'They killed her' thought shinji, still standing on the catwalk.
Her form desolved away in gruesome detail first her skin came away showing the musculoskeletal of her face her eyes unblinking as they too desolved.
Then it was her hair, the ligaments,nerves and finally the skull. It floated in the lcl black hair waving behind then it slowly started to turn to him it raised its hand pointing at shinji its boney finger sticking out of the plug suit "IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN YOU!!!!"
he sat ramrod straight out of bed
His eyes frantically scanning the room, breathing rapidly his heart hammering away sloing his breathing he allowed himself to calm down.
'It's been weeks, and I have the same dream every night'
He's been having the dream since she died. She was the first person shinji see die, its different than the movies make it out to be. There wasn't the emotional outcry you'd expect to see at the death of a 14 year old girl or the hysterics you'd associate with that event it seemed as soon as her plug suit was recovered everyone just accepted it as some workplace accident barley shedding a tear.
But the tears were shed and He's been paying off nerv's qouta.
Shinji looked to his watch. It was 6am looking at the window he could see the first light of dawn just beyond the horizon.
He couldn't sleep well, aside from the nightmares it was his fist day back to school. Normally this was a nerve wracking time for him being a new kid and all but it was his arm and his head.
He stuck out like a sore thumb. In the past he'd just blend in, can't really do that now.
Getting up he started his morning routine
During that time shinji reminisced about his previous school. There had been jocks, the popular girls and even some otaku.
Pretty much all the groups and cliques you'd associate with a high-school.
Sadly shinji never was able to find his niche, at the time he tried to attach himself to whatever groups he could.
The jocks and the popular girls were immediately a no go, shinji wasn't really enough of a socal butterfly and certainly didn't have the physical acumen to compete meaningfully in any sports.
Needless to say he self selected himself out.
Next were the geeks, shinji at the time believed that they were the most relatable and so sympathetic to his cause.
It didn't work out, the leader held a grudge against shinji. About how in grade school shinji attempted to steal his bike, becuse leaving it at the park till sunset was a clear indication of ownership. Regardless despite the apologies he still would hold it over his head as a mark against his character.
"and they say im a weirdo looser."
Then the otaku.
Shinji again though them sympathetic to his plight, and was proven correct.
He hung around them for a week, they were nice enough but had this weird elitist mentality about the most mundane things.
One time they were arguing about some western boardgame called warhammer 40k, the specific argument was about what was the best faction in the game.
Shinji not knowing anybetter said humanity Needless to say they took exception to that.
The last and final group was the emo / goth kids. They were too depressing, you could only listen to people's first world problems for so long before it started to sound contemptuous even to him.
In the end he was a loner, he wasn't upset as he'd made the decision to be by himself ultimately it was the best option for him.
To be left out of the drama and allowed to do whatever he wanted, as log as he was inconspicuous.
That was something he wouldn't be able to rely on anymore with his scarring he'd be the most conspicuous one there, they'd ask questions. Questions he wasn't abe to answer legality.
"Hey shinji you up?" Rituko's voice came from behind his door."I'm up, just getting ready." Sitting down at the computer table he began to lace his shoes. "Okay be ready, we're leaving in 5 minutes."
The drive over was uneventful. They'd left before rush hour traffic to get to the school early.
"Are you nervous for your first day back at school?"ritsuko asked. shinji thought about his previous school and his time trying to make friends, then his scarring. How people would react.
what would happen if the truth got out.
"No not really." He stared out the window looking at the pedestrians pass by something he hoped was more interesting than this conversation.
"You shouldn't worry too much shinji, the first day is always scarry even for adults."
She winked at him as they pulled up to the gate and parked the car.
Before he had the chance to open the door misato stopped him "listen shinji, i know school can be stressful. Especially for sombody in your position, if you cant handle it. dont be afraid to call me I'll have you pulled out even if its for just a day."
Shinji knew she was just trying to help, but he couldn't shake the feeling she had low expectations of him. and why shouldn't she after the last couple of weeks he barely had any for himself.
"Ill be fine ritsuko, its just school."
Before she could hold him up any longer he was up and out the car walking to his school.
TOKYO3 metropolitan high-school was like the rest of the city, new and modern.
The campus was big compared to his last school.
As he walked he passed other students their attire matched his if only loosely while the school had a dress code. the standards were loose at best, for the males black slacks and a white button up was the standard. But the students he passed seems to put their own flair with the uniform.
He wondered how much he could get away with.
The female's in comparison were more in line with the the schools regulations. A black skirt with a white button up.
But it seemed thats where the uniformity ended, their hair were in all types if of different radical styles and colors too.
And many preferred waring stylish tennis shoes as apposed to the standard dress shoes.
Thats a good Sign, becuse his feet were already hurting.
"And so they took power."
History. A subject shinji could say he had a passing interest in.
"One of the first things pole pot did was to remove and imprison any who opposed him in government."
So far things have been going smoothly.
His introduction was brief, and the questioning more so. Not that he'd complained.
"Then he started with his plans for revolution in Cambodia, by killing evry intellectual."
As expected most of the questions centered on his injuries, he'd of course lied on the spot. Claimed he got hit by a car.
"Anybody with education were killed, they were so paranoid they would kill someone for needing glasses."
They seemed to buy that. What else could it have been? Definitely not the work of a 12 story bipedal alien hellbent on the destruction of humanity.
That would be absurd.
"And so like many other people's republic's before them. many millions died, experts estimate somewhere between 7 to 60 million,
That's quite the margin of error. But the point is made after the first million."
Shinji checked the computer he'd been givin before class.
he'd been invited to 2 chats.CLASS 1C HOMEROOM, the discussions were sparse, seemingly the only conversation was strictly about schooling and the like.
The other read as such: THE REAL CLASS 1C.
"Those not immediately killed were taken from their homes, and placed in to forced labor against their will. even so many still starved due to poor government central planning."
THE REAL CLASS 1C was alot more lively many of the comments centered around the class rep.
"She thinks she's so great."
"I know, my brother said her sister was more chill when they were in school."
Apparently from what he could gather her strict by the book personality wasn't appreciated by the class.
"And we'll leave there for today. We still have another 20 minutes of class left so it would behoove you to finish tonight's assignment before the end of class.
If anyone has questions ask a fellow student, if you both don't know then come ask me."
Shinj already completed the assignment
Knowing about the subject before hand
That left him to scroll down the chat.
Most of it were rumors of course high-school drama and the such
And then a message appeared
"Crap, I fell asleep. Can anyone help me with my assignment?"
That's not surprising this is a normal high-school after all.
"Does anyone remember the assignment?"
Looking at the text he clicked on the chat.
Immediately a name was displayed
Sakura takashi.
Shinji looked around and spotted her.
She was looking around almost frantically, everyone around her were busy ignoring her. She was an upper classman as she looked significantly older than the rest of the class, probably got held back a year.
Oh no, they'd made eye contact. She quickly got up and made her way over to him.
Shit, he wasnt good at talking with girls.
What was he supposed to say.
'Please don't make a scene'
She then proceeded to do just that.
"Please help me!" She was formally BOWING TO HIM!
Dammit what was she thinking.
Looking around he started to see people look at the commotion
'Just tell her no, one else was, it's her fault for sleeping during class.'
"Sure just stop bowing." Shinji whispered loudly. Panicking at the attention.
At the end he basically wrote her assignment for her. But shinji took his pound of flesh back, by drilling the information into her head along with a promise of snacks.
she wasnt let off the hook easy anyhow
At some point the class rep caught wind of her sleeping in class and came to admonish her swiftly.
"You cant keep sleeping in class, sakura!" Yelld the class rep "you've been held back already, and your going to be again if you dont try!"
To say shinji's plan of remaining anonymous fell through was an understatement. Virtually everybody in the class was looking their way at least some pretend not to look.
"Im sorry class rep it won't happen again!"
Sakura said her hand together in a pleading jester.
"Fine, but you cant keep doing this."
And with that the class bell rung everyone left qickly in record time leaving shinji with the teacher.
"Hey young man." The teacher called him over.
"Yes sir.."shinji walked to the desk
"You don't need to do that just call me mr. Takata." He rubbed the back of his head
"Ok"shinji relaxed it sounded like he wasn't in trouble, usually that's what why most teachers talked to him about.
"I see you've taken sombody under your wing shinji." He took a sip of coffee.
"Yes mr. Takata sakura fell asleep durring class and asked for my help." Shinji was fidgeting still vary mutch uncomfortable.
"You're not in trouble, mr. Ikari why dont you take up a seat." Shinji did so
"So lets get into the meat and potatoes, i seen you help a fellow classmate out."shinji tensed "not that there's nothing wrong with that, I'm actually surprised usually nobody would bother to help sakura" he took a long sip. "Tho i suspected it was becuse you didn't know anybetter."
He finished
"No mr. takata she came to me and asked. I couldn't say no." Shinji fidgeted with his bad arm. Suddenly he was tense again, hed nade a mistake now he was in the spotlight this was the last thing he wanted to happen.
"Good man, alot of people get too petty and ensnared by their personal feelings to help sombody in need. Listen I know about your situation and your job, but if you're up for it i can give you extra credit if you help sakura." He finished the cup "im not telling you to do this, merely suggesting it. If you feel like it but between you and me, i see an educator inside you."
"Thank you mr. Takata, id like that alot."
Shinji ment that he might have not been popular but his grades were always steller.
"Thats settled then."
The first day was over. For the most part he was still an enigma witch worked for his benefit.
He'd even made some equntences, just some people for small talk
"Hey it's you." The voice was immediately recognizable it was sakura.
"Hello, how are you." Shinji was at a loss talking to girls wasn't his expertise.
"I didn't get a chance to thank you."
She reached into her bag and brought out some snacks. "O-oh you didn't have to."
Shinji rubbed his head was this normal he didn't know.
"But i already did, and besides i dont eat this stuff anyway."without any Adu she shoved the grocery bag to him. "Anyway thanks for helping me all those other people are abunch of stuck up jerks."
Shinji knew it wasn't his place to interfere, shouldn't get involved in others bisness his teacher would say.
"Why do you say that?"
He's been doing alot of that lately, doing things he shouldn't be doing.
"It's personal, but I'll tell you so the others dont get a chance to fill your head with nonsense." She looked around "but not here, follow me.
"It started last year. i was never any good at school and I got held back before. im technically supposed to be a junior already" She explained sitting on the bench. They were on the praimmeter fencing behind the gym.
"It started when my mom and dad got divorced For me it was horrible."she pulled out a cigarette and lit it taking a long drag. "Should you be smoking that?"shinji asked "Why should i care my moms too busy with work to notice. and my dad doesn't return my phonecalls. to be honest i dont think anyone cares." She looked at his face and seen his sour expression Shinji walked next to her and took a seat
"My mom's dead ." He stated. she eyed him
"She passed when i was young. I didn't realy get to know her and my father sent me off to live with my teacher."
She looked away "im sorry to hear that."
"It's alright, you know you got people who care about you." Shinji leand against the wall "oh really like who?" She mirrored his actions "mr takata he asked if i was willing to help me tourer you." She jerked her head towards shinji "why would he ask you you just got here." He shrugged "he probably seen my past grades. And i said yes."
She stared at him bewildered.
"That's of course if you want my help."shinji added. She qickly responded "no I'd like that, i need all the help i can get!"
Gendo sat in his office. He was going over the finalized results for the shikinami series failed contact experiment.
-THUS IT CAN BE CONCLUDED. EVA UNIT 01, WILL ONLY SYNC WITH THE 3RD CHILD. ANY AND ALL FURTHER CONTACT EXPERIMENTS WITH ANY OTHER PILOT IS EXPRESSLY FORBIDDEN UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
The phone stared ringing. Not being one to waste time he immediately picked it up.
"Gendo." He didn't need to know the caller. There were only 2 people in nerv with the balls to call his number.
"Good morning commander." It was ritsuko "There's been a development in the 3rd child's psyche profile."
Straight and to the point. As all business should be. She continued
" we've been recording and cimpiling his recent conversations using the Spyware on his phone."she paused the noise of a cheap gas station lighter sounded on the other side of the line.
"He's gone out of his way to befriend someone, an older student struggling in her studies. While not exactly abnormal.
This contradicts the previous profile."
Gendo thought. Now was the time to watch and listen, the evangelions were infinitely complex alien reversed engendered, bioenginered god weapons. And that's for a "normal" evangelion derived from Adam. And so far unit 1 has defined every expectation. Already little was known of their inner workings. Any and every idescrepency, minute detail and change relating to the unit or the pilot is to be treated with the upmost care.
All to see her again.
"Do you think the evangelion is the cause of this?" The sooner he can get a known quantity the sooner he can start planning.
"I have a high confidence its the cause. But the old rule of relation does not equal causation still applies. Ill have section 2 do an investigation to make sure he isn't being influenced by outside sources."
Gendo thight in silence."We need to test them both."
He couldn't accept the risk of the unknown, especially this deep in the game.
"We need to test and evaluate evangelion unit 1 to determine if it will be of any use."
"Are you sure this is wise sir? he's just recovered. We don't yet have a full understanding how the evangelion contaminates his mind." She sounded sincere.
Gendo grimaced. ritsuko was always a bleeding heart, just like her mother.
But there were ways to grease the wheels of the Scenario.
"I understand and agree with you, believe me. but we don't have the time."
"But sir-"she began.
"Rituko the enemy of humanity is beating on our door, as we speak im receiving intelligence of another angel. Put it simply i dont want my son anywhere near an evangelion but this goes deeper than blood or family, this is about the fate fo all mankind."
He listened for any decent against him. So far nothing. now to seal the deal.
"This is our responsibility and our duty, to protect humanity from the vary forces that seek to destroy us. Petty things like nations,race and religion must take a back seat to our survival." There was a long pause
"Even our morals?"
He grinned. He had her completely ensnared. Totally dependent and hanging off his evry word.This is why he is truly king amongst kings, to be able to weave and ensnare the week and feeble with nothing else but his words.
"What's the use of morals when we're dead and rotting, we will be judged but it will be humanity that judges us, not god! for if not us, then who else? Who could handle the crushing weight of our responsibility."
This is the part gendo loves laying it thick and hard.
"Oh Gendo~"
"I can't forgive myself. not for the things I've done. I've let everything go for humanity. my wife, my son, my family. Even my very soul. And yet humanity asks for more."
And he waited
"Ill set up the test for tomorrow, we'll have unit1 run the evangelion assault course inside the geo front. We'll collect data and do a psyche eval at the conclusion."
"That's all i can ask. Its with a heavy heart i request this from you."he said.
"No it was me, i forgot the stakes at risk. breaking a few oths is practically a bargen to keep humanity safe." She sounded resigned.
"I'll make it up to you, over dinner?" He asked.
"Sure, I just need somebody to watch shinji. When are you planning it."
"Tomorrow night."
Shinji had just gotten the word yesterday,
He was going back in.
He didn't want to. His back was to the wall and his dad forced him into a corner.
"We're just going to have you run through some maneuvers. We need to understand what piloting the eva does to you, physically and mentally."
That didn't help. For a fifteen year old shinji wasn't dumb, their whole plan was to shove him in that monster, and hope he came out alright the other side.
"Look at this statistically, you already piloted and came out alive. this time all were doing is have you run through some basic exercises. There's no angle to attack you."
Rituko sat across from trying to convince him the test was safe. She wasnt exactly doing a good job.
'Don't fight it shinji.' He thought 'dont make problems for everyone.'
"Im scarred Rituko."shinji blurted out. But once he started he couldn't stop.
"Im afraid-" he started choking his posture went ridged. "I-Im afraid i-if I go back in, something bad is gonna happen to me."
He started shaking
"You must think im a coward."
He started weep, he couldn't bring himself to cry but the sheer terror was overwhelming him.
"I-IM~" he took a breath.
Suddenly risuko stood up and walked up to him and kneeled to his eye level.
"It's ok to be afraid shinji." She spoke softly. He could smell the faint scent of cigarettes off her breth and something else.
"To be honest, if you weren't afraid that'd be a major red flag." She shifted next to him and sat down. "You're not in an enviable position sjinji. If i could have it my way I'd be in your place fighting the angels."
Why did he have to pilot. asking that now felt stupid! All this time he never asked why him.
"Why do i have to pilot?"
She turned her gaze to him. Her eyes un focused as she decided on what to say
"I don't know." That was it her answer.
"You can't be serious." His mind Drew a blank, that cant be it right? All this time effort and resources dedicated to support the evangelions and they didn't know how they work.
"I wish I wasn't. what we know is that some people born after the secont impact are compatible with the evangelions. That includes people who were close to the epicenter of the second impact. but they cant sync properly and the nural overload burns out there synapses."
That left shinji confused wasn't the second impact a meteor? If that's the case what bearing does it have with somebody's ability to pilot?
"Thats a good question shinji. Im assuming nobody told you about the second impact?" Ritsuko sat there amused
"I said that out loud didn't I." How did i do that? I never do that.
"yes you did. Let me ask you this, do you want to know about the truth behind the second impact?" She asked.
"It was a meteor right?" She responded with a smile "get ready we're going to nerv, you'll find your answers there."
The air was cold as they descended into the unending darkness of the cavern greeted them as they descended
"This is the deepest part of nerv, called terminal dogma, it's existence was found hundreds of years ago."ritsuko explained.
"How deep is this? Shinji asked as they'd been riding the elevator for the past 40 minutes
"I couldn't tell you. Down here reality and time work differently on the surface.
On paper There's only 20 feet of elevator rails. " she responded
"But we've been here forever. " shinji said
"That's terminal dogma for you, the rules are different here."
Just as she finished the dark atmosphere gave away to a blood red lake as shinji looked above gone was the shaft and in its place was a dark blue sky with stars
"W-what is this place?"shinji stared in awe of the alien environment watching what appeared to be galaxies, blackwholes and stars pass them as they decend.
"This is the birthplace of humanity. Before we even existed uncountable eons ago when gods existed. they created this place." She pulled out a smoke
"We don't know why or what our purpose is, whether it was done for their amusement or a forgotten experiment, we are still here."
She lit the smoke and took a drag.
"We're here,and we're gonna keep on living." As she finished the platform started to approach the red water. Shinji's face scrunched as the strong scent of liquid iron met his nose.
But not an unfamiliar one.
"Is this lcl?!" Shinji started to panic as the lift descended into the murky red below.
"Not exactly, but close enough."she stood relaxed in contrast to Shinji's nearly panicked expression.
"Why is it still going down?!"
The red liquid was at his chest as the platform continued slowly rising until he was completely submerged. Though he remained there completely dry.
"What?" Shinji's expression mixed with what would be described as a severe stupefied expression.
"This place operates on a completely different rule set. Many who come here see something totally different. perception and reality mix in unexpectedly. Very much beyond science and comprehension."Ritsuko said, pulling another drag.
Suddenly the platform stopped.
Beyond them laid a stretch of road that ran along another red beach old lamp posts bathed the beaten withered road with incandescent light.
But that wasn't the strange part.
Rows of heads lined the path each different from the last as the spines dipped into the water, they were evangelions.
"Are those-?" He asked.
"Failed prototypes, for many decades evangelions were constructed and tested. It took time to get to where we're at now."
She finished off the cigarette stomping it out u ceremoniously "this whole level is an evangelion grave yard."
Looking out into the red sea, Shinji seen the parts of distinctly human body's, buildings and enormous human shaped crucifixes with unfinished and rotting evangelions attached. Discarded and disposed of.
"It goes without saying, you can't tell anyone about what you saw here. Much of this is need to know."
"Do i need to know?"he asked
"Because you need to know what's on the line, what's at stake."she finished.
They reached the impossibly long door next to it a non descript card reader stood by glowing an ominous red amber.
With a quick swipe of Rituko's card the doors smoothly and silently open.
"And here lies a dead god."
A large crucifix stood.
And on it, a large white being with a mask covering its face it hung impaled on through its hands. in its chest poked a large red lance. At the waist it abruptly ended in carnage it's entails hung exposed. bits of the hip and spine laid shown too. A torrent of red water falling out of the large intestine.
It was a gruesome sight to behold.
"If the angels ever make it to the center of terminal dogma all life on the planet would cease to exist. Every living breathing being would die. That's what's at stake."
Ritsuko took his hand
"That's why we need you to pilot. This is bigger than you, me ,your father and our lives. We have a duty and a responsibility to ensure humanity lives on. We don't have a choice. Neither of us."
"Why?"shinji asked out of his depth.
"Because we'll all die, we have no choice. I'm sorry shinji."
Many hours later shinji was again in the plug. the scar on his head burned from the lcl. His arm pulsating in Fantom pain.
"Welcome to the evangelion assault course." Ritsuko's voice came over the com's.
"Today we are doing a field test to determine the extent of your mental contamination in regards to synching with the evangelion."
Shinji still felt apprehensive about the whole thing. Not that he had a choice.
"How are you feeling shinji?" A new voice asked maiya he thought.
"I feel normal, is that good?" Shinji replied
"Its better than bad. When you're ready we'll go through basic maneuvers.
"He's doing good." Misato stated
"For now. We haven't seen any of the same readings from the last flight." Ritsuko
Returned
After hours of testing nether shinji or the evangelion showed any discrepancies
Illustrated by shinji transitioning from cover to cover, welding a massive rifle in his arms and a handgun secured to his hip.
"Maybe the sync is effaced when he's under duress. Anyway we have more tests to do, but this is promising." She. Continued
Shinji vaulted over the cover and ran to the next course of fire to engage the humanoid cutout.
"As long as he's able to defeat the angels,I'm happy. We should be starting arm's training and tactical movements tomorrow." Misato sat next to her.
"How's he doing at home? Anything we should be concerned about?" Misato asked.
Oh yes, much was of concern. Many deeply disturbing aspects on how the 3rd was changed.
"No, he's pretty normal. For a fourteen year old, I'd say he's better than me at his age. He cleans, cook's and is great company." Misato laughed
"You locked out, he sounds better than mine." She said
"How has she been doing? I haven't seen her for a while?" Misato had a daughter slightly older than Shinji. Hopefully they get along, Shinji needs more friends.
"I hate to say it but not good. I've been getting her report cards emailed to me at work and she's struggling again."
She positioned herself.
"Whenever I try to approach her to talk about it, it starts a massive fight. Talks about how I'm never around, asks about Kaji."
"You can't really help that."replied ritsuko
"Your job at nerv is more important than anything else. Even family." She quickly added
"I haven't forgotten that," Misato replied harshly. "It's just I can't exactly say that to her. That's bad enough, but now her friends won't talk to her, she hasn't said anything but i can tell. She's been home more often when I come back. Less dirty laundry too."
"I might have a solution for you. I need some time for myself and shinji needs more friends." Ritsuko states.
Misato sat a contemplative face adorning her as she lost herself in thought.
She then smiled "you know what, why not. When do you need her to watch him?"
"Tonight." Ritsuko's sheepish smile graced her face.
"Wow, that's really sudden of you, you usually plan this sorta thing in advance."
Misato replied with the same sheepish smile in turn.
"Is that a no?" Ritsuko asked
"I didn't say that, when do you want him to come over?"