Gundam-Evangelion Crossover

by Keiichi Morisato

The Gundam in the title of this fic DOES NOT and WILL NOT pertain to Wing. I just don't see how and why Wing and Eva would be connected. Anyway, UC is much better than AC. Go figure.

3. Hedgehog's Dilemma Rei I

With the few days of Shinji's stay in Misato's apartment, he discovered quite a lot of things about his pretty 29-year-old roommate. First off, she was quite the slob (the moment Shinji stepped into Misato's apartment, there was just this big pile of trash on her dinner table that seemed to be last night's dinner). Second, she was quite a drunk (there was a time when he wanted to get something from her fridge and all he saw was that it was chock full of beer cans and nothing else). Third, she had a really weird pet: a strange-looking penguin that likes to immerse itself in hot water. Misato explains that Penpen was a new breed of penguin that was discovered at the time of the Second Impact.

As Misato assigns various household chores to Shinji by way of a little game of rock-paper-scissors, the boy sighed and wondered what he had gotten himself into. But in all of that wondering, he had thought Misato was such a fun person to be with after all, even though she was more than two times his age...almost like Asuka, even. It would be very strange, though, that Shinji hadn't mentioned anything about Asuka during those few days that he would be staying with Misato, Penpen...and Nerv.


********************
A Mobile Suit Gundam / Neon Genesis Evangelion crossover
written by Lloyd Barrieses (kachiko00@yahoo.com)
Mobile Suit Gundam (c)1978 Yoshiyuki Tomino/Bandai/Sunrise.
Neon Genesis Evangelion (c)1996 Gainax/Project Eva./TV Tokyo/NAS.
All rights reserved.

This fanfiction owned and authored by Lloyd Barrieses. Any attempt to
steal this fic (i.e. putting your name in the credits) shall be met with
appropriate punishments. I'm serious, folks.
********************

[Act 3]

Episode 5, "Hedgehog's Dilemma"
-------------------

Shinji was quite the fast learner in terms of his training as a pilot of the Evangelion Unit-01, so much that Ritsuko had almost wondered that, since she knew he had lived in space for so long, if he was a Newtype, like what the late patriarch of Side 3's fallen Duchy of Zeon, Zeon Zum Daikun, had theorized. Shinji's synchronization rate with Unit-01 had been somewhat more exceptional that that of the girl Rei in the course of her days as the original pilot of Unit-01. His reflexes as shown in the anti-Angel battle simulator had also been impressive, as he had possessed quite the prowess as an Eva pilot...

...but it was not so for the pilot himself. Shinji was still feeling depressed as far as his relationship with his father, the Nerv Supreme Commander, was concerned. He didn't really want to hate Gendo; but what could he do after being neglected for so long? Somehow, the moment he set foot on Tokyo, Shinji had felt like he had been slowly drifting away...

---

The Agama, the Mont Blanc, and the Radish leave Osaka fully supplied once more and turned their course towards Tokyo. The AEUG had apparently been informed that one of their formidable allies, a little-known offshoot of the Federal Forces named the "Kalaba", were currently summoned to Tokyo for some sort of a "covert defense operation". It wasn't particularly clear if it was an anti-Titans operation or not.

Hayato Kobayashi, one of the original Pegasus White Base crew and now apparently associated with the Kalaba, had agreed to go with the AEUG in search of their Kalaba comrades. Hayato, a chubby man in his middle twenties, had once been the pilot of the RX-75 Guntank when he was still with the 13th Autonomous Corps. Hayato also explains to two of the top AEUG officers, Lieutenant Commander Quattro Bajina and Supreme Commander Brex Forra, how the Kalaba had come to acquire into their ranks a certain Federal Forces Lieutenant j.g. Amuro Ray.

Hayato: He sure looked different the last time I saw him. I almost pitied his Godforsaken pacifist attitude in this whole Titans situation because he had been off duty for a long period of time now and was missing all the action; good thing he had managed to escape custody from his home in Wyoming and come to us. I was sure the Kalaba were already a force to be reckoned with once I heard that Amuro had joined us.

Brex: Indeed. His work as a Gundam pilot had been far more than exceptional in the old days. (looks at Quattro) Isn't that right, Lieutenant?

Brex wasn't a Newtype himself, but he could clearly sense something from Quattro the moment Hayato had explained to them that Amuro would have probably been their ally now. The old AEUG leader knows for a fact that Amuro and Quattro...or in other words, Char...had once been bitter enemies fighting for opposite sides. He had put a lot of thought into what would happen if Amuro finds out he had been fighting alongside his old enemy Char Aznable.

Quattro: ...yes, most definitely.

---

Shinji, who had apparently been assigned to go to a certain senior high school near Nerv Headquarters and Misato's place of residence, was currently being bored to death at his class. The old professor was discussing things and stuff about the Second Impact...and before Shinji would drift off into sleeping, he turned around slightly to look at one of his female classmates: that very same girl with ice-blue short hair and ruby-red eyes named Rei looking out the window in a spaced-out manner. She was still in bandages and looking very helpless indeed.

He wondered if what kind of a girl this Rei is...she always looks so sullen and like everything's just passing by her...

After all of them have been dismissed, two female students stood before Shinji as if they were putting the boy under interrogation.

Female Classmate A: Hey, you--Ikari's your name, right? How come you transferred here just when people are starting to evacuate?

Shinji: Ummm...w-well...

Female Classmate A: So the rumor's true, isn't it?

Shinji: What rumor...?

Female Classmate B: Don't play dumb! You're that mobile suit's pilot!

Female Classmate A: Is it true?

Shinji looked at these two girls who were looking back at him with "those" eyes again. He couldn't possibly stand it if girls were leering at him like that asking him about something or confronting him like they were doing right now.

Shinji: (looking very worried) I-I-it's...true...

Female Classmate A and B: (gasping) Oh my God, I knew it! It's true!

Male Classmate A: That is so COOL! How'd they choose you?! Was there a test or something? Hey guys, it was true--he WAS in that mobile suit!

Female Classmate A: So what was it like piloting that mobile suit?

Shinji: Ummm...it's...it's not a mobile suit per se...it's a...

Male Classmate B: Oh, whatever! Weren't you scared or something? Does it have some kind of a special attack or something?

Others: Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, etc...

Shinji: Uhh...heh heh..."special attack"?

Female Classmate C: Well, tell us *this*... (looking scared) ...what *was* that monster that we saw? Is it some kind of a Zeon new mobile suit or mobile armor or something...? It was really scary...

Shinji: (suddenly frowning at the question) I...I don't know either. I think they called it an "Angel" or something like that...but it seemed like nobody really knew what it was exactly...

Male Classmate C: (angrily) You think yer all that, but ya don't know nuthin', do ya? What the hell are ya--stupid?!

All of Shinji's classmates turned around to see a sort of a callow youth about everybody else's age wearing a sports jacket. Everyone's yammering simmered down slowly into silence as this boy was leering angrily at Shinji.

Male Classmate D: Toji!

Female Class President: Oh, it's you, Suzuhara! You missed a whole week of school without permission...

Toji: Shaddup! (points at Shinji) Yo, new kid! Step outside, NOW!

---

Male Classmate D: Toji, maybe you shouldn't...

Toji: I got all o' this under control, Kensuke. Okay, transfer student, you listen up...my younger sis was hurt bad n' she's still in da hospital! My dad and Gramps work in your labs, an' I'm the only one who can stay with her...I dun' mind goin' there, but supposin' she ends up wid' some scar? She'll never be a babe! Dontcha feel sorry for her? An' whose fault d' ya think it was?!

Shinji: .....

Toji: (points at Shinji) It's YOUR fault! She was like under a lot of debris because YOU hadta go crashin' around! Don't think yer so hot because they're all over ya!

Shinji: (blinks and shrugs innocently) Sorry.

The nerdy-looking spectacle-clad Kensuke tried to restrain the raging Toji from jumping the hapless Shinji. Toji just couldn't keep his anger in check as he felt that this mere transfer student was insulting him.

Toji: Ya think "sorry"'s gonna make it all up ta' my sister?! Why I oughta--!!

Kensuke: No, don't--!!

Shinji: (sarcastically) So what do you want me to do? Kneel down and beg for forgiveness?

The sound of a neatly-placed punch to the face echoed throughout the school's back alley as Shinji fell to the ground reeling from the blow that Toji had just given him. Kensuke had apparently failed to hold Toji back and was just too surprised at what had just happened.

Kensuke: H...Hey! You can't just go around hitting important pilots!

Toji: (tauntingly) You want a piece of me, boy? Come get some!

Shinji: (brushing off the dirt off his clothes) ...so tell me, don't you get worn out from being angry all the time...?

From those words coming out of a new student, they came pretty sharp as a knife to the heart to Toji. Toji was just so pissed off at the moment that he's wanted to smack more than Shinji's face right now at the boy's quite insulting attitude towards him. It was almost like he was deliberately playing it dumb while making a fool of Toji, who was now spouting curses at Shinji and was being restrained by Kensuke.

Female Class President: THAT WILL BE ENOUGH! Get back to the classroom RIGHT NOW!

Toji: Tch...it's President Hikari.... (after being calmed down a bit, turns to Shinji) Listen up, putz--just a little advice, next time when yer inna fight watch where ya puttin' yer friggin' feet, GOT DAT?! Er....you can leggo of me now, Kensuke...

From their classroom, Rei Ayanami just stared at the events that just happened like it was nothing to her. She showed no sign of emotion whatsoever and just gazed at Shinji blankly, who was rubbing his bruised cheek.

---

Another afternoon, another Eva battle simulation test. But from what Misato had seen in Shinji this afternoon, he seemed a little off, to say the least. She wondered if her little roommate had something on his mind again...she and Ritsuko discussed about it and wondered if Shinji really was the one of the right persons for defeating the Angels.

Misato: I mean, you'd think his relatives back in Side 7 should have checked up on him to see how he's doing by now, right?

Ritsuko: Yes, I guess you're right. Why do you suppose they haven't?

Misato: I guess...I guess this is the only place left for him to go...

Shinji was in deep thought as he was sitting in the confines of his LCL-filled cockpit of his Eva Unit-01. True, the moment he moved to Earth and involuntarily made an Eva pilot was just the start of his troubles--the start of a feeling of being an "outsider" to the world. It's just like when something sad, or painful, or terrible happens to him, he feels as if though there's another of himself watching all of it, telling him, "That's not me."

He just has to hide in his shell of emotions way deeper than he does, he thought, so that he won't have to be hurt or feel anything at all.

---

The next day, Shinji was doing another one of his rounds of being Mr. Lonesome at the top floor of his school. He was leaning over the railings that would keep him from falling over and was just minding his own business listening to Beethoven on his Walkman as usual when a familiar voice came from behind him sounding very pissed off.

Toji: Hah! Would ya look at dat...da tragic hero all by his lonesome again!

Shinji: (turning around to give a sour expression) You guys again...what the hell do you want from me now?

Kensuke: (waving at Shinji) Er...hi there...

Toji: IDIOT! Why would we want anything from YOU?!

Shinji: Then you REALLY must be bored to check up on me here for no reason. Just leave me alone, willya?

Toji: I may not have a reason to be talkin' to you...but I sure hate yer guts, boy! Dun' try lookin' so innocent on me now, I just know yer--

Shinji: So you just came here to pick a fight with me...all right. If you don't like my attitude, I'll apologize. But then, it's over. It's just that I can't really afford to worry about how you'll feel everytime I do something.

Toji: ...!

Shinji: I can't be bothered by total strangers like you, Suzuhara. I'll see you later, then.

Toji: Hey, come back here! You can't just walk away!

Shinji: You want to punch me again? Fine by me, just that this time...don't hold back. Give it all you've got, if you're such a tough guy like you are. You can even push me off this roof if you want to. Well, don't just stand there...

Toji: .......FINE!! (grabbing Shinji's collar) You asked for it! I'm gonna mrderize ya, ya little twerp!

Kensuke: (trying to restrain Toji) Come on, man! Cut it out!

The three boys never noticed the still-bandage-clad Rei coming up from behind them and rendering Toji and Kensuke as if they were paralyzed by her sudden presence.

Rei: Ikari-kun...we have an emergency. I'll meet you at headquarters. Goodbye... (runs away)

Shinji: Err...hey, wait up! Ayanami! (chases up behind Rei)

The two boys almost gagged at what had just happened. Toji seethed in anger as Shinji had easily slipped out of his grip so easily just like that.

Kensuke: ....

Toji: ....

Kensuke: Gee, that was fast...

---

Amuro: Another emergency?

Chris: Yeah, we'll have to get going real fast as some of our people tell us another one of those weird "things" has come up in Tokyo Bay once again. What do you suppose they are, sempai...?

Amuro: (shaking his head) I dunno, Christina. The last one we saw didn't look like any kind of mobile suit--or anything mechanical even--at all...sure looked like it was almost *alive* or something...let's just get prepared already. Ready your men right now and we'll all rendezvous at the vantage point in Tokyo Bay. On the double.

Chris: (saluting) Yes sir!

---

Maya: Tokyo confirmed to have been transformed to battle mode!

Misato: Right. ALL PERSONNEL, PREPARE FOR LEVEL ONE COMBAT!! /Shinji, can you hear me?/

The Ikari youngster, now clad in a blue-and-white skin-tight suit similar to that which Rei had worn the first time they met, stood by in the cockpit of his Eva-01, seemingly oblivious to all that has been happening outside. Even more so oblivious to his commanding officer's simple question.

Misato: /Can you HEAR me, Shinji?!/

Shinji: /...I hear you, Misato. You don't have to yell at me like I'm deaf./

The Nerv tactician clad in her trademark red jacket uniform and short tight-fitting one piece outfit just blinked for a second then tried hard to hide her sour facial expression and seethed. So he's still in a rotten mood, I see, she thought as Ritsuko looked at her, blinking.

Misato: And so the fourth Angel attacks with the Commander being away...I don't believe this, but, oh, well...

Makoto: There was no sign of them for about seven years before that last attack! This time only five days have passed!

Misato: Yeah. They just don't consider what's convenient for us. Women hate their kind.

---

The fourth Angel looked more like a large stingray or a manta ray with a large, fat tail instead of the stingray's usual thin tail, with little insect-like legs or feelers under it and two large arm-like structures that were clasped together as if the Angel were in prayer. The Angel also had two eye-like on both sides of its "head", and was now floating over Tokyo. Amuro Ray's mobile suit squadron stood by as an ambush attack against the Angel with his female wingman Christina MacKenzie.

Seeing that this was the right time to attack, he fired a flare from one of his Gundam's "fingers" signaling for his squadron to attack the Angel, which they did so much forcefully than before, firing beam rifles at the Angel to no avail. Amuro had thought he had penetrated this tough cookie's skin but even now he began to doubt his own ability to exterminate this new foe. As the Angel floated towards a certain direction, Amuro, with a loud yell, fired the last of his beam rifle charges at the Angel, unknowingly fueling his state of being ticked off with a surge of Newtype force, but it seemed that some sort of a hexagonal shield had blocked these attacks. Seeing this, Chris followed suit and fired at the Angel with the last of her beam sniper rifle charges, but it seemed that the Angel was oblivious to all their attacks.

---

Fuyutsuki: What a waste of taxpayers' money!

Indeed, ordinary beam rifle attacks couldn't possibly even cause a scratch to a typical Angel, Misato thought to herself as she saw on a big status monitor in Nerv's main control room what was happening outside. As she knew who was piloting the RX-78 Gundam, it was a pity, she also thought, that even Amuro Ray couldn't even lay a scratch to the Angel. But then she could have sworn the Angel had produced an A.T. field with that last beam rifle attack...

Shigeru: Captain Katsuragi, ma'am, we've received word that the Committee is demanding immediate dispatch of the Eva!

Misato: (sighs) I wish they'd just get off my case. I was going to launch it anyway. /Shinji, get ready for launch anytime soon./ (thinking) An A.T. field? I don't know much about Newtypes, but...it's also possible we might not need Unit-01 for this mission at all...let's just see what happens next...

---

In an underground shelter somewhere in Tokyo, Kensuke Aida cursed under his breath as he just viewed those familiar words again upon the screen of his digital video camera that was hooked up to a live television feed.

Kensuke: Aww, damn! They're doing it again! See it for yourself, Toji!

Toji: (reading) ...mmm, "A state of emergency was declared for the Kanto District, centering around the Tokai region..." Geez, Kensuke...you really git off on dis kind of stuff, huh?

Kensuke: (clasping his hands) Man, I just gotta see it once...this is such a big thing for me, Toji! We might never get another chance!

Toji: (mimicking Kensuke) "We might never git anotha chance", yeah right, man. (sighs) Hey waitaminnit, man. What's with that look of yers again...? You're not tellin' me...

Kensuke: (whispering) Let's sneak out, Toji.

Toji: Are you NUTS, man?! We'll git killed, yo!

Kensuke: Shhhhh, be quiet, stupid! You say we'll die if we go out there? Well, lemme inform you that might also happen if we just stay in here. 'Sides, don't you have an obligation to watch this battle?

Toji: (raising an eyebrow) What's dat supposed t' mean?

Kensuke: Well, Ikari's big weird-looking purple mobile suit saved us all in that last fight, man. You didn't think about that before you decked him. Don't you think you owe him one?

That got the Fila sweatsuit-wearing kid thinking for a minute. He suddenly rose up from where he and Kensuke were sitting and stretched around.

Toji: Naaaaaah! Y'know what, if you're really into dis stuff I won't really stop ya. Heh, maybe I'll go with ya so you won't hurt yerself or anything.

Kensuke: Hmm-hmm, whatever you say...heh heh, but it seems to me that you're starting to feel sorry for hitting Ikari back there, am I right?

Toji: Wh...what the hell?! I'll show ya feelin' sorr--OOF! (gets his mouth covered with Kensuke's hand)

Kensuke: Ummm, Miss Class President, I...think we need to go take a leak, may we have your permission? (grins at her stupidly)

Their class president Hikari Horaki turns her head around slightly and looked at the two boys as she didn't want to be disturbed from what she and her other friends or fellow officers were doing.

Hikari: All right, but just hurry it up, okay?

---

Soon enough the Eva Unit-01 was "released" from its cage (its containment facility within the Nerv Headquarters) and was launched into the surface. Shinji kept in mind Ritsuko's instructions to him, to "neutralize the enemy's A.T. field and repeat fire. Just like in practice". Actually, he had mixed feelings on going on with this fight or not; he felt like he was just being used as a mere tool, a mere weapon, and not as a person.

What else could he feel after seeing that "Third Child Supervision Report" notebook in Misato's bedroom just yesterday night? He could clearly remember those words inscribed in Misato's notebook, about his fight with Toji Suzuhara, about his first coming into Tokyo...

[flashback, dinner at Misato's condo]

Misato: If you keep piloting the Eva like you don't care, you'll be dead before you know it! You realize that the lives of all mankind are in your hands now, do you?!

Shinji: That's okay. I DON'T care. Doesn't matter anyway when I die...

Misato: (slams her beer can into the table) Now what the hell are you saying?! You may feel fine about dying, but the rest of us aren't quite ready for it yet! You're an important pilot to us! And your body doesn't belong to you anymore!

That had just been the last straw. Shinji looked into Misato's eyes with much scorn and left the dinner table, replacing the chair behind him into its place quite properly and calmly. Misato and her pet penguin, Penpen, just looked at him curiously as he left.

Misato: Where do you think you're going? Get back here, young ma--

Shinji: You made your point, all right?! I get it. All I have to do is beat the bad guys, right? I'm going to bed now. Good NIGHT, Misato.

Misato just blinked curiously and scratched her head. Bouncy as she was in her flimsy spaghetti-strap tank top and very short denim shorts, she just faced her pet penguin with a bewildered look on her face as the door to Shinji's room slammed shut.

Misato: Well, how about *that*...looks like he'd in a bad mood.

Penpen: ...squawk?

[end flashback]

Meanwhile, the two boys from Shinji's class were climbing up the stairs leading up to a Shinto shrine just a bit far from where the verdant and the cerulean Rick Diases, and their now-small mobile suit squadron were now making attacks against the Angel. Toting his trusty digital video camera, Kensuke raced Toji to the top stairs and took pictures of the ensuing battle with that ever-present dedication of a true fan to military mechanics.

Toji: (panting) Geez, Kensuke...I dint know you'se fast wdi da runnin'...maybe you should join our track n' field club at school instead of just bummin' 'round doin' dat stuff ya do!

Kensuke: Oooooh, there it is! Hmm...but why do you think the Feddies are using such neat-looking mobile suits? They almost look like...Zeonic in design, if I'm not mistaken. This is just too weird...

Toji: Man, what the HELL are you talkin' about?! You're boring me to death wid' dat mech n' tech talk of yours, just git to th--what the, y-yer right! (squints at a sight from a distance) Weird-lookin' mobile suits indeed...

Kensuke: Oh, shut your piehole already, Toji! Just sit there and watch them fight that...err, I think Ikari called that big dildo-looking kind of thing an "Angel" or something like that...

Toji: (winces) *That's* an "Angel"? It looks real disgustin' ta' me...

Kensuke: Let's just wait and see if Ikari's mobile suit comes up any time soon now...oh no wait, there it is, look! Man, I knew it was worth all the while sneaking out here! Ooooh baby, this is a dream come true for me!

Kensuke pointed to the Eva Unit-01 standing erect and still not being released from it final safety locks. Toji, however, didn't feel as enthusiastic as kensuke was in watching all of this, but he still watched on.

Shinji looked at a little holographic window that suddenly appeared in the lower right portion of his range of sight. It pictured a young man in his twenties wearing a standard Federal Forces pilot's helmet and jumpsuit.

Amuro: /Thank God you guys finally came! I thought we were gonna die out here with this tough bastard killing off my men! What took you people so long?/

Shinji: /S...Sorry.../

The veteran Federal Forces mobile suit pilot just stopped in his tracks a bit and raised an eyebrow. A boy? Amuro said to himself. So they're once again using children as weapons to fight, huh...I guess Japan must be so desperate as to fighting these...monsters...

Amuro's thoughts went over slightly to the days when he was fighting his old enemy Char Aznable. He, too, was but a lad when he first got into the service of the Federal Forces...dismissing these thoughts, he then finally faced Shinji in the visual comm link and tried to make a small conversation with him.

Amuro: /Well, are you really up to this, boy? You could get killed fighting./

Shinji: /...I don't care. I just want this thing to get over with so I could go home./

Amuro: /Very well./

Chris: /Amuro-sempai, the thing seems to be standing up on its tail and is ready to attack!/

Amuro: /All right. All men, get ready for counterattack procedures!/

Shinji just picked up a pallet rifle (one of the Eva's weapons that acts like a standard submachinegun) from one of the "fake" buildings that served as anti-Angel weapons storage facilities for Unit-01 and fired at the target. Too bad, though, his attacks were just making up a lot of smoke and it seemed that he wasn't entirely hitting the target at all.

Misato: /IDIOT! Who told you to fire like that?! Of course you're not gonna see the target through all that mess! You have to calm down a little bit and stop firing at once!/

Turning a deaf ear to his commanding officer, Shinji never did stop firing until his ammunition was out. This prompted the Angel, who had apparently unclasped its "hands" and grew a pair of whip-like structures from these "hands", to attack Unit-01 with its whips, grabbing the one of the Eva's legs and letting Shinji trip over from where he was standing.

Too taken by surprise from what had just happened, he just gasped in surprise as he was getting whipped by the Angel. Amuro took action and tried to penetrate through the Angel's defenses with a beam saber melee attack, with Chris attempting to follow behind and do the same thing.

Again, that same hexagonal shield of light had blocked Amuro's attack against the Angel, but that didn't stop him from his determination to defeat this monster. As he was finally getting to be successful in penetrating the Angel's A.T. field, the Angel grabbed one of the green Rick Dias' feet and hurled it too forcibly into one of the fake buildings.

As the Angel resumed its primary objective of destroying Unit-01, Toji was just getting a little bit ticked off at these events while Kensuke filmed away with his camera.

Toji: Ikari's gettin' trashed already! I coulda done better than dat!

Kensuke: D-don't worry, man, he's just getting a little bit warmed up!

Shinji tried to get up, but it seemed all was too late as the Angel closed in on him and started to whip wildly at Unit-01, which just rolled over a little from where it was sitting and dodges the Angel's attack totally. The Angel continued to whip at the Eva, with Shinji simply dodging its attacks jumping around briskly here and there.

Unfortunately however, one of the Angel's whips had severed the Eva's power supply cable attached on its back. A little digital timer inside the cockpit of Shinji's Eva-01 and at the same time, the big observation monitor on the Nerv Control Room, suddenly reset itself and indicated "0:04:59".

Shigeru: Umbilical cable severed! Eva has switched over to internal batteries and has only two minutes remaining!

Misato: What the hell...?! /Shinji, you've got four minutes and 53 seconds of Active Time remaining! You have to defeat the Angel right away! Hurry and stand up!/

The Angel did an encore of what it did to the green Rick Dias earlier and hurled the Eva face first into a nearby hill with a Shinto shrine on top. Shinji yelled at the top of his lungs as he was falling down hard.

Toji and Kensuke feared for their lives as they saw the Eva falling towards them and tried to make a break for it. The two boys sweated furiously as they opened their eyes and saw that they were just between the Eva's fingers at the center of its fall.

Shinji turned over to his monitor and saw these two fellows again cringing in terror. He thought as he identified the two, what the hell are these two doing here? Weren't they supposed to be in a shelter or something?!

Misato: Aren't they Shinji's classmates?

Ritsuko: Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida...it seems that they are...but what on Earth are they doing out there? Aren't they supposed to be in one of our shelters?

Misato: /Get up, Shinji!/

It was almost too late as the Angel, now looming over the Eva, lashed out at Shinji with both of its whips. Luckily enough, Shinji caught these two whips and risked his hands feeling the burn that these whips were doing to his Eva.

Toji: Why don't he just get clear?!

Kensuke: He can't because *we're* here! If he moves, we're dead!

---

Makoto: Unit-01's Active Time remaining, three minutes and thirty seconds!

Misato: Shhh...shit!! /Shinji, fall back for now! Just concentrate on getting up, help will be on the way in a while!/

Shinji: (thinking) Easy for you to say... (looks at Kensuke and Toji, who are looking really terrified by now) ...if I screw up and squash those two...fuck it, what am I gonna do now...?

Shinji pushed some controls on his right controlling handle and in a few moments, the white test tube-like entry plug from the back of the Eva just ejected a bit so the other two boys could see it.

Shinji: /C'mon, get in!/

Toji: H...he jus' told us to geddin dat thing!

Kensuke: Let's hurry up and go!

Misato was just so surprised at this sudden turn of events as she watched Shinji's two classmates climb into the entry plug.

Misato: /What the hell do you think you're doing?! You can't let unauthorized civilians into the entry plug!/

The two boys were surprised at what they had come to meet inside the Eva's entry plug: they could have sworn it was filled with this water-like fluid and thought they were going to drown, but soon enough found out that this was a breathable liquid. And in all that, they saw the pilot whom they were floating behind at.

Toji: ...YOU!!

Shinji: You two keep quiet back there! You're distracting me!

---

Maya: We're detecting irregularities in the nervous system!

Ritsuko: It's because he's taken on two foreign bodies; there's noise mixed in with the nerve pulses!

Misato: /You idiot! You're supposed to ask me for orders first before letting in those two!/

Shinji just couldn't take it anymore and cursed under his breath, kicking the Angel far away into the city again. He never noticed the green and blue Rick Diases were already on their way to have at it, but Shinji had more on his mind than worrying about his allies.

Misato: /Now fall back and use the retrieval route just to the eastern side of the mountain. Do it on the double!/

Shinji kept silent through all of this as he made the effort of making his Eva stand up. His eyes grew smaller as he replayed all those events that had happened last night and grit his teeth a little.

Toji: Hey, idio--I mean, Ikari, she's tellin' ya to fall back now!

Shinji: ...no way.

Toji and Kensuke: WHAAAAAT?!

Toji: Are you crazy?! You'll get us killed!!

Shinji: I won't turn tail for her...

---

From the wide armor plates on the sides of the Eva's shoulders, Shinji had drawn a knife-like weapon and started to charge at the fallen Angel, which was currently being whipped away by the two Rick Diases and what was left of the small Federation mobile suit squadron.

Makoto: Progressive knife has been drawn!

Misato: Ohhh NOOOO! /Shinji, why the fuck won't you follow my orders?! I said, FALL BACK!!/

Apparently, the Angel saw Shinji coming and, totally ignoring the mobile suits attacking it, lunged its whips at the Eva's sides and pierced them through. All of the people in the Nerv Control Room, and probably Amuro and Chris too, were just shocked as Shinji retaliated with an upward stab with the Eva's progressive knife into the Angel's red globular "core" just under its ugly "head". Kensuke and Toji screamed in terror as Shinji drove the knife deeper into the Angel's core.

Maya: ...27, 26, 25, 24, 23...

Misato: (thinking) What the hell are you thinking, Shinji...?

Amuro: ...this is...

Chris: ...just too much...

Toji: Ikari...

Maya: Ten seconds of Active Time remaining! ...9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3...

Shinji: ...tch...!!

Maya: ...two, one, zero...

The blood and the sparks had stopped gushing out of the Angel's core. Its whip-like hands had withered away as Shinji's timer had clocked in to zero. The lights in Shinji's cockpit soon turned into a deep red. The people watching this fight with the Angel were just too shocked for words as to what had just transpired.

Shigeru: Eva Unit-01 is inactive! There could be no life signs detected from the target either...!

Misato: .....

---

Shinji was very exhausted. He held his head in his hands and breathed hard.

Toji: Ikari...you okay, man?

Kensuke: Ikari...

Shinji: (panting) I...I'm fine. I'm fine...

Toji Suzuhara wasn't sure what it was, but it suddenly dawned on him that this little idiot...this...person, before him right now...was deeper than what he had expected.

Shinji Ikari just closed his eyes in deep thought.

Why does he have to do all of this? And for whom?

---

The makeshift interrogation room at the Nerv Headquarters had a very stale atmosphere. Shinji just sat there in his chair while Misato was pelting him with a lot of angry questions like a parent would to his child.

Misato: Who gives you the right to disobey my orders? All right, let's say it was right that you let those two kids into the entry plug, but what do you think would have happened if you hadn't fallen back AND hadn't defeated the Angel?

Shinji: I'm sorry, Misato...

Misato: "I'm sorry" isn't good enough, Shinji! I'm your operations supervisor and I'm the one responsible for every move you make when you're in battle! You are *obligated* to follow my orders! Do you understand?!

Shinji: ...I know...I'm just a pilot--a subordinate. That's all I am to you, right?

Misato: Wh--what are you saying--

Shinji: I could guess you wanted us to live together just so you could observe me easier. It's okay, Misato...but then I really thought you cared about me...anyway, I don't really see what the fuss is about! I *won*, didn't I?!

That earned the boy a sudden slap to the face.

Misato: How DARE you! Just what do you think your duty is?! (sighs and turns away from him) ...that will be all. Just go home and rest, okay? I'll see you later...

Shinji: (standing up and walking towards the mechanical door) Yes...*ma'am*.

---

Gendo: I see...so what you're saying is that the AEUG needs the help of Nerv and the Kalaba, am I correct?

Brex Forra's image on the videophone was somewhat blurry, but Gendo Ikari could just sense the need for Nerv's help on the face of his former superior officer in the Federal Forces. He, too, saw a male blonde person dressed in a red vest-like suit and wearing sunglasses.

Brex: /You don't need to be so blunt about it, sir. All we would want is that the Kalaba should join us in our resistance against the Titans and that Nerv might be of help when the situation calls for it./

Gendo: The Titans are not my business to do away with, sir. Neither is Nerv's business yours. I am afraid I cannot accept your offer, sir. Do with the Kalaba as you would please, sir, but Nerv will not engage itself with the likes of such groups as the AEUG. Our cause is different from yours--

Kaji: ...or maybe not, sir.

The Nerv Supreme Commander just raised his head a little bit and had seen the tall Japanese man, still wearing his trademark light blue business suit and black tie and still donning his unshaven countenance and semi-long hair tied behind the back of his head. Kaji was toting a seemingly familiar-looking metal suitcase of sorts as he walked into the room.

Fuyutsuki: Ryoji Kaji-dono, you're early for the appionted time of arrival! We weren't expecting you till a few weeks from now!

Kaji: Hmm, better to be early than never, Fuyutsuki-dono.

Gendo: What brings you here?

Kaji: I heard your discussion with my old friend in the AEUG here... (looks at Brex in the video phone and grins slightly) ...and I was just so interested that I had decided to just butt in on the disussion and tell you what our position is on this whole deal with the Titans and all. Commander Brex, sir, could you excuse me and Ikari-dono here for a second? We'd just have..."something" to discuss.

Brex: /Hmm...well, if it's okay with Ikari here, why not? I'll just call you again after ten minutes./ (beeping sound) What do you think, Lieutenant?

Quattro: This would definitely be a cinch, so to speak, Sir, since Mr. Kaji says he knows Mr. Ikari very well. But still, Mr. Ikari didn't seem very keen on the idea of letting this...Nerv...thing be merged with us.

Brex: Right. I haven't heard of Lieutenant Gendo Ikari for almost seven years now...you'd think he'd just disappeared and lived off his retirement pension, huh? Ikari's been like that ever since he was put under my division in the old days; quiet, secretive, always got something on his mind. Brilliant too...

Quattro: ...so I've heard. I wonder what happened to our spy in Jabrow already...

Brex: I'm beginning to worry for Reccoa too, Lieutenant. We will commence an assault for South America as soon as the papers have been approved of our alliance and merger with the Kalaba...and hopefully, Nerv as well. Let's just hope Reccoa's still alive.

Quattro: Right.

After a long pause, there was a sudden beep from Brex's video phone. The old AEUG commander picked up the receiver and the blurry image of Gendo Ikari soon popped up on screen.

Gendo: /You are free to do anything with the Eva's as you please, sir, but let me remind you that if the need arises, we will want the Eva's to our own use as we have usually done. This, I inform you, is not a formal alliance between the AEUG and Nerv. It is more like we are merely lending you our services and technical support as I would expect you to do so likewise. This conversation is finished. Good day, Commander Brex Forra./ (beeping sound)

Brex: (looking at Quattro) Well, how'd you like that? I didn't even get the chance to thank him!

---

Kaji: Wise decision you've made, sir. I assure you we can make some of the Agama's crew of use in defeating the Angels. What with the Red Comet by our side, I think it just would work if we will have Newtypes in our ranks.

Gendo: Heh...so the great Char Aznable would be working with us...I couldn't say I don't believe in Newtypes myself, I've seen proof of that during that war of seven years ago. However...our overriding priority is the defeat of the Angels and not engaging in some paltry political dispute between the spacenoids and the Earthnoids. The Angels are far more dangerous than even the most powerful of Newtypes could ever imagine.

Kaji: Heh heh, I know that, sir. I would even assume that you didn't care even if Amuro Ray was already amongst us, even though it's indirect, right?

Fuyutsuki: The Committee will be furious, Ikari-dono. What if they will find out about this rash decision you've made?

Gendo: They won't.

Kaji: Seven years...it truly has been too short a period of time, and yet, THIS is still in its infancy stage. It's quite an amazing thing I'd have to carry around the colony system...

Kaji laid down his metal suitcase upon the table and opened it up for Fuyutsuki and Gendo to see. There was some sort of a strange embryonic lifeform encased in a glass cover at the center of the suitcase.

Gendo: Yes. It's frozen in suspended animation for now...but it's definitely alive.

Fuyutsuki: We have in our hands the very first human...

Kaji: And the key to the Human Instrumentality Project...Adam.

---

Ritsuko: What?! Shinji's been missing since yesterday?!

Misato: (sighs) Yeah...I thought he was just feeling sick or something...damn, I'd never think he'd run away like that...

Ritsuko: And you call yourself his caretaker? Jesus Christ, woman...

Misato: Aww, don't talk like that.

Ritsuko: In any case, we still have to report this to the Commander. (turns away from Misato to start typing at her laptop)

Misato: Whoa, hold on! He still might--

Ritsuko: It would be too late if something comes up again. Of course, if you'd like to *personally* conduct a search for him...?

Misato: But how...? I'd have no idea where he'd go...

---

It was just a few minutes after the class had been dismissed and recess had started. Toji didn't really feel like going to the cafeteria today, so he just sat on one of his classroom's windowpane and looked beyond the horizon.

Toji: (sighs) Whaddaya think he's doin' now...? Ikari, I mean. He ain't been to school since yesterday and all...

Kensuke: What, are you worried about him, Toji?

Toji: Who said I was worried about 'im?! I was just wonderin' where he is, dat's all!

Kensuke: (sighs) For you, that's the same thing, isn't it? You're just not exactly being up front about this. Oh well, if it bothers you that much, why don't you ask Ayanami instead? (points behind him)

Rei's bandages had lessened since the last day she was at school, but she still had a gauze patched to her right eye. At the mention of her name, the pale-skinned girl rolled her ruby-red eyes over from the book she was reading to the two boys' path of vision and just stared at them blankly as she would anyone.

That simple gaze from the enigmatic Rei Ayanami definitely sent chills down their spines.

Rei: .....

Toji: .....

Kensuke: .....

Toji: YOU ask. (whispers) She makes me kinda nervous...

Kensuke: N...no way, man. (whispers) Me too...

---

A confused and sad Misato closed the door behind her, hugging her pet penguin Penpen who was very happy to see her.

Misato: I'm home, Penpen. (sighs)

Penpen: squawk! squawk! gaaaack! gwaaaack!

Misato: (looks at Shinji's room) Shinji...I wonder if he's not coming home again tonight...? (walks over to her room, opens her notebook, and sighs) I think I may have been too hard on him when I slapped him back there...

Misato read her Third Child progress report silently. It was about the events of yesterday when Shinji had disappeared all of a sudden; up until now his whereabouts were unknown and that the probable reason might be about Shinji's disobedience of her orders. After that, she wondered what was really going on in her little roommate's mind...

---

Shinji was feeling very beat; he had been walking around for no particular direction for almost two days now. Walking through a certain meadow in the onset of a departing sun giving way to the night, he had thought that no matter where he went, he could be of no use to anyone because he'd just be too insecure to be of use anyway.

On his uncharted way, he stumbled upon a tent in the middle of the meadow. He then wondered what in the world would a tent be doing here in the middle of nowhere. He smelled something; food was being cooked. Thank God! he thought. It's been a day since he's eaten anything...he could feel his stomach just grumbling...

...and he could feel the back of his head just being poked with something. It was cold, almost like...steel!

Voice: Hold it right there, partner!

Shinji: Yaaaaaahhh...!!! (raises his hands and stutters) I-I-I-I didn't mean to steal your food, man! I was just--

Voice: Who would dare and try to eat my dinner, eh?

Shinji: I'm sorry--!! (turns around to see Kensuke wearing a standard black-and-red Titans uniform and toting an imitation M-16 rifle) I...It's you! Your name's...Aida, right?

Kensuke: Hey there, Ikari! I *knew* it was you, heh heh!

Shinji: W-well, okay...but what the heck are you doing in those clothes?

Kensuke: (scratches his head) Ohh, I was just playing war, yeah, that's what I was doing.

Shinji: And you're doing it alone?

Kensuke: Yup! (grins)

Shinji: (shakes his head and thinks) Geez...what a wingnut...

Kensuke: But what are *you* doing out here, Ikari?

As the suddenly silent Shinji was just about to look away, his stomach couldn't hold its silence and started to growl. Shinji's features almost flushed.

Kensuke: Feeling hungry, huh? Be my guest, man--I'll share my din-din with you!

The campfire light was so cozy that night. Shinji felt like he just wanted to snuggle up to something...or someone...right now, but dismissed the thought as images of Asuka wearing that dominatrix outfit started to come back at him.

Kensuke: Here. Eat up! Heh heh! It's the best stuff in the house! (grins)

Shinji: (takes the food container from Kensuke) Thanks...

Kensuke: (starts to munch down on his own food) You know, Toji was really worried about you when you didn't come to school yesterday.

Shinji: He was?

Kensuke: Yeah, well you really did seem pretty bummed after that battle the day before yesterday. I'm glad you're doing better, man. You know, you might have it pretty rough, Ikari...but still, I really envy you!

Shinji gasped. Someone actually envied him?

Kensuke: (smiles at him) Whatever your problems are, you still get to pilot that way-too-cool M.S.! I wish *I* could take Unit-01 for a spin, just for once! I'd give ANYTHING just to get to pilot that thing, heh heh heh!

Shinji just sighed and smirked a little.

Shinji: You know, I do wish I could look at it that way...

A few minutes later while the two boys were discussing some more things that boys their age would usually talk about, they could hear the sound of a helicopter hovering just a short distance away from them. Both turned around to see two or three grown men in black suits and black neckties.

Kensuke: W...what...who the hell are you?!

Man A: Are you Shinji Ikari?

Man B: Nerv Public Security and Intelligence Bureau. In accordance with Clause 8 of the Public Security Act, we are to escort you back to Headquarters. Do you understand?

Shinji: ...let's go, then.

---

The real interrogation room at the Nerv Headquarters had a very stale atmosphere; this scene was already all too familiar to him. Shinji just sat there in his chair wondering what Misato might do to him, since he thought he had angered her.

Hearing the mechanical door open behind him, he turned around to see Misato standing there, but there was no sign of anger from her face. She entered the room with that same air of being Shinji's commanding officer and looked int the boy's eyes inquisitively.

Misato: Welcome back, Shinji. So, how did it feel to run away? Feel better now that you've gone for two days?

Shinji: ...I'm sorry, Misato...I was just...

Misato: Shinji...do you really want to pilot the Eva or not?

Shinji: ...it...it doesn't matter what I want, Misato. I told you before, I'm not piloting the damned thing because I want to. But then, even if I said I didn't want to, it wouldn't change anything. I know this, that I'm just the only alternative you have and if you lose me, you guys would be in trouble. If everyone tells me to do it, then I'll do it--

Misato: I'm not asking what everyone wants you to do. I'm asking *you*, Shinji!

The boy just looked up at his superior officer suddenly, feeling a bit surprised. Misato kept her stare as stern as possible.

Misato: It's okay if you don't want to pilot it. If you want to, you could just go back to whatever sector of space within or without the Langrage Points you came from. I say it's for your own good, Shinji. At this rate, you'll just wind up dead. Besides, a pilot as insecure as you means nothing but trouble for us. (sighs) It hurts to lose a pilot, of course, but we'll just have to rewrite Unit-01's systems for Rei. Anyway, I've been informed that the AEUG and the Kalaba are here to help us...I just don't know if they'll help us in defeating the Angels or not, whatever your daddy might decide.

And as Misato started to leave the room, Shinji just stood there paralyzed at her words. He couldn't do anything...he just couldn't.

Misato: I'm sorry, Shinji. I guess we expected too much of you. Just forget about Eva...forget about us. Go back to your old life. Goodbye, Mr. Ikari...

The mechanical door slid shut behind Misato Katsuragi, leaving Shinji Ikari by his lonesome again. Misato didn't know if this was the right decision to do or not, but it was the only option left she can do, even if it wasn't of her own will.

---

Three sets of feet could be heard walking down a certain corridor within Nerv Headquarters. Gendo Ikari and Ritsuko Akagi were discussing the current state of affairs of the "Third Child" Shinji Ikari while Rei Ayanami just tagged along, her bandages seemingly to have already been taken away.

Ritsuko: Are you sure it's all right to just dismiss the Third Child just like that? But the Marduk Agency still hasn't found a Fourth Child yet...we don't exactly have a replacement for Unit-01's pilot...

Gendo: This is one of the scenarios we predicted. It's simplicity itself to foresee what a person will do when they're cornered.

Ritsuko: Well, if worse came to worse, we could opt for bringing him back here with force and brainwash him...but then I just don't really know how that will affect his synching with the Eva.

Gendo: In that case...we'll rewrite Unit-01's system data for Rei.

Ritsuko: Yes, sir.

---

The next day, at school...

Toji: An' you let dem just take Ikari away? Geez, what kind of a--

Kensuke: I didn't really have a choice there, idiot. I mean, what could I have done to stop them? This is Nerv Security and Intelligence we're talking about, man. These guys are pros. Got that?

The brash young man just sat in his chair realizing that. He shook his head and turned to his partner, leering at him with a sour expression.

Kensuke: Now what the hell are you looking at me like that for?

Toji: Kensuke, I'm goin' out.

Kensuke: Where the heck do you think you're going?

---

As he was being escorted down the halls of Nerv HQ by those very same men in black suits-and-ties, Ritsuko happened to meet Shinji on the way out and talked to him.

Ritsuko: Your father appreciates your efforts on your behalf.

Shinji: That's it?

Ritsuko: Yes. Well, take care of yourself...

Shinji: W...wait up! (tries to get to Ritsuko but is stopped by his escorts) I mean...where's Misato? She's not even going to say goodbye to me or anything?

Ritsuko: (sighs) Now, Shinji...you're not a member of Nerv anymore. I can't tell you anything, no matter how inconsequential. I'm sorry, Shinji, those are the rules. (turns around) Goodbye.

---

Misato was feeling depressed at Shinji's absence. Penpen, however, didn't seem to mind at all while he was happily eating his breakfast of tuna fish. Well, Misato thought, I suppose this is the only way...

Misato: Ooookey-doke, I guess I'm out of here. (carrying Penpen and hugging him) Bye, Penpen, I guess I'll see you later...I'm way too late already--

Misato turned around at the sound of her doorbell ringing. Hmm, who could it be now? She opened the door and saw those two boys that Shinji had let into Eva Unit-01's entry plug and rescued the other day.

Misato: Yes...? Oh, you're Shinji's classmates! I remember you two!

The two boys' eyes widened at the magnificent beauty that just greeted them from behind the door to Shinji's apartment. Good Lord! They both thought, Ikari was living with this superior babe! They really wished somebody really hot like her could order them around...

Toji: (blushing) Uhhh...

Kensuke: (blushing) Ummm, we're Aida and Suzuhara, from Ikari's class, yeah that's it! Heh heh heh! Umm, we're really sorry for the other day for umm...

Misato: Oh no, that's fine!

Toji: Ummm, so...w-we just came by to see how Ikari's doin' and all...we were really gettin' concerned for the poor guy...

Misato's pleasant expression changed and she told her what really happened. The two boys were just surprised at the mention of Shinji actually running away just like that.

Misato: We haven't reported it to the school yet, but he should be getting on the train to the nearest town right now.

Toji: Ain't this kinda abrupt, ma'am?! I mean, was he fired for disobeyin' orders or somethin' like that?

Misato: (looking surprised) Oh, n...no, it's not like that...

Toji: So...did he just got fed up wid' fightin'...?

Kensuke: Ikari's...been acting weird lately...I mean, he was just okay yesterday, but he wasn't acting normal during that last battle.

Toji and Misato: ...?

Kensuke: At school, he acted like nothing got to him, not even while Toji here was on his case. But for him to show emotion like that...it's like he was deliberately disobeying you. (rubs his chin) I don't know how to put it...but he was kinda acting like a spoiled kid...

Her eyebrows meeting as a result of realization, Misato looked at the floor feeling guilty and kept silent.

Toji: Ha ha ha ha ha, aww c'mon, man! You mean he acts like a big shot, but he's a sucker fer babes after all! Geez, don't talk about 'im like dat...!

[flashback]

Shinji: ...I'm just a pilot--a subordinate. That's all I am to you, right?

[end flashback]

Misato: Oh, Shinji...

Still clutching her pet penguin close to her, the 29-year-old Nerv tactician quickly made a run for her car. She might still just make it...

Toji: M...Miss Katsuragi?! What's the matter?!

Misato: You two just stay here! I'm gonna see him off and see if I can still make it to Shinji! Seeya!

And as the blue Nissan Sentra drove off into the Nerv Headquarters, Toji and Kensuke just stood there like two dumb people watching Misato slip away from their hands, so to speak.

Kensuke: What about us...?

---

Shinji just stood there in front of the entrance to the monorail. Well, this is it, he thought. But he was having mixed feelings on whether he should leave or not. True, he was just getting hurt not just physically, but emotionally as well, from piloting the Evangelion. But...if he really did run away...where else could he go? He had once promised Asuka he wouldn't run away and he'd be brave whatever it takes...heh, maybe promises really were made to be broken...

Man A: What are you standing around there for? Get in the train!

As one of Shinji's escorts was about to push him inside the train, a familiar woman's voice shouted out Shinji's name from behind them. Shinji was surprised as he turned around to see a huffing and puffing Misato. Their eyes meet for a fleeting moment and Misato walked towards him.

Misato: (panting heavily) Okay...okay. All right guys, I can take it from here on. You can go now. (watches Shinji's two escorts go away then turns to Shinji) I forgot to tell you something. You see...

Shinji almost dropped his luggage at the sight of Misato; even more so when he saw her bringing Penpen her pet penguin with her. He just stared at her as she continued her story.

Misato: ...Penpen here...he was being used as an experiment where I used to work. They were through with him. I got him just as they were about to put him to sleep. Do you know why I took him in...such a greedy, useless bird?

Shinji: .....

Misato: I felt sorry for him. Well there was *that*, but...well, I...you know, Shinji, I've always lived alone. I thought it might be nice to have someone who'd be there, waiting for me when I come home late at night, tired from work...

Shinji: ...!

Misato: (smiles at him) I thought it might be nice to have a family, Shinji. I'm not the kind of person who's got it together enough to live just out of sympathy, or because it's my job. I didn't mean to...

The words of the older woman were lost to the boy. He never noticed that he had already dropped his bags and just started to sob and finally break down crying. He wiped away his tears and faced his commanding officer, looking at her through teary eyes.

Shinji: Misato...I...I don't want to go back to where I was before...

Misato: Aww, Shinji...

Toji and Kensuke came just in time...to see the train departing for the next town leave. They just stopped in their tracks as they had realized they were too late.

Toji: Oh *no*....Ikari...

Kensuke: Well I guess we were too late, huh?

As the train slipped away from their view, they were just left stunned at the sight that they saw: Misato was hugging Shinji close to her. This...was very upsetting for the two boys.

Toji: Geez! Don't dey got no shame...?!

Kensuke: .....

Misato released Shinji from her grasp and smirked. She looked at her now surrogate "younger brother" and looked into his eyes, smiling.

Misato: Let's just go back to our home, okay?

Shinji: (sobbing and smiling back) ...s-sure!

---

Episode 6, "Rei - I"
-------------------

Shinji and Misato met Toji and Kensuke as they were walking back to Misato's car. Toji "confronted" Shinji with letting the latter hit him back with a punch, since Shinji had saved his and Kensuke's lives and he didn't want to make a bad impression on anyone. Kensuke wondered why Toji wouldn't just say he's sorry, and with that, Shinji told Toji with a chuckle that "he'd rather owe him one". Toji then called Shinji a "rotten rat-bastard chicken shit", and Misato watched with a smile as the three newfound friends chased each other happily...and she smiled because it was the first time she'd ever seen her roommate laugh. She even teased Shinji with a nudge of the elbow on their way to the geofront that she thought he was cute when he smiled back there.

Misato was just surprised at the sight of a very large battlecruiser--or three of them--"parked" in a large old sports stadium as she got off her car upon their arrival near Nerv Headquarters. She had never seen anything like that in her whole life and wondered if these ships are AEUG property.

Shinji: You mean you don't know, Misato?

Misato: How the heck am I supposed to know?! I haven't seen any ships like that ever since seven years ago or so!

Shinji: (thinking) Geez, and I thought *I* was dumb...

Shinji: Misato, these ships are *really* from the AEUG. I've even ridden in their flagship and it looks really good inside! I mean, they've got these state-of-the-art weaponry, they've got a very kind crew aboard...and what's more, their toilets are one-of-a-kind!

Misato: (winces) Shinji, I'm NOT asking about the ship's damn toilets. Hmm, so they just came sooner than I had expected...why don't we go take a look?

Shinji: Umm, Misato...I believe you told me earlier while we were on the way here we needed to get back to Headquarters...?

Misato: (blinks) Oh, that's right! Heh heh heh, well, come on, don't just stand there...get in the car and let's go to HQ immediately, shall we?

Shinji: (thinks) Ohhh no...there she goes again with her amazing naivete...now I'm really wondering why in the world I ever came back...

The moment they had entered Nerv HQ, Misato and Shinji were seeing a lot of people unfamiliar to them; people who were wearing Federal Forces uniforms, people who wore uniforms that Misato had assumed and Shinji had definitely identified as AEUG uniforms, and along with them, the usual Nerv staff and crew. Misato found Ritsuko talking to a certain unfamiliar person and it looked like they were discussing something important, more like "that techie stuff again".

Misato: Hey Ritsuko! (waves at her)

Ritsuko: Oh, it's you, Captain Katsuragi. And...how nice of you to come back, Shinji. I knew you'd come back.

Astonage: Hmm, you say he's "come back", Professor Akagi? Hello again, Shinji. It's been weeks, young chap, how have you been?

Ritsuko: Yes, it's a long story, Medosso-san. Oh, this is Captain Misato Katsuragi, our chief sortie officer and tactical commander of operations for Nerv. Captain Katsuragi, this is Engineer Astonage Medosso, the chief engineer and mobile suit technician for the AEUG.

Misato: (shakes Astonage's hand) How do you do, Medosso-san?

Astonage: I'm fine, Captain Katsuragi. Well, I've heard you've been taking care of Shinji here?

Shinji: Umm, yeah, she's been taking care of me, sir!

Astonage: (pats his shoulder) Right. You know, you're real lucky to have a beautiful babysitter looking over you just like that. Just keep up the good work on your...Evangelion, was it? Yes, just keep up the good work. (grins)

Misato: Awww, you shouldn't have! Tee-hee!

Shinji: (face turning red) She is NOT my babysitter, Astonage...

Astonage: Well, then. I believe Professor Akagi and I were discussing something about ummm...really high techie stuff so ummm...

Ritsuko: It's all right, Medosso-san. We will continue our discussion later when it's convenient for the both of us. I believe you were busy doing something earlier with some of our technical staff, right?

Astonage: Ah, yes. Well, I guess I'll see you then. (shakes Ritsuko's hand and waves at Shinji) Bye, Shinji...heh heh heh. Wait till your girlfriend sees this...

Shinji: Grrr.

Misato: What's wrong, Shinji? And what's he talking about a...girlfriend? Ooooooooh, Shinji's got a girlfriend! (nudges him with her elbow)

Shinji: (angrily) He always makes fun of me when I was on the Agama! And he still does, just look at the way he--

Ritsuko: (blinks) Shinji, I didn't know you had a girlfriend! Who's the lucky girl? Is she cute?

Shinji: Rrrrgh, dammit! Asuka is NOT my girlfriend, OKAY?!

Misato: Asuka? You mean *our* Asuka Langley Soryu? Gee whiz, this really *is* a small world! How'd you get to know Asuka? How long have you been...tee-hee...an item, hmmmmmmm? (grins)

Ritsuko: (rubbing her chin) My goodness, I didn't know you were Asuka's type, Shinji...I've always thought she didn't like wimpy guys...

Shinji: (face furiously red) COULD YOU TWO JUST STOP TEASING ME?!

Misato: (shrugs) Well, if Asuka's not your girlfriend, why are you getting all so fussy about it? It's not as if you're actually going to--

Ritsuko: AHEM! Anyway, I--no, make that *we*--have to get back to work. We still have to do some more research on that Angel that Shinji had just defeated, mostly just about those samples of the Angel's core that our people have retrieved. This way, please...

The three of them walked past AEUG, Kalaba, and Nerv personnel alike and Ritsuko led them to a certain part of the huge pyramidal Nerv HQ where Nerv technicians were investigating certain remains of the Angel that Shinji had just defeated almost two days ago. Just before they entered the storage room-like facility, Shinji had met Rei just going out. Rei, who still wore her usual school uniform, didn't seem a bit surprised at the sight of Shinji's return and just regarded him the way she usually would to just about everybody: blankly and without any trace of emotion.

Rei: Ikari...so you didn't quit at all.

Shinji: Ayanami...y-y-yeah, I did come back...

Rei: (passing them by) I could have piloted Unit-01 perfectly well myself.

As the pale-skinned girl walked away from them, Shinji was just simply puzzled as his eyes just caught the sight of her leaving. He gulped his spit in a little bit and turned to Misato.

Shinji: You think she's mad at me...?

Misato: Naaah, she's like that with everyone. Now, on the other hand...nobody and I mean NOBODY has seen Rei smile at all. It almost makes me wonder why sometimes, but Rei *is* Rei after all...

Ritsuko went back to her laptop computer as she started to continue her work as Misato slipped into something more comfortable than her usual sexy miniskirt-like and red jacket Nerv uniform like a casual T-shirt and some loose jeans. Shinji, though, was still in his school uniform but they both wore yellow construction helmets. Shinji was just outside the room Misato and Ritsuko were in, watching cranes and Nerv workers going to and fro transporting the Angel's remains.

Shinji: (obviously in awe) So this is the Angel I defeated...

Misato: Ritsuko, what did you mean what you said earlier that you "knew" Shinji was going to come back?

Ritsuko: Well, to put it simply, most children would first rebel against their guardian. They just want to know if life's worth living if they do, and as well, it's a test of the guardian. So I'd say you just made it safely through the rite of passage.

Misato: Tch! Well, you just know everything, do you? Are you just bitching me out, Ri-chan...?

Ritsuko: Oh, I'm just speaking statistically, Misato-chan. Hmm, we've never called each other those names ever since we graduated from college...

Misato: Yeah right, Ri-chan. And...*statistically* speaking, what data have you got so far from Mr. Enemy here?

Ritsuko: See for yourself. (Misato leans down to see the monitor of Ritsuko's laptop and sees the number "601" amongst other data)

Misato: What's that mean?

Ritsuko: That's the code number for "insoluble".

Misato: So that means, you haven't got a clue?

Ritsuko: Yes. Except that the Angel's individual waveform pattern, despite the difference in its component material, resembles the human genome. The match is 99.89%.

Misato: (gasps) 99.89 percent! But that's the same as the Eva's...!

Shinji just curiously watched on as Nerv personnel were investigating and doing research on the Angel's remains until his dad, accompanied by Nerv's elderly second-in-command Fuyutsuki, and two other Nerv research technicians. He identified two other people who came with them as his old friends in the Agama, two of the AEUG's top brass, Supreme Commander Brex Forra and his top ace pilot, that mysterious man-in-red Lieutenant Commander Quattro Bajina. Shinji wondered if Quattro ever took off his ever present sunglasses at all, he hid from his father's sight.

Technician A: Yes, sir, The degradation was so severe that it could hardly be called a perfect sample, but--

Gendo: I see.

Quattro: Quite a fascinating sight this is, Mr. Ikari. I'll assume this is one of those...Angels you were talking about?

Fuyutsuki: Well, yes...at least that's what's left of it, gentlemen.

Shinji was in deep thought once more as he looked on at his father having a conversation with the two AEUG leaders. He wondered why he would just sneak around and hide whenever his dad was around. He also felt that even though he did come back, it came to his dad like it was nothing.

Quattro turned around a bit to see Shinji trying to hide himself in some scaffolding and excused himself from his Commander and Gendo. He walked over to Shinji who tried to hide himself more but obviously failed to do so.

Quattro: Shinji...? Is that you?

Shinji: Err...h...hi there, Quattro-san. What brings you here?

Quattro: I think that should be my question. What brings *you* here, Shinji? Do you work with your father here?

Shinji: (face turning bitter) ...y, yes, yes I do...

Misato: Hey Shinji, who are you talking to--oh! Heh heh, hi there! (offers a handshake to Quattro) I don't believe we've met!

Quattro: (shakes Misato's hand) Yes, indeed. I am Lieutenant Commander Quattro Bajina of the AEUG. And who might you be, my fair lady?

Misato: Tee-hee, I'm Captain Misato Katsuragi of Nerv, I'm the tactical supervisor for anti-Angel sortie operations here! Heh heh heh heh! (thinks) Oooh, what a HUNK! And he called me a lady too, tee-hee! Not like some other people I know...

Shinji: (leers at Misato) Misato, you're making yourself obvious...

Ritsuko: (sounding bored) Do that stuff outside!

Quattro: Ahem, yes...umm, I saw Shinji here and it looked like he was staring at his father like so. Shinji, why don't you just go over and talk to him like some children would usually do?

Misato: Yeah...why the heck are you staring at your dad like that anyway, hmm? (raises an eyebrow)

Shinji: No, no, it's not like that...I mean, see for yourself...

Shinji pointed out to his father, who was still taking a close look at the Angel's circular "core" and who had apparently taken his white cotton gloves off. In all his stay at Nerv, Shinji had never seen his dad take his gloves off just like that. And what's more, it looked like the palms of Gendo's hands had burn scars like it was burned long ago.

Shinji: See?

Misato: Hmm...hey Ritsuko, do you know anything about the Commander's hands being burned?

Ritsuko: It all happened before you two got here. Evangelion Unit-00 went berserk during an activation test...you've heard about that story, right, Shinji?

Shinji: Yes...I think so... (thinks) That must be when Ayanami got hurt and she had all those bandages...

[flashback]

Breaking the restraints binding it, the orange Evangelion Unit-00 held its head like it was in pain. Sirens were going off inside the observation room just beside where Unit-00 was, with control room operator and Nerv Lieutenant junior grade Maya Ibuki shouting reports of Unit-00's status. Gendo Ikari ordered the test be aborted and the Eva's power be cut off, making it switch to less than one minute of back-up power.

Maya had then successfully activated the Eva's auto-eject function for its entry plug and Gendo ran for it, desperate and worried about Rei's condition. Ritsuko ordered the Eva be engulfed in a special reddish quick-dry cement called "bakelite". As the entry plug finished flying all over the room ejecting the LCL that it contained, Gendo opened the entry plug's hatch, risking his hands getting burned in the process and had finally gotten to Rei, who had blood trickling down her head and looked as if she was critically injured.

Gendo: (holding Rei's hand) Rei, are you all right?!

Rei: (weakly) ...y...yes...sir...

Gendo: (feels relieved and smiles at her) I see...that's good to hear.

[end flashback]

Ritsuko: The Commander saved Rei, taking the risk of burning his hands just to open that super-heated hatch with his bare hands. That's how he got those burns on his hands.

Quattro and Misato: Interesting...

Shinji: (thinking) Dad burned his hands to save Ayanami? What's Ayanami to him, anyway...?

---

The next day, it was almost high noon as Shinji's class was having PE lessons. It was the boys' turn to do track and field while the girls were doing swimming just above them (the girls' location was on an elevated hill-like place). Shinji just stared curiously at Rei who was wearing a standard-issue navy blue one-piece swimsuit like all of her other female classmates and every other high school girl in Japan wore. But unlike her classmates, Shinji noticed she wasn't joining in on the fun that all of the other girls were having.

Rei Ayanami was a mystery to Shinji. Misato had once told her all of Rei's past records were supposedly deleted and that any information on her could probably be unclear. There was that, and the fact that Rei had sort of like an albino-like appearance, with her short, ice blue hair and deep crimson eyes, and topping it off, her unemotional attitude towards people, added more to Shinji's thinking. He dismissed the thought that she could be a robot or anything of the essence...

Toji: Good Lord...I never thought the hero t' be da pervert! Who ya lookin' at, President Hikari...? Oh, I get it, Ayanami! Ya sure go for the sullen ones, don't ya?

Kensuke: Goodness, man...and here I thought you didn't care about anything...so which part of Ayanami are you looking at, huh? Ayanami's breasts?

Toji: Ayanami's hips? Oh, I know...!

Toji and Kensuke: Ayanami's calves!

Shinji put two of his fingers inside Toji's nose and went behind him, taking his hand and waving it around like some sort of a marionette or a puppet. Some of the girls noticed this and started to laugh furiously at what Shinji was doing to Toji.

Female Classmate A: Muwahahahaha, hey girls, look at Suzuhara's face!

Female Classmate B: Wha--oh! Heh heh heh, hey check out the monkey down there! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!

Female Classmate C: Tee-hee, I didn't know Ikari had it in him! Ha ha ha ha ha!!

Hikari: (angrily) Aaaargh, what the heck are you doing?! Toji, you moron!!

Rei: ..... (turns away)

As Shinji let go of Toji and the girls' laughs died down, he was just all the more puzzled. All the girls laughed at him and Toji's circus act earlier, but Rei just simply caught a glimpse then turned away. Surely NOBODY could be that unemotional...

Toji: WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YER DOIN', IKARI?!

Shinji: (thinks) Knew it. She didn't laugh...

Toji: RRRRRGGGGHH!! LOOK AT ME, IKARI!!

Shinji: (blinks and grins innocently) Wha--? Oh! Umm, let's say we're even now, Toji! Heh heh, sorry about that!

Toji Suzuhara's jaw just dropped to the ground and frowned. He never thought Shinji would get back at him for punching him days ago like that...

Kensuke: (pats Toji's back and tries to hide his grin) Tough luck, eh Toji? Oh, yeah--yo, Ikari, I heard you guys had new allies in the AEUG, is that true?

Shinji: Umm, that's what I heard. Why did you ask anyway?

Toji: Well, duh! We jus' had our share of panickin' what wid' dose Angels comin' here an' all, if dose stinkin' Titans do come here I dunno what da hell kinda war will break out...

Kensuke: Come to think of it, yeah...I'm also pretty sure war *would* break out if ever the Titans get any knowledge of the AEUG being here. Toji's right, it's not so much that the Angels are starting to come here at an inappropriate time, much more if the Titans would start coming here...

Shinji: Guys, you know...I dunno if ever I get called to fight against the Titans along with my duty to fight against the Angels...I mean, there are real people piloting those mobile suits, you can't forget that, I just can't bring myself to...

Kensuke: ...to kill those people in mobile suits? Hmm, I guess you're right, it's sort of a hard thing to do, but you still have to do it, you know. But still, you get to see all those cool new AEUG mobile suit models! I really envy you, Ikari!

Shinji: Heh...I guess so...

---

Bright: I see. So if we can't really use your "Evangelions" except on special missions then I guess nothing would really change now, huh?

Misato: Yeah, exactly our Commander's point...besides, our pilots haven't even gotten trained for battle against mobile suits yet. I mean, it's not like they're gonna be trained for such battles or anything of the sort, it's just we've never thought the AEUG would need any support coming from *us*.

Brex: It's all right, young lady. At least I'm appreciative and very grateful of your Commander's discretion towards our plea of support of our struggle against the Titans. But still it would be better if you'd come along with us to our next mission to Jabrow...

Misato: Jabrow? You mean Jabrow, South America? Wow, well I guess it'd really be cool if at least either one of us would come along, I've always wanted to see the Amazon River! Unfortunately, though, one of our pilots would still have to undergo one of our synchronization tests, so we'll have to stay here in Japan for the time being...and one more thing, we'll never know when another Angel would come...

Brex: (chuckles) Like I said, Captain Katsuragi, it's all going to be fine. Well, Captain Bright...I've never really believed in space aliens before but right now I'd beg to disagree with my own views! God, there really *is* life outside our colony system...

Bright: Indeed, sir. From Captain Katsuragi's description of these "Angels" they've proven themselves to be quite the demons that they are instead of their names, being called "Angels". I wonder what their purpose in invading only Japan is and why these Angels haven't even thought of invading other nations' cities.

Astonage: I would also add that the Evangelions have such a unique structure and composition that would be far different from any mobile suit ever made. From Professor Ritsuko Akagi's rundown of the Eva's mechanics to me earlier, it features direct pilot's interface with the robot through the yellow liquid "LCL" and two thought probes worn on the pilot's head, making all of the Eva's motor impulses to be dependent upon the pilot's simple thoughts such as the concept of walking. This LCL is also a "breathable" liquid for which I've only heard about now, it's sort of a breakthrough indeed for Nerv to develop LCL, isn't it, Professor Akagi?

Ritsuko: (nods) Yes, indeed. The only disadvantages are that the Eva's have no capability for flight like a few mobile suits have and that they're just not designed for space flight. I'm assuming that since Nerv and the AEUG are allied now, there would be times that you will need the help of our Eva's and that would include operations conducted in space...

Astonage: No need to worry, Professor. Umm, some of our technicians and engineers back in the Agama, especially myself, will be taking the liberty of installing Minovsky crafts in your Eva's so they would be capable for any of our space operations in the future. Would you also like some help on installing internal power supplies for the Eva's as well? Personally I think the idea of the Eva's being connected with an umbilical cable into an external power source is kind of bulky...well, if your Commander wouldn't mind, that is.

Ritsuko: Well, thank you very much on your offer on the Minovsky craft installation, but about your offer of internal power supplies for the Eva's instead of our standard umbilical power cable, I wouldn't think so. (shakes her head) There's exclusive machinery for installing internal power supplies for the Eva's and that is one of Nerv's current projects, the "S2 Engine". Unfortunately the S2 Engine is still being developed in our research labs in Germany, so we'll still have to depend on plugging the Eva's into a wall socket, so to speak.

All the people in the Nerv briefing room chuckled and Brex stood up to shake Misato's hand. All of the AEUG staff did so likewise with Ritsuko and Misato, spouting thanks for being so receptive of the AEUG.

Misato: Ohh, it's nothing, really! Hee hee, you're our guests anytime here at Nerv, Captain Bright and Commander Brex. It's an honor to have met you, by the way, Captain Bright Noah. I've heard so much about you on the war of seven years ago.

Bright: Thank you, Captain Katsuragi.

Quattro: It's also an honor to have met the both of you as well. Until then, we will be off to our destination in Jabrow. We have some...friends to pick up there.

Hayato: Right. We, the Kalaba, on the other hand, will choose to stay here for the moment in aiding Nerv in its anti-Angel operations as we have done the moment we have chosen to declare ourselves a renegade group of the Federal Forces. Captain Katsuragi, we will assure you of our utmost service to your cause.

Misato: Why, you're welcome, Lieutenant Kobayashi!

The moment that the last of the AEUG officers and Hayato Kobayashi had left the room, Misato held Ritsuko's hand with a giggle and a grin.

Ritsuko: Now what the heck is up with you now, Mi-chan?

Misato: Tee-hee, oh nothing! That Lieutenant Quattro sure looked like a cutie, didn't he?

Ritsuko: Ohh, so that's it. You're up with that "cute guy" chasing routine of yours again, huh? Well, good luck with you.

Misato: How come *you're* so frigid? I thought you liked cute guys too!

Ritsuko: Well, Misato, one thing I'll tell you...I like older guys than those AEUG people earlier. And I didn't mean their leader Commander Brex Forra, he's way too old for me. Hmm...Bright Noah sure looks cute in person now, doesn't he?

Misato: Yeah, right...hey, I think I'll be on my way home now as well. You did tell me to let Shinji give Rei her new Nerv ID card, right?

Ritsuko: Yeah...and you did tell me you were gonna watch some of those Sailor Moon marathons on cable this midnight, right? Jesus Christ, woman, I can't believe you till watch all of this girlie stuff like Sailor Moon!

Misato: (puts her hands on her hips) Now what the heck is wrong with watching Sailor Moon at my age?! Personally I think it's pretty cool, Ri-chan! Man, I wish I had a wand like Sailor Moon has... (does an impression and pretends to hold something in her hand) "Moon Prism Power Make-Up!" Ha ha ha ha, that just kills me everytime I do that!

Ritsuko: (shakes her head and looks at Misato weirdly) .....

Misato: What the heck are you looking at me like that for?

Ritsuko: (half-jokingly) Misato...if you do that again, I'll turn *you* into LCL.
---

The next day, Shinji just cursed his luck as he was walking through some backwoods road somewhere in Tokyo. He had just been ordered by Misato to get Rei's new ID card to her and was even teased by Misato as Shinji just flushed at the mention of him actually taking a visit to Rei's home. She even "threatened" to tell his "girlfriend" Asuka about Shinji having the hots for Rei and was just very amused as she teased Shinji some more.

Shinji finally came to a stop as he looked up a very large six-story apartment building beside a certain construction site. The place looked like one of those "'hoods" in New York that Shinji had been hearing about on TV; everything was just so unsightly. Shinji sighed as he went inside the apartment building; he thought, this must really be the place.

As he went up the stairs up till the fourth floor, he thought about that little incident yesterday after he and Rei had finished their basic synchro tests. As he saw Rei step down on a raised platform beside her Eva Unit-00, he could plainly view her talking to his father from the viewpoint of his cockpit in his own Eva Unit-01. He could have sworn she was talking so lively to his dad. He had never seen her like this with other people; usually her social attitude would be frigid as a stone, but this?

Shinji pressed on Room 401's doorbell but found out that it was broken. He called for her surname as he opened the door and entered Rei's room. He was just so disarmed at the sight that greeted him as he entered Rei's room: it wasn't a very attractive room at the least. Shinji thought it couldn't even be called a room at all; the floor was a bit dusty, the air-conditioning looked like it was broken for a long time, there were bandages smeared with dried blood in a box somewhere in the room, and her bed was a mere old hospital bed. The lighting was no better than the appearance of the room itself; it was just so dim, desolate, and outright lonely and depressing.

He caught sight of a pair of eyeglasses upon a drawer and he thought upon himself to go take a look at it. He took a close look at the pair of eyeglasses and read his father's name engraved upon it. Why, he asked himself, would Ayanami have his father's eyeglasses?

Faint footsteps had interrupted his train of thought and had caused him to turn around slowly just to see a stark naked Rei who looked like she had just taken a bath as his nostrils had caught the faint smell of soap and his eyes caught the sight of Rei drying her hair with a towel.

The boy was just too shocked to see a person of the opposite sex, and she was buck-naked at that. Not knowing what to do next, Shinji just yelled and had accidentally dropped his father's eyeglasses, leaving a little crack on one of its spectacles. Nervously spouting apologies, Shinji covered his eyes as Rei tried to pick up Gendo's old eyeglasses, but unfortunately for Shinji, he tripped on one of Rei's legs and they both fell.

On all fours, Shinji suddenly found himself straddling on top of Rei. Beads of sweat started to form and boyish nervousness as he stared at the fragile, vulnerable, naked girl with short, ice blue hair below him. After a short while of realizing he was also involuntarily groping one of Rei's breasts, he got off of her after being told a faint, "Would you please get off?" Her tone of voice definitely didn't sound like she'd seen a deranged pervert invading her privacy...strangely enough, it sounded like Rei's usual unemotional and frigid manner.

Turning away from her, Shinji desperately tried to search for word of explanation on why he was inside Rei's apartment in the first place while Rei, who was still in fact naked, on the other hand, placed Gendo's eyeglasses back in a hard case. Seemingly oblivious to Shinji's presence, Rei dressed herself up slowly, first in her underwear, then in her school uniform as Shinji was cringing in terror.

Shinji: (gulps) ...umm...ahh...y-y-y-your card...i-it's been renewed, so Misato...she asked me to drop it off...I...I rang the doorbell, but it looks like it was broken...y-y-your door was unlo--

Rei: Leave the card over there, then.

With much fear, Shinji left the card on the drawer and ran for it, slamming the door behind him as Rei went on dressing herself up. Breathing hard and deep as he leaned on the door to Rei's apartment, he just could not believe what had happened to him that fateful morning...

---

Shinji threw his emptied can of Mr. Pibb that he had just crushed into the trash. He was thinking too much on that incident with Rei earlier, how he may have invaded on her privacy and all.

Shinji: Shit...Ayanami must be mad at me now...

As if by cue, the girl in question appeared in front of him, walking towards a certain direction. She looked at him for a second or two, then walked away. He chased up after her and left the bench located just a distance away from Rei's apartment building.

Shinji: Hey, wait up, Ayanami! Are you going to Nerv HQ?

Rei: .....

---

Shinji didn't even notice the Agama, the Radish, and the Mont Blanc parked just a little distance from them as he caught his pace up behind Rei in the geofront's easiest way to Nerv HQ, desperate to strike up even the most simplest of conversations to the quiet girl. They were just outside Nerv HQ, walking towards it.

Shinji: Ayanami...s-s-so...your reactivation test with Unit-00 is today, isn't it? Aren't you the least bit scared, Ayanami...?

Rei: ...of what?

Shinji: About...you know, getting back into your Eva...

Rei: Are you scared of yours?

Shinji: ...yes. But then, I think it's stranger not to be scared.

Rei: Can't you have faith in your father's work?

That question got Shinji by the tongue. He was silent for about half a minute, thinking about what Rei had just asked him.

Shinji: No. There's no way I can...not in a father like him.

The albino girl stopped walking and turned around to look at Shinji. For a moment, Shinji thought Rei was smirking at him.

Rei: I do. I have faith in him.

Shinji: .....

Rei: The only thing in this world I have faith in is the Commander.

And as he saw Rei walk away from him, he thought deeply about those words coming out of his fellow Eva pilot. The only thing she has faith in is his father, whom he has hated? It puzzled him to no end as he followed suit and went towards Nerv HQ.

He looked behind him to see the three large AEUG battlecruisers parked inside the geofront and almost gagged; he wondered how in the world those three ships had fit into the geofront's entrance. He then shook his head and went on going inside Nerv HQ.

---

The blue-colored Evangelion Unit-00 and its pilot were ready for the scheduled reactivation test. Almost all of the Nerv technical staff including Shinji, Misato, Fuyutsuki, and Gendo were standing by behind glass windows and observing how Rei would do this time. Everyone hoped nothing would go wrong this time as it had months ago before Shinji came to Earth.

Also watching Rei's reactivation test in her Eva-00 were Camille, Astonage, and Amuro. As Camille and Astonage were interested to know what went on with a typical Evangelion test run, Amuro went with them as well to finally meet with his AEUG and Nerv comrades. If the Kalaba were to work with them, at least he could just see his allies' faces.

Camille: What do you suppose they're doing?

Astonage: I hear it's some kind of a reactivation test for one of their Evangelions. Professor Akagi told me this Eva Unit-00 has been repaired after something went wrong with its last test. I'm not sure what she meant by that it was a result of the pilot's drastic change in emotions, but it could be linked to the Eva's interface being that the pilot's thoughts directly controlling the Eva's basic motor functions.

Ritsuko: Indeed, Medosso-san. It really was something involving a change in the pilot's emotions that made Unit-00 go berserk like that, but then it's still just a theory.

Amuro: Anyways, ma'am, it's very good to see such an interesting new kind of mechanical masterpiece such as the Evangelion. I've never seen such things ever since the development of my father's invention, the Gundam. It would be quite strange, though, that these Eva's would look too much like human beings, if not resemble them...

Ritsuko: That isn't to say, however, that the "late" RX-78-2 Gundam doesn't have its advantages over the Eva. One thing, for instance, I've heard from some sources that it's spawned a lot of mobile suit variations, like the Gundam Unit-01, "Zephyranthes" and the Gundam Unit-02, "Physalis". Speed and mobility are also the standard mobile suit's advantage over the Eva...Lieutenant Ibuki, is everything ready?

Maya: Yes, ma'am. Unit-00 is now on standby.

Gendo: We shall now commence. /Rei, are you ready?/

Rei: /Yes, sir./

Gendo: Initiate primary contact.

Ritsuko: Main power, contact. Operational voltage critical point, confirmed!

Maya: Roger!

Ritsuko: Shift format to phase two!

Camille: Well, it seems that everything's going okay so far, eh Shinji-kun?

Shinji: .....

Camille: What's wrong, man? Something wrong?

Shinji: I...it's nothing, Camille. I was just...I was just thinking about if this...war you're fighting would elevate itself into new heights and all...I mean, I'd be involved too, wouldn't I?

Amuro: Yes, Shinji, you'd definitely be involved too. Although this work you've got in defeating these "Angels" has seemingly gotten your hands full, this still isn't the, let's say, the best part of the job.

Shinji: "The best part of the job", huh. Heh...

Amuro eyed this boy carefully. Shinji definitely reminded him of the way he used to be when he was first enlisted as a part of the Federal Forces; stubborn, weak, and wimpy. Even now that Amuro was older and seemed more mature than before, his personality back then when he was still a 15-year-old kid never really faded away. He almost never had gotten enlisted in the Kalaba had it not been for that "rescue operation" for him days ago in Cheyenne, Wyoming and his pacifist attitude that had developed from seven years of not fighting alongside the Federal Forces.

Amuro: (sighs and pats Shinji's shoulder) Shinji...I'd like to have a man-to-man talk with you someday, if it's okay with you.

Maya: List items 1 through 2590 have been cleared. 2.5 until absolute borderline. 1.7, 1.2, 1.0, 0.8...

Shinji: If you say so, Amuro-san...

Just that moment, Rei's words from earlier started to come back at him, and that got him to think about what Rei really is to his father. "The only thing left in this world I have faith in is the Commander." Shinji wondered why this sullen girl...Ayanami...would think so much of his dad...his dad who left him in space, neglected him, forgot about him...and now needs him to pilot his robot.

Shinji: (thinks) It's weird. Why am I so concerned about someone else?

Lieutenant Ibuki's countdown to the borderline stage of Unit-00's reactivation test had finally ended and confirmation of Eva Unit-00's activation. A sigh of relief came out from the people concerned and soon enough, Maya announced a "linkage test" to be commenced in a short while.

Fuyutsuki put down the phone receiver and turned towards Gendo.

Fuyutsuki: Ikari-kun, an unidentified flying object is heading this way. It's probably the fifth Angel. Our sources also picked up a single Alexandria-class battlecruiser heading towards Tokyo. I just knew that the Titans would spot the AEUG here soon enough. What do we do now, Ikari-kun?

As if by instinct, Camille, Astonage, and Amuro rushed out of the room to their respective battle stations in the Agama and the Kalaba's point of vantage, respectively.

Amuro: I'll see you later, Shinji!

Camille: Catch you later too, Shinji-kun! Gee whiz, the Titans *had* to come at a bad time, don't they, Amuro-sempai...

Amuro: Like they would come at a good time, Camille. Let's go.

Gendo: Abort the test! All personnel, go to Level One alert!

Fuyutsuki: Can we use Unit-00?

Gendo: It's not battle-ready yet. What about Unit-01?

Ritsuko: We can have it up in 380 seconds.

Gendo: Good. Scramble it. (looks over coldly at Shinji) What's the matter? Get going!

Shinji: Yes...*sir*. (thinks) He won't even wish me good luck...but even if I can't believe in my father...all I can do right now is get into my Eva and fight.

---

And so, with a heavy heart, Shinji once again boards Evangelion Unit-01. He gulped as Misato ordered the Eva Unit-01 to be launched from its cage in Nerv's underground geofront home base and readied himself to battle against his third Angel, or otherwise known among Nerv (or at least between Gendo, Fuyutsuki, and a certain secret Committee as the fifth Angel).

Camille and Astonage split their way from Amuro as they all were also on their way to launch in their own respective mobile suits to hope to give support to Shinji and, if ever it were true that the Titans were on their way to Japan, to defend Nerv HQ, more specifically, the three AEUG ships from them. Too bad, though, Camille thought, Lieutenant Commander Quattro and Emma and even Commander Brex were out to meet with some other AEUG supporters somewhere near Tokyo. At least that's what they told him...

Camille: Amuro-sempai...you know, Mr. Kobayashi told me a while ago that the Kalaba, especially Mr. Kobayashi himself, had a hard time convincing you at first to join them. I'm glad and very honored that you would join the AEUG in its cause...I've heard so much about you and what you did seven years ago in the Federal Forces...

Amuro: Hm? Oh, so Hayato told you, eh? Well, it's not like my putting under house arrest back in Wyoming was a bad thing after all...I had free board and lodging and free food too, you know. Heh heh, but kidding aside, I've also seen my faults, not being so thoughtful of the world around me which is now once again destroying itself. What with these Titans roaming around rearing their ugly heads, who knows who the bad guys are anymore, am I right?

Camille: Guess so...

Amuro: Well anyway, it's just...strange that you guys would come out like this at a more appropriate time. I mean...I just couldn't put it into words, but the AEUG reminds me of what I had experienced seven years ago in the 13th Autonomous Corps...and one of your leaders...his name was Quattro Bajina, right? He reminds me of someone I've known quite well in my old days as a 15-year-old in the army...well, we're here. Let's just get into our respective battle stations and get ready for launch.

One way or another, Camille couldn't believe his luck. He would be fighting side by side with a now-older Amuro Ray, one of the significant heroes of the One-Year War, now with him being indirectly linked to the AEUG thanks to the Kalaba, an offshoot military organization that separated itself from the Federal Forces, Camille sort of felt like he was invincible, if only for the moment.

But then, he thought, this was no time to be star-struck. There was another one of those "Angels" coming their way, and much more, a new wave of a Titans assault also coming their way. He didn't know it, but like Shinji, all he can do now is fight.

---

The fifth Angel looked like two crystalline blue-colored Egyptian pyramids with their bases placed on top of each other, giving it a weird but eerie appearance. (Author: A much simpler description of the fifth Angel would be like what role-playing gamers call an eight-sided die, except that this particular die was blue and transparent, having no dots or numbers on it whatsoever.) It floated slowly above the hills just over Tokyo and it looked like it was headed for a certain direction--Nerv HQ.

And once again, Eva Unit-01 was brought to normal ground level as Tokyo's skyscrapers retracted themselves automatically underground as part of its anti-Angel defense barrier. All was set for battle, except that Eva-01 still had to be released from its final safety locks binding it to the elevator-like transport mechanism that brought it from underground.

But something didn't really seem right, at least in the point of view of Nerv control room operator Lieutenant junior grade Shigeru Aoba.

Shigeru: We're reading a high-energy concentration from *within* the target!

Misato: What?!

Shigeru: It's accelerating on its periphery! Starting to converge!

Misato: I--It can't be...a particle beam?! /Shinji, GET OUT OF THE WAY!!/

Shinji never knew what would hit him next. It all happened in mere seconds when Shinji saw a bluish beam of light coming from the Angel which was kilometers away from him. Destroying dummy buildings in its path, the beam went straight for Eva Unit-01's chest, burning and melting it slowly until it would burn and melt no more. One who was an Eva pilot could imagine how much pain that felt.

As Shinji's comrades, the few but proud AEUG and Kalaba mobile suits, were coming out of their own exit points from the Nerv geofront, they ducked for cover and witnessed the Angel just trying to penetrate through Eva Unit-01 with a type of beam attack that only either Federation or Zeon battleships could perform. Camille might have sensed the attack coming if he were the Angel's target, but even if he weren't right now, his Newtype senses foresaw the attack, and he even ducked a little inside the cockpit of his Gundam Mk-II. Amuro might have sensed it too, but his sensitivity as a Newtype was just a notch lower than Camille's, technically speaking.

Camille: /WHOA!! W-w-what the hell was THAT?!/

Amuro: /A particle beam...impossible, there isn't any concentration of Minovsky particles that would count as being a battlecruiser anywhere near Tokyo! Well, at least that's what my radar tells me.../

Chris: /No shit, sempai! There ain't nothing in mine too!/

Apolli: /Lieutenant Amuro, do you think the Titans have developed any long-range mega beam cannons for their battlecruisers by now?/

Amuro: /I don't think so, Apolli. At least if Anaheim is helping them too, which I definitely think so, I think they would. That beam attack came from that blue crystalline thing over there, and I don't think the Titans *or* Anaheim would have ever developed something like that yet./

Roberto: /Maybe this is one of those "Angels" that Nerv was talking about...that thing sure got Shinji where it wanted it, huh?/

Camille: /It sure did...I'm sure Shinji's not feeling VERY good right now.../

If Misato were right in front of Camille right now, she would have shouted to his face, "'Not feeling very good' would be quite an understatement." Feeling very worried about Shinji's condition, Misato orders any and every available personnel to retrieve Shinji back to Nerv HQ, which they did almost instinctively. Shinji fainted inside his cockpit as it was being withdrawn from ground level, and soon enough, the Angel stopped firing the bluish particle beam.

Shigeru: Target has gone inactive!

Misato: How's Shinji?!

Makoto: EEG abnormal! Pulse faint!

Maya: Unit-01 to Cage #7 for retrieval!

Misato: (running off to a certain direction) I'm going to the cage! Ritsuko, get the medic team ready, stat!

Ritsuko: Got it.

While everyone was suddenly busy as bees as a result of Eva Unit-01 being critically hit by the Angel, Rei just stared at the monitor with her usual cold, unemotional manner. No one knows what thoughts those deep crimson eyes hide...

Makoto: ...correction, pulse has stopped!

Ritsuko: Set life support system to maximum! Commence CPR--

Rei: .....


To be continued
---

Not much to say here, at the moment. I feel a little grouchy so I wouldn't really bother to say anything excess here. Again, I'd like to thank the people concerned in making this fic as it is. Look up your names in the previous Act just to be sure if yours is there or not.

Act 4 coming soon. Again, C&C's are welcome, NO FLAMES PLEASE. Till then, "Believe in the sign of ZETA...beyond the hard times from now."