The Thirteenth, the First, and a couple of Zeroes
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Counting minutes now until they activate this damn thing…
I'm never listening to Zeruel again.
Oh, he gets the good form. He gets blade arms and a gun for eyes. I get to wait around in the Prozac-deprived mecha design.
'It's stealthy,' he said. 'It will give us an idea of how powerful the Evangelions are,' he said.
He's not going to have to ride around with one of those 14 year old whine-machines screaming the entire time.
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…
…
WHAT THE HELL?!
WALKER?!
I…I just sensed Walker. What the Hell is Walker doing here? He couldn't have sent him, He had no reason to, we had the entire thing in hand…
Damn it. If there's a change in orders we're in deep crap. I need to investigate this…
Alright…alright…
MOVE!
In the holding cage of the blue-black form of the Evangelion designated 03, two yellow eyes begin to glow.
Crap. Batteries.
5 minutes? What in the Inferno are these batteries, alkaline? You'd think the 21st century could make a more efficient engine…
Alright, accelerate the schedule a bit. Shift the mass a bit, draw a little matter…what was the construction of the S2 Organ, again? It's been so long since I operated independently…Ah! Perfect!
The mouth-cage of the Eva's face breaks, the jaw flapping freely and willfully as the biomechanoid warrior gives off a pleased groan. Shrugging off the restraints of the cage, an octahedron of gold light appears on all of its sides, parting the cage and allowing him passage.
And Bardiel, the Thirteenth Angel, begins his search for answers.
There is a flash of violet and an onrush of air and force, and Gendo Ikari finds himself tied by his hands to a large violet stone cross in the middle of his office.
"It's called Irony," the Walker says as his hand's tell-tale glow subsides, "It's the little things that make life worth living."
"Armed personnel will be here in minutes," Ikari responds, "I can already tell who the boy is. You're tempting fate by reviving him."
"And how badly do you think you were temping fate by keeping Adam imprisoned? For an intellectual you're surprisingly dense, you know."
"I don't need criticism from the likes of you," Ikari growls, "You are an angel, aren't you?"
"Higher than that. I am not a Messenger of God, I am His direct servant," Walker responds, standing up, "I am His Agent in matters of universal calamity. I intervene when others seek to upset the great order in order to achieve their own ends. Like you and those old men you work for."
Adam watches passively as Walker phases through the front of the desk, walking to the crucified Ikari and cupping his jaw.
"I never went back in time to see if they really nailed him to the cross," Walker says, "But tying via rope was the traditional way. It's how they'd kill the unimportant people. Like you."
"Famous last words."
"Oh, cut the fearless crap, you lonely old man."
He half-smacks Ikari as he turns to Adam, walking around the desk.
"He's yours, kid," he says, "Make it count."
Eyes glowing white, the revived First Angel walks over to Ikari, leveling his hand at the commander's face…and a pinprick of light begins to glow.
"Shigeru, you play Stairway to Heaven one more time and I'm beating you with that guitar."
Shigeru Aoba, long-haired NERV technician and amateur guitarist, turns to his coworker, Hyuga Makato, and takes his feet off the console, lowering his guitar pick.
"What?" he asks, "The Major said I could bring the guitar if there isn't an Angel attack. It helps relax the staff."
"I'll have to ask Misato how drunk she was when she agreed to that."
"You would if you weren't staring at her ass the entire time."
Makato chokes, turning to his friend and coworker, tossing one of the books he was reading at him, which Shigeru laughingly deflects with his guitar.
"We're horrible human beings, aren't we?" Makato asks, "Maya, what do you think?"
In response, staring at something beyond the bridge, Maya Ibuki, second in charge of NERV's research department, screams. Not a short, surprised, 'you caught me day dreaming' shout.
No, this is a long, terrified scream, snapping the two men out of their jabbing…and they turn to what she is looking at.
Which turns out to be Unit 03, standing in front of the bridge.
"Excuse me," it says, its jaw opening and moving as it talks, "Could you tell me where I could find the person in charge around here?"
"Um," Makato says, in between Maya's screams, "You mean the…commander?"
"Mm-hm."
"That'd be the top floor. You…uh…have an appointment?"
"No. I believe he's entertaining a guest who I need to see. How do I get outside? I don't believe I will fit in the elevator."
Makato and Aoba point to the far wall, Shigeru using his free arm to cover Maya's mouth as she continues screaming. The Eva looks to them, shrugs, and walks to…and through…the wall, leaving a trail of rubble in its wake.
Ibuki's screaming fits soon relax into occasion squeaks of horror, Aoba squatting down next to her and comforting the terrified woman…and giving Makato, out of her line of sight, a hearty thumbs up, as the art of comforting his coworker turns into the long-honored ritual of trying to score…
The phone on the office desk rings, and kicking it off the receiver, Walker grabs it mid air and holds it to his ear.
"Commander Ikari, sir, there's a-"
"Speaking," Walker says, his voice shifting into Ikari's.
"Commander, it's Lieutenant Makato. We just had an…incident. There may be a situation."
"Explain."
"Evangelion Unit 03 has activated on its own. Records show no entry plug being inserted and it…well, it talked."
"About?"
"It wanted directions. It wanted to see you. Said something about a guest, and it's…working its way outside the command center. Shall I call for the other Evas to be scrambled?"
"No. I will deal with it when it arrives."
He clicks off the phone before the tech can continue, sitting up in the chair and clearing his throat back to his normal voice.
"That would be Bardiel," he says, "The angel you had put in that unit of yours so it could parade around, get destroyed, and probably get its pilot killed in the process."
He watches as the waves of gold are exchanged between Adam and Ikari, both beings glowing in unison…and as Adam severs the connection, the older man slumps on his cross.
"It is done," Adam says, "I know now what has transpired since my imprisonment."
"And?"
"I do not wish reparations. It was my own error that allowed the acts to be forced upon me. I do not hold humanity in contempt."
"Good man. I will make sure your will is enacted."
He doesn't blink as the black hand smashes through the window behind him, ripping away the glass and metal and revealing the glowing yellow eyes of the Thirteenth Angel.
"WALKER!"
Silently, Walker turns the chair around, and grins.
"Bardiel," he says, "How goes the Angel of music and song?"
"Cut the crap, you pompous crusader. What are you doing here? Has His standing orders changed?"
"No, not at all. I am here by my own recognizance."
"…I knew it. You've gone rogue, haven't you? I knew you'd end up like Lucifer."
"I'm hardly rebelling. I'm simply doing an independent study. Come, now, we can't hold a conversation when they start bombarding you with small arms."
Walker snaps his fingers. In a burst of purpose, the massive form of 03 disappears…and reappears, shrunken to six and a half feet tall, in front of Walker.
"Bardiel," Adam says.
"…father," Bardiel responds, falling to one knee, "I was not aware you had awoken. Forgive my intrusion."
"All is always forgiven. Walker, what else do you wish to do on this world?"
Walker grins, walking around Bardiel and Adam, and finally over to Ikari, taking his chin in his hand as the older man retains his scowl.
"I want to mount this man's severed head on a lance as a warning to the next ten generations that godhood is simply not worth the price in human lives," he says, "But…no. There is more to this problem than simply violence will solve. It is the hardening of hearts that lead to our current situation."
He turns to the two angels, his hand still cupping Ikari's face.
"Leave us. Do whatever you will. I will be alone with them."
Adam nods, and he and Bardiel glow, disappearing.
"And now…what?" Ikari asks.
"And now," Walker says with a grin, "We have group therapy."
With a flash of yellow and white, Adam and Bardiel appear before the Evangelion cages. Walking with a brisk pace, Adam walks over to the inactive form of 01. As he approaches, the eyes glow…
And suddenly, the glow dies, the machine slumping forward.
"He has anticipated," Adam says, "The useful machines have been locked away from my will. 00 and 01 will not obey me."
"And I cannot break his charm keeping me in this form," Bardiel growls, "What will he do?"
"Hurt them greatly. I do not hold malice towards human kind. He does, towards those who are players in this tragedy, and will most likely kill them in his rage. Starting with…"
Adam turns, as does Bardiel.
And walking again past the angel, he heads for the cage of the silent Evangelion 02.
"Kyoko Langely," he says, "You must hear me out…"