood there, impassive as always whilst Asuka's lips trembled slightly at seeing Shinji's ratio. How does he continue to do it? Even when all this is happening he manages to stay focused…
Shinji however wasn't thinking these things at all; he was still confused as to how he would leave the base. A small window opened up on his left showing Misato.
"Shinji-kun, we're going to open the ceiling and you will automatically be raised to ground level. Once done, try not to step on us as you leave." She laughed half-heartedly at this, "Head straight for Mabase and engage the robot. Don't let it escape." Her voice was firm.
"Hai." Shinji gripped the controls as he felt the Evangelion shudder from the elevators underneath it, the sun beginning to stream into the hangar as the ceiling pulled back. Doing as he was told he walked carefully and didn't make a false move before moving out beyond the hangar. Another window blinked on, this time it was Maya.
"Shinji, use the pistol we will provide you now and keep it away from destroying more buildings. If you run out of bullets use the spare clips, then the progressive knife." She stayed on the screen for a few more second, and Shinji couldn't help but notice Asuka's expression as she stood behind Maya.
Looking to the ground he noticed two large lorries travelling towards him side by side. They then stopped and the tops of them spilt open revealing a pistol in one and two clips in the other. Picking up the pistol and one of the clips, he loaded the gun easily. The spare clip he placed inside the shoulder carrier, the one that didn't already contain the progressive knife. Gun in hand he ran towards Mabase and the robot that had finally finished growing.
A few minutes earlier
On top of MM VI
"Naota!" Ninamori cried, "Are you okay?"
"Yes!" He yelled back, struggling to hold his grip, "But why did you grab onto me?! I told you to stay away!"
"I…" Ninamori couldn't reply to him, not wanting to reveal her feelings for him.
Naota managed to stand up only to fall onto his back again as the machine beneath continued to grow. Noticing a circular groove he sat in there.
"Eri…" He called her by her first name, "It's safer here…"
She tried to act nonplussed at the fact that he used her first name but walked towards him jittery. She sat down next to him.
"So… This looks like another big one then…" She spoke seriously.
"Yeah…" Naota looked up to the sky, "I wonder how many people will die this time…"
They were quiet for a time before Ninamori spoke up.
"Naota… Why did you call me by my first name?"
"Well…" He blushed for no apparent reason, "I just wanted to get your attention… Besides…" He sneaked a smile in, "It's a nice name."
Ninamori blushed again and turned away from him to hide her embarrassment. When she did so she noticed something in the distance.
"Naota… What's that?"
He looked to where she was pointing and saw a large mecha, purple and black in colour. It stood as tall as the robot they were on, and it ran towards them with a gun in hand. The Medical Mechanica robot sensed this and moved suddenly, causing the two children to fall. Shinji from within the plug could see them falling, but he also knew he couldn't get to them in time. Zooming in he recognized them straightaway.
"Naota… Ninamori…"
The two of them were falling, screaming. Naota knew he would die, but realised he had someone looking over him. He yelled out the name of his saviour.
"CANTI!"
From nowhere the blue robot flew up from the streets and Shinji watched in surprise as Naota was literally eaten by the smaller robot. The colour smoothly changed to one of blood red and looked down sharply, then flew straight down. Catching Ninamori in his arms he flew her safely away from the battle, the same place to which Gaku and Masashi ran to, beside the river. Once they moved away from the Medical Mechanica robot, Shinji began to shoot at it, Unit-01 precariously placed on roads with buildings in the way. Canti looked to the gunshots and patted Ninamori on her head, then took off to help in the battle.
The umbrella covering closed and then opened quickly, flinging the robot up into the air, covering the sun for a short while. It hovered there for a short while and the handle leaned towards Unit-01. Without any warning, a massive beam of light emanated from the handle, blasting straight into the chest of Unit-01.
"AAAAH!"
