A past long forgotten
Part V: Mixed intentions
Last episode:
Shinji: It can't be...angels!
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Asuka: Get in fourth child and get ready for an amazing display of piloting.
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Captain: We lost another cruiser....wait. Eva two is activating!
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Sonar operator (over radio): The target is approaching the Eva rapidly.
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Asuka: Let's play hopscotch!
***
Shinji: Hopscotch?
Shinji: What are you waiting for?
Asuka ignores Shinji's cries and continues to watch the approaching angel, all the while the power readout counts down to forty seconds.
Sonar operator: Five seconds to contact, 3, 2......
Asuka (jerking the controls violently): NOW!
The Eva launches itself skyward just as the enormous angel smashes right through the hapless cargo ship. After being airborne for several seconds the Eva unit touches not too delicately down on a nearby frigate. Before the crew on the ship can even recover from the shock of a eighty-ton bio-mechanical behemoth landing on their bow the Eva launches itself again towards another ship.
Asuka (over the radio): Misato. Get the external power supply and equipment out onto the flight deck.
Misato (over the radio): You got it!
As Unit two continues to hop it's way to the carrier the crew onboard the carrier in question try their best to ready the deck for eventual impact by the Eva already coined the new nickname of "The Mexican jumping Eva".
Misato (over radio): Everything's setup Asuka.
Asuka (over radio): Great! Cause here we come!
The Eva launches itself high into the air and sets it's sights on the spacious flight deck of the aircraft carrier. Asuka's smile only gets larger as she nears her target while Shinji desperately tries to hold in his breakfast.
Asuka: Eva two coming in for a landing.
The Eva lands on the deck with a sickening crunch, of course the ship was the object and not the 'precious' Evangelion. The Eva turns and picks up the power supply connector and attaches it's back socket. In response to this, the countdown inside the Eva stops with eight seconds to go and sets to infinity.
Asuka (into the radio): Switch to external power completed.
The Eva turns it's head to watch the angel approach it head on.
Shinji (leaning over): We don't have any guns.
Asuka (smirking): The progressive knife ought to do the trick.
Shinji (stammering): W...we....we....can't take on something that b...b.....big!
Asuka (growling): Just watch me!
With a quick mental command the left shoulder bay on the Eva pops open and the handle of a knife flicks down for easy access. The Eva takes the knife in it's right hand and holds it up in front of itself. Although the handle was much like that of a knife there was no blade. Before Shinji could splutter his observation the blade slid out through the knife's handle.
Admiral: What the hell is that thing doing?!
Misato: Preparing for combat.
Admiral (pressing his face against the glass): What's it going to do...give it a paper cut?
Misato (folding her arms): Hand to hand combat is the best way to defeat the angels.
Admiral (pointing to the progressive knife): Missiles, torpedoes, depth charges and high velocity shells couldn't penetrate that beast's carapace. Just how is that puny little knife going to do anything?!
Kensuke (interjecting): But that's a progressive knife, because of it's energy fluxations which cause extremely quick vibrations, coupled with the extreme intensity of the energy through the blade and the blade's own sharpness it can cut virtually anything.
Misato and the Admiral togeather: Where did you find out classified information like that?!!
Kensuke whips his camera in front of him to shield his face while shrinking back into a corner of the bridge.
Kensuke (weakly): Just....tryin to help.
Toji (whispering to Kensuke): With the way you help you may as well start selling NERV secrets for a dollar a copy.
Kensuke (rubbing his chin): You may have something there.
Misato: WHAT WAS THAT?!
Toji and Kensuke togeather: N...nothing.
Shinji: How the heck did you manage that?
Asuka (grinning): You've never seen an X-acto knife before idiot? Or didn't your mummy let you play with knives?
Suddenly a a distant memory long since buried worms it's way into Asuka's active mind. It was her at a young age holding up the picture of a woman with a boy in it. The boy in the photo was the one that was also currently hiding up the tree from her.
Boy (suddenly angered): Give that back!
Asuka (clutching the picture to her front): Not unless you come down!
Boy (still annoyed): Ok.
Asuka (pressing her fingers to her temple): What the hell was that?
Shinji (pointing forward): LOOK OUT!
Asuka jerks her head up in time to see the giant angel swim towards them with frightening speed. Just before contact the angel break's the surface of the water just before it leaps at the Eva. Before the angel can make contact the Eva repeats it's previous performance and leaps into the air. The angel clears the aircraft carrier and plunges back into the sea while the Eva appears to hang in mid-air above the carrier deck before coming crashing back onto the re-enforced steel. Quickly turning Asuka and Shinji catch of a glimpse of the angel diving out of sight.
As the water settles the only sounds are of the sonar continually probing the water looking for the being.
Sonar Operator: We've lost the target.
Asuka (smashing her fist into the control sticks): No...the battle can't be over yet I haven't won!
Shinji (thinking): Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth.
Admiral (beaming): Well it look's like my fleet scared it off.
Captain: Sir I....
Admiral (interrupting): The sonar extends for almost fifty kilometers and it can't detect a thing....it must be long gone by now.
Misato: With all due respect sir...
Admiral: Negative, now recall that Evangelion. All other stations to yellow alert.
Captain and Misato (defeated): Yes sir.
Asuka (Snarling): NO WAY. It's still out there I know it!
Misato (over the radio): I don't like it either but it was a direct order.
Asuka (into the radio): It's not like you've been obeying him before!
Misato (over the radio): Well I can't do it forever. Come back now.
Asuka (into the radio): Come back to where? All the transports have been sunk.
Misato (over the radio): Hold on.
Asuka balls her hands into fists as rage courses through her body. Her victory, they had taken HER victory away from her.
Asuka (to herself): Stupid commanders in our military, don't they trust us. They have nothing to fear from Eva.
Shinji (softly): I don't think so Asuka.
Asuka (whirling around to face Shinji): What the hell are you getting at fourth child?!
Shinji (unsure): There's....something more to Eva than they're letting on.
Asuka give's Shinji a curious stare then explodes once more.
Asuka: Are you dense? Eva is the only hope for mankind and here you are attacking it. You're a pilot, geeze!
Shinji (to himself): Not willingly.
Asuka: What was that?!
Shinji: Nothing.
Asuka: Idiot!
As the two await a reply from Misato Asuka busies herself by checking the Eva's multiple scanners in a vain attempt to reacquire her prey while Shinji begins to remember that fateful day.
Gendo: Will you pilot or will you not?
Shinji: I.....I can't pilot that thing!
Gendo stares down at Shinji from the observation window above the giant head of Evangelion unit one. The look on his face is a mixture of pure disgust and disappointment before his emotionless mask is replaced over his features.
Gendo: If you won't pilot then leave.
Shinji: But fath....
Gendo: I sent for you because you had a use. Now you refuse me.
Shinji: ....
Gendo: Leave.
Shinji hangs his head while his mind fights a horrible battle. On one side is his longing for acceptance by his father, while on the other is his common sense telling him that if he does what his father asks it will lead him to more pain.
Another energy blast rocks the entire facility yet Shinji remains in his former position. Meanwhile Gendo retrieves a cell phone from his vest pocket.
Gendo (into the phone): Yes...send for the third child.
He pauses while the party on the other end of the line speaks.
Gendo (into the phone): I am aware of her condition. The fourth is useless to us, we have no other choice.
He turns off the phone and replaces it back in his pocket while his eyes continue to burn down on the shell of a boy below him. Shinji's thoughts are still racing until a small cry in pain rips him from his internal struggle. The boy looks up to his right and sees a pretty girl with brown hair done up in pigtails with a small amount of freckles on her face. Shinji had never had much contact with females but this girl was very attractive for her age. He also noticed she was dressed in some type of skin tight, white plastic suit.
Shinji felt his cheeks about to burn then he mentally scolded himself "This is no time to be thinking like that!". He turned back to the girl who he then noticed was heavily bandaged and lying on a stretcher. Balling his right hand into a fist Shinji tore his gaze away from the softly crying girl back up to his father who was still looking on.
Shinji: You can't be serious!
Gendo (coldly): There is no-one else who can do it.
Shinji: There's only me...and her?
Gendo: Correct.
Shinji (softly): I don't...want to.
Gendo: It is you or her...choose.
Another explosion much more powerful than the previous one shakes the Geo Front once more. This time however it is enough to make Shinji fall to his knees. Shinji hear's a crash next to him and he turns his head back in the direction of the girl. However instead of lying on the stretcher like ten seconds before the girl is pinned underneath the stretcher as she yelps in pain.
Shinji rushes over and lifts the rather heavy stretcher off the injured girl. It is now that Shinji examines her up close and realizes the extent of her wounds. He softly touches one of the bandages across her stomach and brings his hand back to examine it.
Blood.
Her blood.
Shinji's eyes widen in horror . The girl was bleeding, perhaps to death right in his arms. Shinji grits his teeth and narrows his eyes. Slowly he looks up to his father who has not moved since calling for the girl.
Shinji (coldly): I'll do it.
Gendo: Wise choice.
With that he walks out of view. Shinji turns to Misato and Ritsuko who had been standing at the opposite end of the cage during the entire incident.
Shinji: Let's get this...ahhhhh
A third explosion tore through the base making everything shake violently. As Shinji falls back again this time a large piece of the ceiling support dislodges and drops to the catwalk where Shinji was trying to stand.
Misato (frantic): SHINJI!
Shinji looks up to see the large mass of metal coming right for him. He doesn't run but only watches his two tonne deliverer of fate drop towards him. The catwalk shakes again but this time it was from a source from inside the facility, the right arm of Eva one covers Shinji before the girders can impact with his body. The broken, twisted metal did not damage to the Eva short of a few nicks in it's paint as the deadly pile bounced harmlessly off the Eva's amour.
Technician (over intercom): The Eva broke free of it's right arm restraint.
Ritsuko (shocked): The Eva activated without power to protect Shinji. This just isn't possible unless.....
Misato looks at Ritsuko questioningly but another explosion makes itself heard throughout the base. Misato's brain cries out for action as she turns her gaze to Shinji. She kneels down and helps the boy back to his feet.
Misato: It's time Shinji.
Shinji makes a fist again with his right hand and nods.
Misato (over the radio): Shinji, Asuka?
The two teenagers are drawn back into reality as Misato's call comes through the speakers in the plug.
Asuka (into the radio): Yeah we hear you Misato.
Misato (over the radio): Since there is no where else to power down the Eva and we're only an hour from port you're directed to shutdown and standby on the deck.
Asuka (into the radio): You can't be serious!
Misato (solemnly over the radio): I'm afraid so Asu.....
There are slight sounds of a scuffle then a new voice makes itself heard over the speakers.
Admiral (over the radio): Pilot's Ikari and Sohryu you are directly ordered to deactivate and stand by.
Asuka (whining into the radio): But sir the angel could still be out there.
Admiral (over the radio): We aren't locating it on our detection equipment and even if it did come back we would be ready for it this time.
Asuka (grumbling under her breath): Yeah...right.
Admiral (over the radio): That's enough pilot Sohryu, you are ordered to shut down immediately!
Asuka: Yes si.....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
The whole carrier tips to the right as some unseen force smashes into the hull.
Admiral: What the hell was that?!
Sonar Operator (stammering): I...I don't know sir. We're not picking anything up for kilometers.
Misato (pulling at her beret in frustration): It's an AT field!
Misato (under her breath): But also a new way to use one.
Before the Admiral could reply with his usual arrogance the carrier is rocked once again.
Admiral (clinging to the table): Not again with your blasted.....AT fields!
Sonar Operator (working frantically): That was no field. An extremely large object just passed underneath us!
Misato: The angel!
Toji and Kensuke looking at each other: The angel?!
Admiral (furious): How did something that big just SNEAK UP ON US?!
Sonar Operator (cringing): I...I don't know sir...it....it just appeared out of thin air.
Admiral (screaming into the radio): ALL UNITS RESUME ATTACK!
Misato (thinking): Asuka, Shinji.
Just as the final shutdown protocols were being iniated by the Eva's onboard computers the dark shadow of the angel in the water was spotted by Asuka.
Asuka (excitedly): Cancel shutdown procedures, resume combat configuration!
Admiral (over the radio): Negative, we handled the target once, we can do it again.
Asuka (into the radio): You didn't touch it!
Admiral (over the radio): Watch your tone pilot Sohr *CRACKLE*
Asuka (slightly concerned): Admiral, Misato....anyone?
The only reply Asuka received was more static on the open channel. As the Eva stands up from it's kneeling position on the deck and swings it's head in the direction of the ship's bridge the two teens can see why all transmission had stopped. The whole front of the bridge has crumpled inwards as if being hit by a powerful fist, or tail.
Shinji (spluttering): W....we're on our own.
Asuka (confidently): Doesn't mean anything to me. I can take this angel down with or without Misato.
The ship lurches once again to the right as the angel passes underneath it. In desperation Asuka commands the Eva to hold onto the control tower to keep from falling into the sea. Once the ship stabilizes, the Eva released the battered control tower from it's grip and turns in all directions looking for its target.
Asuka: Shiest...it's gone again!
Shinji (pointing to the left of Asuka): N...no it's not Asuka!
Asuka twists her head and looks at the view screen which is slowly being taken up with a view of the encroaching aquatic angel. Suddenly it dives back under the water as Asuka prepares the progressive knife, as the blade slips out of the handle there is a large splash as the angel launches itself out of the water directly at the unprepared Eva.
Before the pilots could even think about making the Eva dodge away from the hurtling object, the angel opens it's mouth and catches the Eva in between it's teeth dragging it into the water. On the deck of the aircraft carrier the only sound was the power cable being pulled over the side into the water life a lifeline until a loud crash signaled that the cable had reached it's full length.
Misato (painfully): Argghhh
Misato pulls herself out from under a table and looks around at the command bridge, the once high-tech, bustling control nerve center of less than an hour before was now a junkyard of destroyed technology and broken metal. Misato stumbled forward nursing her cut up arm bound in her flight jacket.
Voice (moaning): Ohhhh
Misato turned quickly in the direction of the voice and she spied Toji and Kensuke slammed up against the far wall of the bridge. Both boys were slightly cut but there seemed to be no serious damage on them. Misato turned her gaze back towards where she saw the admiral before the attack. Unfortunately for the admiral Misato found him crushed underneath a heavy looking computer console, the same fate had befouled the captain of the ship. However most of the other crew on the bridge were not seriously hurt but unconscious and therefore not much help to Misato.
The NERV operations director then turned back to the former observation window and peered out the shattered, glass less portal. The first thing she noticed was that the Eva was gone, her eyes quickly shifted over to the power supply connector and sure enough it was out of cable, and the cable lead into the sea.
Misato (thinking): I need to get to a radio.
Asuka (cringing slightly): Teeth!
Shinji however is concentrating on something more than the angel's rather large teeth. He squints his eyes and peers into the darkness that is the angel's mouth, he looks at something that is sphere shaped and red at the back of the angel's throat.
Shinji (certain): It's an angel.
The two wince with pain as the suddenly their trip stops and the angel's teeth cuts through the Eva's shoulder amour. But once again the Eva is free from the iron jaws of the angel. Asuka shakes her head rapidly to clear her mind of the pain as she peers into the view screen searching for the angel.
Asuka: I'll get it this time!
Asuka pulls on the butterfly controls however nothing happens. She pulls again, this time more forcefully.
Asuka (surprised): What's wrong?
Shinji: I...don't know.
Before the children can ponder what was keeping the Eva from moving a blast of static invades the entry plug causing Shinji and Asuka to cover their ears from the screeching sound.
Misato (over the radio): *CRACKLE* Shinji....Asuka *CRACKLE* hear me?
Shinji (overjoyed): Yes Misato we can hear you...oh god I thought you were dead!
Misato (over the radio): *CRACKLE* in broken and *CRACKLE* readable Shinji.
Asuka (into the radio): Same on this end Misato.
Misato (over radio): *CRACKLE* work in water *CRACKLE* equipment not for sea *CRACKLE*
Asuka (into to radio): So what do we do then?!
Misato (over the radio): *CRACKLE* to surface *CRACKLE* up power cable.
Asuka (into the radio): Say again Misato......Misato?
Shinji (panicking): Misato?! MISATO!?
All the two received in reply was a burst of static, then silence. A warning tone sounds inside the entry plug bringing the two teens back into reality as the short range sonar picks up a large, fast moving target heading towards them.
Shinji: It's coming back! What do we do?!
Asuka: What did Misato say?!
Shinji: Something about the Eva not being able to fight underwater.
Asuka: IDIOT, we already knew that.....she said, up the power cable!
Shinji: What?
Asuka: Just watch. Begin second contingency retrieval system!
A powerful jerk shakes the whole Eva, then Shinji feels himself and the Eva moving backwards and upwards rather quickly.
Shinji: What's going on?
Asuka (glaring at Shinji): Idiot! You're a pilot and you don't know about the pilot operated retrieval system?
Shinji: P...pilot retrieval system?
Asuka at this point is infuriated at Shinji's lack of pilot knowledge and gives him a sharp blow to his skull. As Shinji rubs his head Asuka explains the process to him.
Asuka: Put simply idiot, instead of the control center ordering the reeling back in of the umbilical cable the pilot does it themselves...ahhh!
Shinji turns his head in the direction of Asuka's gaze trying to determine what made her stop on half sentence. The Eva's view screens shows the aquatic angel swimming towards them, faster than what the cable was reeling the Eva in at.
Shinji: It's going to catch us!
Asuka: And there's nothing we can do about it!
The two hapless pilots watch as the angel's figure gets closer and closer until almost the whole view screen is dominated by the angel's form. Opening it's mouth the angel prepared to end the skirmish with one powerful bite. Meanwhile inside the Eva's entry plug the two teens are seemingly performing a hopeless last ditch attempt to save themselves by pulling on the butterfly controls and thinking with all their might to command the Eva to move.
Shinji (thinking): Move, move, move, move, move, move....
Asuka (thinking): Move, move, move, move, move, MOVE, MOVE....
The jaws of the angel encircle the torso of the Eva ready to clamp down at any moment, and just when all was thought to be lost the syncro graph of the Eva spikes and the Eva's once dark eyes glow brightly with life as the Eva beings to do the impossible...move underwater with the wrong configuration. As the angel closes it's jaws the Eva snaps quickly into action and holds the angel's mouth open with a head clinging tightly onto each of the angel's 'lips'.
The angel tries to clamp it's strong jaws shut, however the Eva now acting in a way never thought of before is seemingly more powerful than the angel could hope to be. Finding that it cannot bite the Eva in two the angel swims as fast as it can towards the surface of the water taking the Eva with it.
Asuka (straining): Shiest....we're...surfacing!
Shinji takes a look at the top of the view screen showing the rapidly approaching ship hulls.
Shinji (gasping): It's trying to ram us.....into a ship!
Asuka (pulling the controls with all her weight): Not today!
In response to Asuka's commands the reefs the angel closer with a combination of a forceful pull and a kick to the angel's mouth. The attack was successful bow changing the angel's direction just enough to avoid the solid hull of a battleship. Now with nothing to stop the two giants at their high velocity they break the surface of the water and careened back towards origin of the battle.....the supercarrier 'Over the Rainbow'.
Misato holds onto a rather weak railing to support herself as she peers out onto the ruined flight deck. Less than an hour before the three hundred foot metal platform had been a hive of activity with UN aircraft buzzing around while their support crews ran back and forth across the deck. Now in the present the deck takes on the liking to a metal sandbox with small mounds and footprints imprinted on the surface, all the planes are gone now, either they slid into the sea or we crushed beyond recognition much to Kensuke's anguish.
Suddenly Misato hears a whirring noise, looking in the direction of where it is coming Misato spies the last operational aircraft elevator hoist a plane up to the flight deck.
Misato: What the heck is going on here?
However all her questions are answered as she hears a voice in over the loudspeaker.
Voice (over loudspeaker): Hey Katsuragi!
Misato (almost sounding overjoyed): Kaji!
Kaji (over loudspeaker); I have a little delivery to make so I'll be off right now.
Misato turns a shade of purple while making aggressive grunts.
Kaji (over loudspeaker): Oh and one other thing, I'd keep my eyes peeled to the west. Good luck captain.
The VTOL capable plane lifts off from the deck while a fuming Misato watches on.
Misato (thinking): Ohhh that bas....wait, didn't he say look west?
A loud whistling through the air confirms Misato's suspicious as she leans out the broken window in order face the direction stated. Her efforts are rewarded with a view of Unit two and the angel togeather flying in the direction of the carrier.
Misato: Eeeppppp!
The woman moves as quickly as she can from the window and finds something grab onto with her good arm. Several moments later the ship is rocked once more as the two large bodies collided with the already weakened hull of the supercarrier. The metal bends and whines but somehow stays togeather as the Eva wrestles with the angel which has apparently 'body slammed' the Eva.
The Eva knees the angel and holds it's teeth back with one elbow while the other arm reaches for the the second progressive knife in the other shoulder casing. Once deployed the Eva stabs the angel's mouth repeatedly with the knife while holding back the angel's powerful jaws.
Asuka (growling): Ohhhh DIIIEEEEE!
Asuka yanks and pushes on the butterfly controls commanding the Eva to continually stab the large beast pinning the Eva to the deck. Shinji hangs onto the seat tightly and focuses on the not 'here and now' part of the battle.
As Asuka fights Shinji peers into the angel's opening and closing mouth as it tries to bite the Eva, Shinji's attention then turns to a small noise below Asuka's grunts and the angel's howls....a whining, cracking noise. Shinji's eyes boggle as he realizes what is making the sound.
Shinji (putting a hand on Asuka's shoulder): Asuka!
Asuka (concentrating on her controls): Not now idiot, can't you see I'm engaged!
Shinji: But Asuka!
Asuka (turning quickly to face him): I said not now!
Satisfied Asuka returns to her attempts to stab the angel to death which Shinji summons up all his courage for one final attempt.
Shinji (yelling): THE HULL IS ABOUT TO BREAK!
Startled by this Asuka drops her guard and the angel sizes the opportunity to sink it's teeth back into the Eva's mid-section causing the upper half of the Eva to enter the angel's mouth. Racked with pain Asuka loses her concentration for a moment and the Eva loses it's grip on the prog knife which falls into the angel's mouth. Looking near the back of the angel's mouth is the red orb Shinji saw before.
Shinji: That's it...that's your target Asuka!
Asuka (growling): I'll get you this time.
The Eva probes in the near darkness of the angel's for the lost progressive knife. As the angel's teeth continue to sink in the Eva's slender torso Asuka frantically searches for the lost knife until....
Asuka (relived somewhat): Got it.
Through the constant pain Asuka has the Eva take a strong grip on the hilt of the progressive knife as she inspects her target.
Shinji (wincing): We don't have much time left Asuka...
Asuka let's loose one more scream as the Eva reaches forward casing the angel's teeth to rip through the Eva's amour and flesh causing the two incredible pain, however the Eva's efforts were not in vain as it had closed enough distance to be within striking distance of the angel's core.
Drawing it's arm back the Eva makes the blow clean and quick, embedding the progressive knife directly in the angel's core. A shower of sparks light up the inside of the angel's dark mouth, then just as suddenly as they appear, the sparks die out. As the sparks die so does the angel's struggles and then finally the angel itself slips into death's cold grip. However in one final act the angel lazily rolls off the supercarrier into the water, sinking rapidly, taking the Eva with it. After about a minute of silence, except for the sound of the extending power cable, a giant undersea explosion rocks the ships on the surface.
Then all is silent.
Sunlight invades the entry plug as the hatch is opened from the outside. A groggy Asuka looks up from her seat where Shinji is draped over her still unconscious. Fortunately for Shinji a voice calls out distracting Asuka from preparing to beat the defenseless boy.
Misato ( from outside the plug, worried): Shinji, Asuka?!
Asuka: Misato?!
Misato (from outside the plug, still worried): Asuka...is Shinji alright?!
A little jealous that Misato was more concerned for Shinji, she looks down at the boy across her lap and she blushes slightly. Looking back up at the top of the hatch and spying no-one yet and she gently runs her fingers through his hair.
Misato (from outside the plug, very worried): Asuka?!
Asuka (looking up): Yeah, yeah the idiot's just knocked out!
Misato (peering through the hatch): Oh thank god!
Asuka (looking up at Misato): Yeah...god.
She lowers her head and looks again at the back of Shinji's head.
Shinji slowly opens his eyes, a blinding white light greets him in return.
Shinji (covering his eyes): Ahhhhh
Voice: Bout time you woke up idiot.
Shinji rolls onto his right and uncovers his eyes to reveal Asuka sitting at his bedside on a wooden chair. She was still in her plugsuit with a towel draped around her shoulders.
Shinji (groggily): H...how long have I been out?
Asuka (raising her head slightly): About half an hour you pervert.
Shinji: What?
Asuka's eyes light up, she stands and cracks her towel at Shinji who is now cowering on the table.
Asuka (almost yelling): Stupid idiot, you collapsed in my lap you pervert!
CRACK! She whips her towel at him again, Shinji shields himself as he tries to escape the wrath of the red haired girl.
Shinji (whining): I'm sorry, I'm sorry...I...I didn't mean to collapse on...Ahhhhh, I'm sorry!
Asuka (continually cracking the towel): Stupid males, all of you are perverts! Taking advantage of defenseless young girls like that!
Shinji (thinking): DEFENSELESS?!
Thankfully for Shinji another voice made itself heard which made Asuka relinquish her attack.
Misato: Just what the hell is going on here?!
Misato walks up to the two teens and gasps. Asuka has her towel poised to strike while Shinji is cowering with his arms covering his head. But what Misato was gasping at was that Shinji was turned away from Asuka and the towel Asuka wielded was aimed at the other end of Shinji.
Misato (angry): You kids are WAY to young for something like this!
Asuka: What are hell are you talking about M....OH GOD! Pervert! Sex freak!
Asuka drops the towel and runs out of the infirmary screaming, yelling and cursing. Shinji and Misato just sweatdropped.
Misato (flatly): You alright Shinji?
Shinji (flatly): I...think so.
Deep within the cold recesses of the NERV facility where the casing of the supercomputers named the Magi reside, another figure also waits in the darkness. Suddenly the darkness is pierced by two red eyes which eerily hang in the darkness as the rest of the person's body is obsecurred from view.
Voice (softly): She has arrived.
Metallic voice: Let us prepare.
Voice (softly): Yes.
The room is flooded with glowing green binary numbers continually traveling across the length of the room. In the center of the room stands a 14 year old Rei Ayanami standing as still as a statue.
Metallic voice: Our long wait is almost over.
Rei (softly): Yes.
The remnants of the battle scarred fleet silently sails into the port of New Yokosuka, the crew in too much of shock to utter any small amount of conversation to one another. On the off ramp of one particular frigate a few familiar figures stand at the bottom of the ramp. Both are draped in bandages however the main distinguishing mark is the videocamera held in the hand of one of the figures.
Toji: You think they were seriously hurt?
Kensuke: No way...I heard bitch girl scream way too loudly to be injured.
Toji (grimacing): Speaking of which.
Kensuke turns his camera in the direction of the ramp, his head turns with the camera as the viewfinder is seemingly 'molded' to Kensuke's right glasses lens. He wasn't exactly sure what Toji was speaking about however as soon as he saw the person coming towards them his heart sank and his courage took a quick exit out of his body.
Asuka (gruffly): Get that camera out of my face pervert.
Kensuke immediately responds to Asuka's request.
Kensuke (grumbling): Didn't want my lens cracked anyway.
Asuka (grabbing Kensuke's collar): What was that pig?!
Kensuke (gulping): N...nothing
Asuka: Oh no you don't...you're not getting off that.....
Toji (pointing): Shinji!
Asuka (turning her head): Shinji?
At the top of the ramp stands Shinji Ikari still dressed in Asuka's plugsuit with his right arm in a sling, beside him stands Misato who has a few more bandages wrapped around her person. With Asuka's attention diverted, Kensuke is able to slip out of her grip and get back to the situation at hand, his videocamera at the ready as always.
Toji (grinning): Hey nice figure Ikari.
Shinji (blushing and trying to hide himself): Ahhh....yeah well...
Kensuke: Demon girl make you wear it or did you pick it?
Shinji continues to blush while Asuka turns the color of her plugsuit, however it's not from embarrassment but rather from rage.
Asuka (growling): No holding back this time your four eyed pervert!
Asuka winds her arm back and just as she prepares to hurl her punch at the cowering boy, a high pitched voice breaks her concentration and her swing misses.
Voice (overjoyed): Shinji!
Shinji (weakly): Hikari.
The girl runs up to Shinji and grabs him in a big bear hug, the weakened boy almost topples over because of the sheer fierceness of the hug. A crowd consisting of a slack jawed Misato and Kensuke with a fuming Asuka and a glaring Toji look on at the scene developing in front of them.
Hikari (still hugging Shinji): After I heard what happened I was afraid you might have died.
Shinji (weakly holding onto Hikari): It's....ok now, I'm alright, we're all alright thanks to Asuka.
Hikari (looking up from Shinji's shoulder): Asuka...who's Asuka?
Asuka (still red, stepping forward): I'm Asuka....Asuka Langly Sohryu
Hikari (surprised slightly): You're the second child.
Asuka (somewhat annoyed): And you must be the third.
Asuka (thinking): Oh this just keeps getting better and better!
An uneasy silence falls on the group, pairs of eyes shift around looking at the next person, then to another, that is until Misato coughs loudly.
Misato: Anyway I think that's enough for now. We have a debrief at NERV to attend.
Asuka: But we're not all here.....cause Kaji....
Misato (snapping): He took a powder the jerk!
Misato (regaining her composure): Anyway....let's go.
The three pilots look at each other as Misato begins to walk towards a waiting NERV HummVee. Hikari smiles walks beside Shinji towards the vehicle quietly talking with the young Ikari. Toji and Kensuke walk off to another waiting transport while Asuka stands in her previous spot watching the other two pilots.
Hikari (in the distance giggling): You look rather cute in that.
Shinji (spluttering off in the distance): I...I...it's not like....
Hikari (laughing off in the distance): Oh Shinji!
Asuka stamps her foot and slowly begins to follow.
Asuka (thinking): Oh yeah things couldn't get much better if I wished it!
-----------------------------
Episode 6 coming soon:
"If sitting in the same entry plug for a few hours wasn't bad enough, what happens when these two have to live togeather in order to take on an angel that defeated the 'best of the best' the first time around. It's not just a case of dancing as if they want to win but trying to get along!".
Any comments and criticisms are welcome.
Writer/Storyboard: Les Robb aka Rion (rion@dingoblue.net.au)
Storyboard/Editing: KoalaKiller (birdman@key.net.au)
NOTE: * means dialogue in German.
Other notes:
Yes I realize this chapter took a lot longer to come out than the others but there are several facets attributing to the delay. 1) I have been working rather hard with my university studies (those high distinctions just don't appear by themselves). 2) I realized that the site where the fanfiction was hosted was rather substandard and I spent a fair bit of my time designing and re-designing it. If you haven't done so already please visit NGEWorx (unless you are reading this from here). Of course if you would to see more pictures as well - please by all means send them in, fan art is a plus as well.
And thanks be to my pre-readers:
Silencer, Seph Khan and Rugle
Disclaimer:
Neon Genesis Evangelion is owned and copyrighted by Gainax, all characters used from that series as well as familiar plot links and scenarios. All names are (TM) and (C) by their respective owners.