Neon Genesis Evangelion: Creator's Gambit - Chapter 4
by: Gemini83
Disclaimer: I don't own Neon Genesis or any of the characters...just this story.
A voice rang over the communication link, "Somebody call for backup?"
A column emerged from the ground. It opened...and a new Eva Unit walked out.
"Hi guys," came the voice.
It was one Shinji knew well. "Toji? How did you get here!"
"This is the new, rebuilt Unit 03."
"Wasn't it destroyed?" asked Asuka.
"Yes, but in anticipation of Third Impact, Nerv created a new one in secret. Now we have five Eva units ready to kick ass. We are ready to fight!"
"Fight what?" demanded Shinji, "what's going on here?"
"Don't ask me," answered Toji, "I just do what I'm told."
"I can answer that," said Kaworu, "through Eve, your Eva, Third Impact manifested in your deepest wishes and desires Shinji. While you later decided to save the Earth, half of you had already decided to destroy it. As a result, we may have to fight, and the outcome of the battle will decide whether the Earth is destroyed, or all the lives since Second Impact are saved."
"You mean...?"
"Yes. Misato, your father, even your mother will be saved. But none of it will happen if we don't defeat our enemies."
"You are correct, human," said a strange, dark voice in echo, "we will destroy you...and the world as you know it perish..."
Dark clouds rose ahead, as lightning struck the ground of the ruined fields. Not far off, the ruined city crumbled away in the wind. A blood red sky blazed down, an evil portent of things to come...
"You know what you are asking?" said Fuyutsuke, "without the plugs, the Eva Units will be unbound. There's no telling what could happen."
The alarms rang, signaling...
"Unit 03," said Ikari, "it's been launched..."
"Yes," answered Kaji.
"How?" asked Fuyutsuke.
Ritsuko entered the room, along with two children, "apparently, Kaji stopped by the hospital to pick up our wayward pilot."
Gendo Ikari clenched his hand into a fist. For a rare moment, everyone could see his loss of composure, "dammit..."
Misato wavered for a moment. Ikari never lost his head, he was certifiably glacial, as opposed to his son, who's feelings rose and fell like a tide. It was slightly disturbing. Was he showing...emotion?
"Why are you so afraid?" asked Kaji, "I read the Scrolls, it is necessary if the world is to survive."
"What do you think this will do to the pilots?" asked Ikari, "especially without the dummy plugs, there will be no safety..."
"Without their destruction, the Eva's potentials will be degraded," said Kaji, "they need it. Besides, the plugs are soulless anyway."
"What do you mean?" asked Misato, "I thought they were clones of-"
"They are, sort of," said Ritsuko, "but a soul can only rest in one vessel, unless it is divided...and even then, it is unstable..."
"You endanger more than just Shinji and the other pilots," said Kaji, "you weaken Rei as well, her psyche is in a constant state of flux. If she wasn't joined with Lilith, her mind could have been destroyed by now."
"Considering Rei, that's not a probability," answered Ikari, "besides, it was necessary."
"I don't see how," answered Ritsuko, "especially since she is your daughter..."
Misato turned to Gendo, "daughter?!"
Ikari shrugged, "I thought I could bring back Yui..."
"But instead you created a daughter instead," said Ritsuko, "a test tube baby, but a daughter nonetheless."
Kaji pressed him further, "destroy the dummy plugs. You know it isn't fair to Rei...to any of them."
Gendo stared icily back at Kaji, "and what about Shinji?"
"Excuse me?" asked Kaji.
"Do you know what would happen to him without the protection of the dummy plugs?" continued Gendo, "the forces alone could drive him insane! No boy should be allowed to bear that burden. He won't be able to stop the Impact by himself!"
"He's not alone," answered Misato.
"That's not what I meant," he replied.
"How can you not trust your own son?" asked Kaji, "don't you feel anything for him at all?"
"Who in hell do you think I did this for?" demanded Ikari, "for Nerv? For Seele? Useless...I did it to protect HIM. If I had had my way, he would never have become a pilot."
"But we needed him," said Ritsuko.
Gendo nodded, then sighed as he looked down.
And finally, Misato understood. She knew why Gendo had acted the way he had for so long. It was because there was no other choice. More importantly, he had done it to protect his son...
...To protect his son...
...Because he loved him...
Misato knew then what to say, "he doesn't need your protection sir. He needs your love, your support...he needs your help."
"Do it Ikari," persuaded Kaji, "or we all die."
Gendo sighed, feeling the wait of the world on his shoulders. Who would he listen to...the cries of the world, or his almost dead conscience?
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, he moved to the controls, "very well."
He spoke into a mic, "Shinji, Rei, all of you...listen to me..."
Shinji's voice caught in his throat as the message came through the intercom.
"Fa-Father?"
"Yes," answered Gendo, "I'm here."
"Sir," said Asuka, "we've got a problem up here..."
"I am aware of it," answered Gendo, "and I may be able to help."
"How?" asked Shinji.
"By destroying the dummy plugs," he answered.
Before anyone else could say anything, he continued, "it will be painful. The AT fields they naturally generated were weakened, when Rei's powers manifested."
"Manifested?" asked Shinji.
"When she stopped me before," replied Kaworu, "before I shed the control of the Angel, Tabris, as well as Seele."
"But the AT fields are still there, however slight," continued Gendo, "that isn't the main bulk of your protection, but...destroying them would free the Eva's, delivering them entirely into your control...and it could kill you..."
The pilots thought about it, carefully.
"Kill us eh?" asked Toji.
"I've almost died before," said Asuka, "in fact, I probably did. I didn't like it, but it comes with the territory."
'Of course,' thought Shinji, 'she'd have to say that, wouldn't she? Asuka...the greatest pilot her country ever produced...and a bigger mess of complexes than even me...'
With a sigh, Shinji answered for them all.
"Do it father," said he, "we no longer have any choices."
'Well,' thought Asuka, 'at least Third Impacts done wonders for his attitude.'
"Brace yourselves," answered Gendo, "and Shinji?"
"Yes?"
"Be careful...all of you be careful," said Gendo, "watch out for each other."
Then he was gone. One by one, alarms began to go off in Shinji's Eva, warning him of the dummy plug's destruction.
All Shinji could think on was his father's last words, "be careful." And then, he knew something else. Although he hadn't realized until now, it was something more important to him than anything else he had ever strived for...
...His father loved him...
Gendo pushed a button, destroying the dummy plugs...and closed his eyes as the pilots screamed in pain. The pilots now had a direct connection to the Evas, completely unhindered. The sheer energy and emotions involved with such a bond could bury them in agony. He shut down the array, before the cries drove him mad with rage. The possibilities were limitless, but so were the dangers. The dummy plugs had been created to stabilize the powers of the Eva...to help the pilots cope with the raw power. Remote control had been a bonus. But now...the seals were broken, leaving the pilots to bear the burden of the Eva's alone...
"You had no choice," comforted Fuyutsuke.
"I'm his father," said Gendo.
"That doesn't make it easier," conceded Kaji, "but he would surely have died otherwise."
"It remains to be seen if he still survives or not," answered Gendo.
"He has to," answered Ritsuko, "for all our sakes."
Kaji continued, "the Ikari bloodline is vital to Third Impact, it was chosen. This is why Rei was needed for the Nerv Eva's. That is why Seele needed the Ikari bloodline as well for their plans."
"You mean Shinji?" asked Misato.
Kaji shook his head, "I meant someone else..."
Slowly, the pain vanished, and the pilots shook the phantom feelings of pain left behind, all of the pilots...but one...
"Now," said Kaworu, "we are at full potential."
"What do you mean?!" asked Toji.
Then there was no time for words...Unit 00 went berserk...
by: Gemini83
Disclaimer: I don't own Neon Genesis or any of the characters...just this story.
A voice rang over the communication link, "Somebody call for backup?"
A column emerged from the ground. It opened...and a new Eva Unit walked out.
"Hi guys," came the voice.
It was one Shinji knew well. "Toji? How did you get here!"
"This is the new, rebuilt Unit 03."
"Wasn't it destroyed?" asked Asuka.
"Yes, but in anticipation of Third Impact, Nerv created a new one in secret. Now we have five Eva units ready to kick ass. We are ready to fight!"
"Fight what?" demanded Shinji, "what's going on here?"
"Don't ask me," answered Toji, "I just do what I'm told."
"I can answer that," said Kaworu, "through Eve, your Eva, Third Impact manifested in your deepest wishes and desires Shinji. While you later decided to save the Earth, half of you had already decided to destroy it. As a result, we may have to fight, and the outcome of the battle will decide whether the Earth is destroyed, or all the lives since Second Impact are saved."
"You mean...?"
"Yes. Misato, your father, even your mother will be saved. But none of it will happen if we don't defeat our enemies."
"You are correct, human," said a strange, dark voice in echo, "we will destroy you...and the world as you know it perish..."
Dark clouds rose ahead, as lightning struck the ground of the ruined fields. Not far off, the ruined city crumbled away in the wind. A blood red sky blazed down, an evil portent of things to come...
"You know what you are asking?" said Fuyutsuke, "without the plugs, the Eva Units will be unbound. There's no telling what could happen."
The alarms rang, signaling...
"Unit 03," said Ikari, "it's been launched..."
"Yes," answered Kaji.
"How?" asked Fuyutsuke.
Ritsuko entered the room, along with two children, "apparently, Kaji stopped by the hospital to pick up our wayward pilot."
Gendo Ikari clenched his hand into a fist. For a rare moment, everyone could see his loss of composure, "dammit..."
Misato wavered for a moment. Ikari never lost his head, he was certifiably glacial, as opposed to his son, who's feelings rose and fell like a tide. It was slightly disturbing. Was he showing...emotion?
"Why are you so afraid?" asked Kaji, "I read the Scrolls, it is necessary if the world is to survive."
"What do you think this will do to the pilots?" asked Ikari, "especially without the dummy plugs, there will be no safety..."
"Without their destruction, the Eva's potentials will be degraded," said Kaji, "they need it. Besides, the plugs are soulless anyway."
"What do you mean?" asked Misato, "I thought they were clones of-"
"They are, sort of," said Ritsuko, "but a soul can only rest in one vessel, unless it is divided...and even then, it is unstable..."
"You endanger more than just Shinji and the other pilots," said Kaji, "you weaken Rei as well, her psyche is in a constant state of flux. If she wasn't joined with Lilith, her mind could have been destroyed by now."
"Considering Rei, that's not a probability," answered Ikari, "besides, it was necessary."
"I don't see how," answered Ritsuko, "especially since she is your daughter..."
Misato turned to Gendo, "daughter?!"
Ikari shrugged, "I thought I could bring back Yui..."
"But instead you created a daughter instead," said Ritsuko, "a test tube baby, but a daughter nonetheless."
Kaji pressed him further, "destroy the dummy plugs. You know it isn't fair to Rei...to any of them."
Gendo stared icily back at Kaji, "and what about Shinji?"
"Excuse me?" asked Kaji.
"Do you know what would happen to him without the protection of the dummy plugs?" continued Gendo, "the forces alone could drive him insane! No boy should be allowed to bear that burden. He won't be able to stop the Impact by himself!"
"He's not alone," answered Misato.
"That's not what I meant," he replied.
"How can you not trust your own son?" asked Kaji, "don't you feel anything for him at all?"
"Who in hell do you think I did this for?" demanded Ikari, "for Nerv? For Seele? Useless...I did it to protect HIM. If I had had my way, he would never have become a pilot."
"But we needed him," said Ritsuko.
Gendo nodded, then sighed as he looked down.
And finally, Misato understood. She knew why Gendo had acted the way he had for so long. It was because there was no other choice. More importantly, he had done it to protect his son...
...To protect his son...
...Because he loved him...
Misato knew then what to say, "he doesn't need your protection sir. He needs your love, your support...he needs your help."
"Do it Ikari," persuaded Kaji, "or we all die."
Gendo sighed, feeling the wait of the world on his shoulders. Who would he listen to...the cries of the world, or his almost dead conscience?
Finally, after what seemed an eternity, he moved to the controls, "very well."
He spoke into a mic, "Shinji, Rei, all of you...listen to me..."
Shinji's voice caught in his throat as the message came through the intercom.
"Fa-Father?"
"Yes," answered Gendo, "I'm here."
"Sir," said Asuka, "we've got a problem up here..."
"I am aware of it," answered Gendo, "and I may be able to help."
"How?" asked Shinji.
"By destroying the dummy plugs," he answered.
Before anyone else could say anything, he continued, "it will be painful. The AT fields they naturally generated were weakened, when Rei's powers manifested."
"Manifested?" asked Shinji.
"When she stopped me before," replied Kaworu, "before I shed the control of the Angel, Tabris, as well as Seele."
"But the AT fields are still there, however slight," continued Gendo, "that isn't the main bulk of your protection, but...destroying them would free the Eva's, delivering them entirely into your control...and it could kill you..."
The pilots thought about it, carefully.
"Kill us eh?" asked Toji.
"I've almost died before," said Asuka, "in fact, I probably did. I didn't like it, but it comes with the territory."
'Of course,' thought Shinji, 'she'd have to say that, wouldn't she? Asuka...the greatest pilot her country ever produced...and a bigger mess of complexes than even me...'
With a sigh, Shinji answered for them all.
"Do it father," said he, "we no longer have any choices."
'Well,' thought Asuka, 'at least Third Impacts done wonders for his attitude.'
"Brace yourselves," answered Gendo, "and Shinji?"
"Yes?"
"Be careful...all of you be careful," said Gendo, "watch out for each other."
Then he was gone. One by one, alarms began to go off in Shinji's Eva, warning him of the dummy plug's destruction.
All Shinji could think on was his father's last words, "be careful." And then, he knew something else. Although he hadn't realized until now, it was something more important to him than anything else he had ever strived for...
...His father loved him...
Gendo pushed a button, destroying the dummy plugs...and closed his eyes as the pilots screamed in pain. The pilots now had a direct connection to the Evas, completely unhindered. The sheer energy and emotions involved with such a bond could bury them in agony. He shut down the array, before the cries drove him mad with rage. The possibilities were limitless, but so were the dangers. The dummy plugs had been created to stabilize the powers of the Eva...to help the pilots cope with the raw power. Remote control had been a bonus. But now...the seals were broken, leaving the pilots to bear the burden of the Eva's alone...
"You had no choice," comforted Fuyutsuke.
"I'm his father," said Gendo.
"That doesn't make it easier," conceded Kaji, "but he would surely have died otherwise."
"It remains to be seen if he still survives or not," answered Gendo.
"He has to," answered Ritsuko, "for all our sakes."
Kaji continued, "the Ikari bloodline is vital to Third Impact, it was chosen. This is why Rei was needed for the Nerv Eva's. That is why Seele needed the Ikari bloodline as well for their plans."
"You mean Shinji?" asked Misato.
Kaji shook his head, "I meant someone else..."
Slowly, the pain vanished, and the pilots shook the phantom feelings of pain left behind, all of the pilots...but one...
"Now," said Kaworu, "we are at full potential."
"What do you mean?!" asked Toji.
Then there was no time for words...Unit 00 went berserk...