I have received a few complaints, so I will try to FIX THE FLAWS IN MY STORY. Happy? Good. Now is the time for compensation. Enjoy.

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The vast metallic door to the holding chamber of Eva Unit 05 seemed to open so slowly that it was almost unnoticeable. To Misato and Ritsuko, that is. When the door had finally opened, the group stepped through the doorway into the nearly blinding white lights.

As their eyes adjusted, they began to walk down a metal causeway above the familiar reddish liquid. Shinji didn't think he had been in this part of NERV before, though, but it was hard to tell. A strange mist hung about the vast chamber, so that they couldn't see very much ahead of them.

Soon, they had stopped, and Shinji thought that he could partially make out some large object through the mist. It had to be Eva 05.

"Okay, everyone," Misato announced, her voice not affected by the density of the mist. "This is Eva Unit 05." Everyone took one last step.

Everyone there, except Victor, gasped when they saw the new unit. Shinji looked up at its head and shoulders in astonishment. It was almost completely different from the other Evas, yet oddly the same. It was almost entirely black; no other colors could be seen except the gray area around its mouth and the harsh green glow of its three eyes. It had strange, black blade protrusions on its shoulders, stabbing upwards higher than the head, four on each shoulder. Its head had a psychotic grin similar to Eva 01's, but the three glowing green eyes above enforced it even more. Possibly the strangest thing about the head, though, were the four black spikes that lay swept back on the top of the beast's head, so that their points stuck out behind the head. Shinji wondered briefly if that would cause trouble with the entry plug.

Suddenly Asuka coughed loudly, and Shinji looked over at her. Her eyes were narrowed at the Eva as if it was mocking her. She was certainly jealous. Rei, on the other hand, simply stared at it. The strange look in her eyes was unreadable.

"Now, everyone, I would like to tell you about-," Ritsuko began, but was almost immediately cut off as a huge tremor rocked the building. "MY GOD!" She shouted above the rumble.

Misato ran over to the computer screen against the wall and stared at it momentarily. "Great!" She shouted back. "It's another Angel! All right, Shinji, Rei, Asuka, you had better-,"

"No," Ritsuko interrupted. "I think we should let Victor handle this one. I want to see what he can do."

"You said he was a trained pilot, right?" Misato shouted at her."

"Yes. Now, Victor, I want you to pilot the Eva."

Victor simply nodded.

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All three of the other pilots watched anxiously from the control room along with the NERV officials. Everyone had slight doubts. This Victor didn't seem the type to be able to pilot an Eva.

They all looked on in silence as the entry plug was inserted into Eva 04's back. Constraints were released, and the biomechanical beast was slowly moved to the launch platform. This would be a decisive conflict.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gendo Ikari stood at the large window, observing the new Eva as it was preparing for battle, with his hands folded behind his back. Maya stood next to him, overseeing the events rather nervously.

"Are you sure this boy is capable?" Ikari asked in his flat tone.

"Yes sir," Maya answered a bit uncertainly. "Or at least, the reports say he is."

"Let us hope the reports are accurate, then."

"Yes sir. This particular operation is crucial; if the Eva malfunctions and becomes a serious problem, the UN would be in uproar. There could be international trouble, and who knows what-!"

Gendo interrupted smoothly. "Hopefully we won't have to worry about that. The Eva and the boy must succeed for trouble in the UN to be avoided. This is a decisive test."

He looked over at Maya. "Go and oversee the operations in the control room. Make sure this goes as smoothly as possible."

"Yes sir!" Maya gave a smart salute and turned, walking out of the room.

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Eva 05 had been launched. The huge black beast stood among the forest of buildings that was Tokyo-3. One hundred meters away stood the Angel. It glared at him through the red eyes on the jagged head of its tall, lithe body. Strange glowing spikes protruded everywhere on its body, so it shone with a horrifying, unearthly brilliance. In the razor teeth of its mouth was an abandoned car.

Victor watched the creature silently from his entry plug, gray eyes returning its dangerous glare. He didn't even flinch as the Angel began to make its way toward him. He simply grinned as they concrete shook.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Misato stood overlooking the crowd in the control room. Everything had gone according to plan- so far. Gendo sat grinning his disturbing grin at her from his seat.

Misato was about to speak out and congratulate everyone working on the operation, but a voice spoke up behind her.

"Uhh- Misato?" It was Maya.

"Yes?" Misato replied, turning around to look at the other woman with an agitated look on her face.

"I- think you had better come and look at this."

Misato walked over to the console Maya was sitting at, panicking inside. It could not all go wrong now.

"The pattern." Maya began. "It's-,"

Misato gave a horrified gasp as her eyes took in the screen. "Victor's synch ratio! It- it's at 0%!"

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Ha. Haha. No super SI here. Flame if you feel the need to; constructive criticism is welcomed.