All characters listed here are products of Gainax. This is a fanfic and thus it's given out for free and most likely doesn't follow much (if anything) in the story line...so suing me wouldn't accomplish much nor win you anything(Cause I'm penniless and you'd lose more then me in a court battle as stated before, I'm penniless). These characters are used without permission so there!
Ok, so I managed to get this together. Ahem, I'm gonna have to flip the world around a bit on our heroes as things are going crazy. So expect oddities and weirdness to become common place...*grumble* I hate spellcheck...I really am thinking about making a fanfiction like "Adventures in Spellchecking!" or something... *Grumble*
"...." is talking
*....* is text
'....' is something that is being noted or expressed differently
Enjoy!
DrunkDrake
A Calling Of Souls
Chapter 04 : Facing The Mirror of Ourself's
~~~~~~~~
"Perhaps...it wasn't so bad, this time...I wish that I'd never have to pilot again though...every time before..."
Shinji stood in front of eva 01 talking to it staring at it's features. The purple head stares at him almost as if measuring his soul. Shinji stood still in his plug suit long after all the drills and technicians left. No one was around and Shinji looked at the eva like a puppy would look at it's mother for protection.
"I need answers... But I don't know where to find them..." Shinji turned around and rested his back against a railing that stood in front of the eva's nose. Shinji stared off towards eva 02 over on the far wall. Asuka had long left also leaving her eva in the care of the technicians. She seemed...so...
"Strong...I wish...sometimes I wish, I had another reason to use you" finishing his thought with speech then facing the eva again. A look not uncommon on Shinji's face. One of loneliness. Shinji stared at the giant both staring at each other as if lost in thought.
"I wish...that the pain would go..." With this Shinji walked towards the pilot change rooms leaving the eva where it docked. It's eyes still looked forward unmoving as if Shinji was still there.
---
Days later Shinji sat in class as the teacher was again rambling off about second impact. 'Second impact' Shinji thought. The thing that caused world wide flooding...and caused the Earth to forever shift in it's axis. This caused a permanent summer in Japan and everyday was a summer day, even in what was supposed to be winter. Really the only indication of what season it currently was, was to check the stars. The stars still had the same patterns regardless of what the weather was. Shinji had never seen snow nor falling leaves in fall and winter. The teacher talked about how their were such differences, but this didn't hold any of the students attention because the teacher had told them about it perhaps 100 times already. Shinji only stared out the window to his left, many of the students were either gently gossiping, reading or wasting time with the teachers back turned. It was an ordinary school day. Ordinary for all but Shinji. Shinji stared out the window and was thinking deeply about why he was there. He had been offered a decision before...he could remember that because he chose to live. When he chose that his eva had been seen in it's most horrible state as it burst out of the 12th angel. He was told how his eva stood like a beast as it howled at the moon before he was pulled out of his eva. This happened only 3 days ago. Staring out the window Shinji saw that a lot of the city was clearly missing...the buildings that got absorbed with eva 01 hadn't returned and the clear zone was...It was covered in blood... Whole city blocks that had been there 4 days ago were replaced by a dried river of blood. It looked like a giant had punched the city wounding it. Clean up crews had been working for days and had done a good job, some of the buildings were being reconstructed as he watched. Shinji saw that Rei wasn't looking outside for once. Truly odd...This past week was bad for everyone. Thinking back at the decision he was given...he felt his reasons...were correct.
"Wait...what decision?...what reasons..." Shinji mumbled to himself. His line of thought was forever disrupted by the sound of work crews cleaning up the mess outside.
---
"Useless...Why me?" Asuka stood in front of her eva staring at it, it's 4 eyes gazing lazily forward. Ritsuko had just finished another series of drills in the geo-front and the pilots were just docking now. Asuka looking over her back could see Shinji standing near his eva with a shrug of his shoulders he seemed...resigned and then walked to the pilot change rooms. Asuka watched him leave and she faced her own eva once again. She watched her eva as it watched her.
"I beat him in the drills but I know he didn't even try...I've seen him do better..." Asuka grumbled to her eva. The eva stared back.
"What's the point in being the best if no one is even going to try?" She signed and stared back at the 4 eyes. She signed and left.
"Being number 1 is pointless if you didn't earn it"
The eva's response was more staring.
---
Across the pacific Ocean in the replacement NERV 2nd branch activation room. Numbers roll across the screen in front of a man wearing a lab coat. The numbers vary in colour of red and green. The man sighs lightly and he gazes up at the eye that stared back at him. This is what everyone is so worried about...
"Evangelion" The man said matter of factly.
He sat in a chair and looked up from the screens back into the eye that gazed at him. The screen continued to spout nonsense directing for him to pay attention but the man didn't bother. He'd seen the sea of Dirac that swallowed NERV 2nd branch and he knew Evangelion unit 4 was lost. This was bad news for the Americans. He snickered at that. The Americans always worried about silly things when the real trouble was off else where.
"With the American's prize gone they would have been screwed, if it wasn't for the fact that we were also building up this baby" He stared again at the eye which levelled with him in the control room.
SEELE must have been rubbing there hands in glee at seeing their Sea Scrolls prove them right. SEELE had given out orders to give up all eva production and use all the semi built models as left overs to make the mass-production models SEELE demanded. This man that sat at his terminal looked longingly at his prize, his life's work. This eva had no designation because it was built in secret. The American's were breathing down his neck to salvage it for the eva-series. Technically speaking the eva was 'incomplete', but it was stable enough that it could function and it's construction had been sped up.
"I won't give it up...the kid needs it..." With this the man darkens the rooms lights and sets about working in the gloom of the office with only the screen lighting his face.
---
Misato could have sworn she been dragged through the streets she had driven on. She was sitting in the cafeteria of NERV sipping a coffee thinking how a beer could really feel good about now as the lights suddenly dimmed and turned red. The intercom immediately came on.
"Stage 2 alert! Major Katsuragi to the main office. I repeat! Stage 2 alert!" The intercom reported. Upon arrival in the main office Misato saw the bridge bunnies hopping around managing their duties, Ritsuko behind Maya and both commanders at the commander level platform.
"What's going on? Angel?" Misato asked as she ran in. Ritsuko turned and addressed Misato.
"Yes. This one is in the northern hemisphere. Not a threat to us yet but it's coming this way"
"Well. What's the satellites show us?" At Misato's question the main screen switched to a satellite feed. Showing a dark figure moving through the water, it's image was distorted from the water. It was large though no doubt about it. The image pulled back and it showed that for whatever reason it was moving across the Atlantic at varyingly fast speeds.
"We have about 3 days before it reaches Japan, but that's only if it doesn't make a side trip on the way. It'll reach the United States coast in 23 hours" Ritsuko reported.
"It's not normal for angels to appear so far away from Japan...What's the word from the United States?" Misato was glancing between the main screen and Hyuga's monitor.
"They seem anxious to say the least. The creatures path, that's if it maintains it's course, would make it pass only one city fairly closely but otherwise they don't seem to have worried so much" Aoba stated before continuing "They're asking...or rather begging us to get a few evas over there"
Gendo who was sitting in the command seat barely suppressed a smile. He'd already discussed with the American counsellor and NERV was going to gain quite a bit of muscle from the American NASA program as a part of a deal they struck. Fuyutsuki also knew about that as he was present in the meeting. NERV would be sending 2 evas and America would be in his debt. He shifted his glasses and the light reflected off them.
"We will have evas unit 01 and 02 launched to intercept the target" Gendo stated. Misato
nodded and began ordering for transports and cargo to be readied.
---
They only had 22 hours and 46 minutes before the angel got to land. When the eva's took flight, with Misato Ritsuko the pilots and the support crew were on their way.
At 14 hours and 5 minutes the angel decided to change directions...this time headed for a major city...The eva's would be 14 minutes late.
At 11 hours and 39 minutes the man at the monitor in the replacement 2nd branch made a decision.
"SEELE can rot for all I care..."
---
Machine guns, missile launches and the giants presence could all be heard. Explosions were coming closer and closer to the city of Chicago. The America army backed with UN were attempting to buy time but everyone knew it was only a fool's hope as the angel came closer and closer barely even bothering to acknowledge the troops...when they were lucky. The angel's form came out into view and suddenly lifted up it's arms. It raised an AT field at the same time. It spread it out like a blanket crushing missile platforms, tanks and infantry against the ground. It then swatted aside U.N VTOL craft like pesky flies. The angel's form was somewhat similar to the 4th angels. Only it didn't hover, it slithered across the ground it's green carapace glistened as the sunlight reflected off it. Also...it had a rack of teeth in it's mouth. It's core wasn't on the outside of it's body either. And where the 4th angel had tentacles this thing had spiny legs ending with scissor like claws. It dragged itself slashing a tank in half that dared to block it. It was getting closer to something. That something was...
---
"A demon! Nothing can stop it!" The officer shouted in the mobile command centre. He had been told that these things were big, ugly and damn strong but he thought he could have bought those few extra minutes needed for the eva's to get here in time. He was wrong looking at the clock the angel still had 9 minutes to trash the city before the eva's even got there. NERV had been true to their word and had sent help as soon as they got the message but it's still going to hurt...
~Meanwhile deep under the city~
"Well kid...I guess this is the time we've been waiting for" the man over the monitor said. He gazed again over the windows and waved. The screen popped open and a voice came through.
"You were always there for me. Let me return the favour. Don't hold any doubts" the figure spoke back.
"My only doubt was that we never got any real work done, now get to work!" The man spoke to the com window and pressed a button. The frame behind the windows was suddenly lifted up and out of sight. He could only smile as he knew SEELE would hunt him down, but at least the kid had a chance.
---
Misato sat and watched the monitors of the angel crushing the city beneath it's body. The angel just reached the outer houses and was still batting aside some of the remaining troops. Missiles flew into the AT field doing no damage but Misato knew that the mission of the troopers down there was to be a distraction to buy time until the reinforcements got there. The angel had dispersed the remaining defenders leaving only small arms fire and it begun ripping the city to pieces. making it's way deeper inside. Misato had allowed a direct feed of the action to be linked to the pilots so she knew they were watching it. Shinji had noted it's similarities to the 4th angel but Asuka merely studied the new threat intently. However it was still hard watching the massacre as the angel crushed a blockade with it's foot dragging a streak of blood. Watching the display she saw that they were still 8 minutes out.
---
Light came into his view as the door was flung open. Momentarily blinded he covered his eyes. and walked 3 steps into the light. Buildings were around him and he righted himself. as he viewed the scene a com channel popped up near him.
"Alright kid. You're as ready as you'll ever be. I don't expect you to be a Rambo on me. Just don't get yourself killed out there. If nothing else, suit your actions to waste time. 7 minutes till NERV reinforcements arrive" The man smiled back at the kid before his com channel flicked off.
"Buy time, buy time..."
The com channel appeared again and the man's smiling face came to view again.
"Oh and I'll give you an auto-link up when the other pilots come into com range" The kid mouthed a thank you and the man's com closed again. The kid kept chanting "buy time, buy time" as he went around a building. Looking around the corner he saw the angel approaching. Upon seeing the angel his chant sounded the same but the meaning changed.
"Bye time, Bye time..." He stopped chanting closed his eyes...and turned spun around the building firing his rifle.
---
Misato was growing more and more worried as the angel kept smashing the buildings along it's route as it went deeper into the downtown regions. Ground fire was quiet now and the live link up was down just like the VTOL that was giving it.
"Misato...Why did the angel attack this city? It's not even in the route to Tokyo-3" Shinji asked. Misato couldn't answer that because she could never understand the reasoning behind the angels. Asuka spoke up before Misato could finish her thought anyway.
"Baka dummkopf! Who knows what goes through those angel's heads! All I know is that I'm gonna have to crush it for this! Attacking innocents, there's no words that describe how cruel that is"
Shinji could only sit back in his LCL flooded entry plug and wait for the go order now. Misato resumed her screen viewing. As a view came over a channel.
"You want a live feed?"
"that would be excellent but who is this?" Misato asked the voice
"A friend. I'll patch you through. Oh and say hello to David for me" The voice faded and a new screen popped up. It gave an incredible view of the angel up close as it slung it's claws towards the screen. A building crumbled from the hit and the camera started backing up. the camera man was obviously anxious as the camera barely stood still and a voice over the com kept mumbling something about buying time. As she watched the voice from earlier was overheard again from the link up as the angel reared back to strike again.
"Ok kid you've got an audience. Say hello to them for me"
The angel ripped apart a building next to the camera again and some cursing was heard as the camera shifted again.
"You really know when to bug me don't you" The camera turns around and gains some distance from the angel before turning back again "Could you try to improve your party skills or something" Rifle fire is overheard in the background "Cause you know you never should bother the host as he manages the party!"
At this Misato realizes that the camera is highly elevated and the rifle fire is coming from the speaker.
"This is Major Misato Katsuragi. Name and what are you doing?"
At this the camera turned around and the inside of an entry plug was seen and the camera focused on a pilot that was grinning but focusing on something outside.
"He's a pilot?!" Screeched Asuka over the intercom, Shinji only muttered something about "Not another one"
"Hey! Damn, didn't see that coming" the camera fizzled for a second but came back on "Ah, who said that, the pilot remark, I'm a little busy here"
"Busy? You having trouble down there? Ha! I could do better" Asuka remarked
"Bet you could, all I got is a half empty B.B gun and...DAMN" the pilot remarked.
"Drop the rifle, it's over heated. Try to get to the 2nd weapon cache, I'll have a spare ready" The unknown male voice from before ordered.
"Cheap American shoddy workmanship. Gah! I'll never make it. Angel's in the way and I'd only drag it further into the city" The pilot commented.
"Well that's the only storage place that hasn't been emptied or destroyed, you'll have to rely on what you got" The male voice left at that.
"Heh...fun fun..." the pilot commented.
---
Misato had watched and listened to the whole thing but now they were coming into view and the city was badly mashed along the southern regions. And in the middle there was a giant angel in mortal combat against a grey eva. The eva has it's prog knife out and the two where bashing each other through buildings and streets. It was only 24 seconds till the eva's could be dropped in the combat zone. And she had to admit, the gray eva wasn't doing half bad. She also knew that it's power limit was slowly running out. The eva literally picked up the angel and dragged it a few blocks closer to the drop zone in order to get it out of the city. This pilot had some skills.
"Commence Drop!"
---
Shinji grunted when he landed. He still wasn't quite used to dropping several thousand feet but he saw Asuka pick herself up too. They each attached a power cable to their backs grabbed the rifles in the weapon case that had been dropped along with the cables and charged into the city.
"So where are they Misato?" Shinji asked
"Move up 200 metres and engage the target" the command was a simple one and the eva pilots moved to comply.
Turning around the corner the grey eva fell into a building near Shinji as the angel slithered across the streets. Shinji rose his eva to block to coming attack and drew his own Progressive knife as the angel bore towards them. Eva 02 burst from the right side of the angel and the 2 rolled across the street wrestling.
"Shinji get that rookie outta here!" Asuka screamed as her world continued to roll.
Unit 01 turned around and sheathed it's knife and plucked the grey eva off the ground and began to run to the extra power cable set up that was in the supplies. Shinji could hear Asuka's grunting and cursing as she continued to wrangle the angel out of the city. Shinji finally reached the power cables and began to set up the grey eva. Misato saw a lot of battle damage on the eva and demanded a report.
"Hey, Pilot of Grey! What's your status?"
"I'm fine. A lot of bad scrapes but I can still go on"
"Fine my left heel! Your missing your left arm!" Misato said checking the read outs.
"I this eva was never 'complete' this battle started with this thing missing the arm" The pilot stated.
The eva now stood having external power restored. The left elbow didn't connect to anything below it. It ended with a tangle of wires and connection circuits but there was no sign of the eva actually having one in the first place.
"Ahh...well...Ok then arm yourself and back up Asuka!" the pilots com channel showed both pilots slightly grinning and there was some snickering from the command crew at Misato's little pun, however Misato didn't catch on to it right away.
"...You know what I mean. This isn't a time for joking around!"
The grey eva went over to the weapon case and took out a single pellet rifle, holding it under it's arm, grey eva followed eva 01 towards the rising dust where Asuka was wrestling the angel.
"Damn it why do the ones I fight always have to have teeth!" Asuka screamed as the angel bit the eva's hand.
The angel had been released from the eva's head lock and was whipping it's claws towards her with deadly intent. Asuka's eva backed away on it's hands and knee's barely avoiding the scythe like claws. Drawing her progressive knife she stabbed it through one of the arms and pinned it to the ground. She dropped the knife and leapt out of the way as the other arm tried to remove her head. The angel disliked it's placement and grabbed the weapon reducing it to splinters. The angel righted itself but eva 01 and eva grey both arrived and opened fire on the upright target. The super heated rounds pelted against the armour of the angel and flew away but a few lucky shots managed to score hits on softer tissues. The bloodied angel charged the 3 eva's but the constant fire from the pellet rifles and Asuka's hand gun forced the creature down into a heap at their feet. It was still alive but not when Asuka's retrieved Progressive Knife dove into it's head. The knife had pierced the angels core and the new angel now lay dead spreading it's blood across the city in it's death throes.
---
"So tell me...where were you hiding the eva?"
Misato was sitting on the chair in front of the com-unit. She was discussing this secret eva issues with her commander and with the male voice that had been driving the new pilot.
"We weren't hiding it. We still haven't finished it yet. Look yourselves it doesn't even have a paint job" The voice said.
"You also didn't finish it's left arm" Misato pointed out.
"It never had one, Major" The voice replied.
"Explain" Gendo's image barely moved but the words were his.
"Well, it's VERY hard to create the needed tissues for eva. Anyone could make an eva if they were only machines but we were lacking successful specimens. We have...well, a lot of failures. We had hit pretty much rock bottom of the budget and we only had what was unit 04 and this thing at the time" the voice explained.
"So instead of scrapping it along with the others you, decided to keep it because it was functional unlike the others?" Misato questioned
"Major. Do not state the obvious" Misato neatly froze, hearing those words from Gendo, her supreme commander.
"Yes sir"
"I'll expect a full brief upon your return Major. I have sent an extra lander to aid you with the transportation of the eva. That is all" Gendo's image disappeared and Misato relaxed again. The male on the other channel spoke up.
"He always like that?"
---
The flight back had been uneventful. It had been 3 days since the battle with the angel in Chicago and the pilots were just finishing up their docking procedures. The new grey eva had taken residence in the second cage, which was across from Rei's unit 00. The 2 eva's stared each other down with their one eye daring the other to blink. All the pilots had begun to filter towards the change rooms, each of them looking rather beat from sitting in their eva's the whole trip. The new pilot had come back to Tokyo-3 bringing with him his semi-complete eva.
---
"STAND! BOW! SIT!" Hikari Horaki's voice rolled over the class using her class-rep voice as the teacher walked through the door with a new student in tow.
Shinji, Asuka and Rei were all in their own seats facing the front and wondered if the new student actually was the new eva pilot too. Shinji thinking back never got a good look at who that pilot was in the grey eva but he'd probably be the student. It was only 1 day later but the image of the last angel and it's similarities to the 4th were frightening when he thought about it. Hikari was now seated at the front of the class again and the teacher was announcing the new student.
"This is our new student" The old man of a teacher adjusted his glasses and read the name off a paper he held "David Cever"
The student only smiled, waved as if he just won an award and announced "I'm David Cever and as the infamous new student, I'm expecting jibes, jibs, inquiries and teasing" The classes reactions were a series of giggles, odd looks or uncaring postures.
"You may take the seat over there" the teacher pointed 2 desks past Shinji. The David fellow made head way in that direction. He nodded towards Shinji as he passed him and the same towards Asuka before taking his spot. The teacher having settled all the introductions began with math.
Undebatably he eventually fell into one of his lectures/speeches/air ventilation about the 2nd impact. The students all gave up paying attention after the first hour. Soon David found a message beeping on his monitor. He stared at it dumbly until he figured out how to answer it.
*Are you still paying attention to this?*
*Asuka*
At this David only stared at his screen then got a nasty idea to his head. Before answering Asuka, David wanted an audience.
*Keep an eye on Asuka for a second Shinji. Tell that kid with the glasses to put that camera to good use too! I await your reply!*
*Davido*
Shinji only stared at the message dumbfounded but he still managed to get Kensuke's attention and Shinji messaged his readiness. David was noticing Asuka's looks in his direction and she resent the same message. He sent his reply.
*Unless your referring to your breasts. No I'm not occupied*
*Davido*
Asuka's gasp was audible and so was her string of curses. The teacher gave a warning to Asuka for interrupting the class before he settled back on his rambling ways. Asuka gave the look of death that would have made most men self combust but her gaze impacted his gleeful smile and he waved back at her and gave a thumbs up at the camera Kensuke had trained on them. Asuka saw the camera and was about to rip one of the 2 apart when her screen flittered displaying a message.
*Sorry, you left yourself wide open. I couldn't hold back the asshole in me. I'm a major in history so this is boring. So what did you want...BEFORE this prank?*
*Davido*
*Obviously your too immature to handle this question*
*Asuka*
*I could blackmail you into telling me, but that wouldn't inspire moral between pilots would it?*
*Davido*
*Ah so you are the pilot of that eva!*
*Shinji*
*Ah so he knows too, I can't allow you both to live. Now if you'll please throw yourselfs out the window I can go back to being a good student*
*Davido*
*Your effort in school is lacking*
*Rei*
*The effort I do put in school or rather, lack of, means you all will live forever doesn't it? ^_^ *
*Davido*
At this even Shinji stiffled a laugh as Asuka held her mouth shut. Rei looked like...well Rei just sat there like normal.
*It is impossible to live forever*
*Rei*
*You really know how to make a fun day go weird you know that?*
*Davido*
*I only do as I'm told to do*
*Rei*
*Ack! Your less then no fun! You suck the fun right outta me! I think I'm gonna take a nap...*
*Davido*
At the delivery of the message there was a soft echoing of a snore. Looking back Asuka, Rei and Shinji all saw an extremely relaxed David with both legs on the desk arms holding his head back and him slowly snoring. A message beeped on their displays dragged their eyes away from him.
*I'm only pretending to sleep! Honestly are eva pilots all so gullible?*
*Davido*
There was snickering where snoring came from before.
*Well...Not really Cever. But what are you doing?*
*Shinji*
*SLEEPING NOW! STOP PESTERING ME! Oh and call me master or lord or supreme being or if your gonna be a friend just David/Dave*
*Davido*
*Cever is an odd one*
*Rei*
*Odd doesn't even begin to describe him*
*Asuka*
*Cute works for me too*
*Davido*
*PIG! Go back into hibernation!*
*Asuka*
*Pigs don't hibernate, hotcakes*
*Davido*
*What's a hotcakes?*
*Rei*
A groan was heard from the backrow.
*She really does know how to spoil my moment doesn't she?*
*Davido*
*Least wondergirl has a use now*
*Asuka*
*Which is more then Shinji can say about some red-heads*
*Davido*
Shinji, Togi and Kensuke had been keeping track of the online argument and Togi and Kensuke were grinning ear to ear at how the new comer was ripping into Asuka. Shinji however was slightly worried...he had to live with her and she was getting really wound up from this.
*Don't drag me into this*
*Shinji*
*Argh! You bailing on me! You may be the invincible Shinji when piloting but dang your a marshmallow in real life! I gotta find me some back up against the RED-BARON*
*Davido*
Kensuke and Togi grinned as they saw another point was awarded to the new comer. This guy knew his stuff. Red-Baron, they'd need to remember that.
*WHAT ARE YOU CALLING ME, YOU PIG!*
*Asuka*
*Well. Your German, I can tell from your cursing to say the least, you always want everything red(your eva is a testament to that) and your a pilot!*
*Davido*
*The term does seem to fit*
*Rei*
Before the conversation got any more heated the bell rang. Finally it was lunch. Almost half the class jumped from the surprise. Class went fast when you had something interesting to watch unfold and this online conversation held them all rapt. The teacher cleared his throat in order to bring attention to the fact that it was lunch. The class leapt out of their seats and left holding their lunches and storming out the door.
Togi, Kensuke and Shinji all left for the roof top. Asuka and Hikari were just behind them and even the new comer was following. The stooges met at their usual spot on the roof and Kensuke was filming the calm after the storm, or from the way Asuka was positively glaring at David, calm before the storm. Even Rei had come up to the roof of the school holding her lunch. It was an odd scene really. A sort of semi circle was formed around David.
"Can I join you?"
"Yeah man!"
"Dude we could really use your abilities when it comes to handling demon-girl!" Kensuke added to Togi's request. Shinji was safely on the other side of Stooges #2 and 3 as Asuka's wrath was unleashed.
"Sigh...you guys lack experience and...brains...but I could teach you the basics of survival when dealing with...'women'" Cever stated. Asuka glared after David, waiting for a moment to pounce.
"Ah your just a scum bag! and a pig! and a ...a...MALE!!" Asuka stormed off to the side for awhile. Shinji felt torn from aiding his fellow pilot and roommate to making a greeting to the new kid David.
"I think, I'll be back in a second" Shinji shuffled off towards Asuka but David's view was immediately blocked by Kensuke and Togi babbling on about something's about Demons-Girls-Barons and something about piloting.
Shinji sat in front of Asuka who was opening her Bento box for lunch. She only give him a look until she drove into her lunch.
"While the company may not be so good least the food ain't bad" Asuka stated wolfing down the lunch Shinji made. Shinji only wondered what drove this girl to always be so energized.
Well, the food ain't bad at all...but you really outta learn to cook something that's non-Japanese. It can be almost sickening, rice day in and out!" She stated looking almost regal.
"Speaking of which you still haven't taken me out to an expensive restaurant yet...you chickening out?" Shinji cringed at her predatory grin.
He had hoped she'd forgotten by now. It wasn't such a big thing as before, Misato had told him that the NERV ID card that was issued also doubled as a credit card. Of course this would explain how Asuka was always off on shopping trips with Hikari on a weekly basis. But Shinji didn't know that and by now a very sizable sum had amounted on his account...actually he almost fainted from shock from hearing he was worth so much.
"Ahhh...your sure now right? You wouldn't want to date a person like me so ahhh.." Shinji lost his train of thought when Asuka glared back at him.
"A date?! Who said anything about a date!!!! Either you do this or I'll rip your heart out and use it for batting practice!" Shinji nodded meekly.
While Asuka's voice was probably heard by the others on the roof, her tone alone warned them to ignore the content. She finished her lunch without a second thought and marched over to the new kid. At this time most of the crowd had dispersed and David was sitting with his back against a railing by himself, thinking deeply and timidly munching on his sandwich. When the shadow that was Asuka stood over him he gave her a grin and motioned her and Shinji to sit near, Asuka was about to explode at him when David spoke up.
"I'm surprised that you didn't catch the other side of my name calling. Remember when I called you the Red-Baron?" David said to her looking up. Shinji was standing near Asuka. Asuka had stopped in her tracks and now looked at David with suspicion in her eyes.
"What other side?" David sweat dropped at Asuka's question but replied.
"The Red-Baron was never beaten and racked up a nearly impossible kill ratio in battle" at hearing his words Asuka's face went through a series of changes. These changes ranged from confusion, perplexity, anger but settled on glee.
"Finally someone that can see what I truly am!" She said this with a wide grin and ruffling his hair forcefully before sitting next to him. Shinji thought that Asuka's sudden movement would have been strangulation but he saw that she had one of the few smiles on that she allowed only friends to see.
"So what did you want Shinji? I know Asuka came to plaster me against the school yard over the railing but you never seem to be the fighting type" David mumbled through his lunch. Shinji sat on the other side of David who's attention returned back to his sandwich.
"Well...I came to make sure you didn't end up like you said you were but I do have a question for you" David nodded for Shinji to continue, Asuka only watched from her spot.
"Why did you become an eva pilot?"
"Ah not that question again! Who won't you ask it too!" Asuka rumbled. David only returned his attention to his sandwich and looked to be far off in thought as her chewed. He took his time and Asuka went off to gossip with Hikari but when she returned David still didn't answer. Finally he looked at Shinji.
"I became an eva pilot because...it was my last chance to...prevent what happened to me" he said almost with a whisper. Both Asuka and Shinji heard this.
"You may wonder but...the world wide flooding that was second impact didn't arrive till almost a year after it occurred at my home" He paused sipping his drink "We hadn't been warned as to what was coming because the regions that did get flooded got that way too fast for a warning to be sent out. I was told that the city had been flooded too fast for people to get out" David now continued staring at the sandwich as if it was telling him the story.
"I was merely a few months old...but the flooding hit us and...I was found saved by my father. He had been clutching me but rumble had crushed him and some of me after the flood had subsided" David paused audibly.
"He was dead...my mother was missing...and my left arm was crippled I was saved by my brother as pulled me to high ground"
Asuka and Shinji stared at the boy in front of them for the first time, even Rei was listening to the boy open his wound like memories. The boy stood only a hair taller then Shinji with musty blond hair and a slim body. His eyes were brown with traces of yellow and his skin was a bit darker then Shinji's.
"You said your left arm was crippled...how is it that it functions now?" Rei asked standing near.
"Well. I never lost blood circulation with the arm. So it was still a healthy left arm. However I couldn't control it. It didn't move, grip or anything. It wasn't until 7 years ago that I was taken pity upon. However the guy was paid for a really pricy experiment on me. The experiment was to add a few dozen microchips and such into my muscle tissues"
"I heard of something like that actually! It was in the news, the headlines read 'technological breakthrough! Boy gains use of arm after 6 years!' or something" Asuka said thinking back.
"Yeah that was me probably, well with all said and done it worked. I regained my left arm, it was a great. I lived pretty happy with myself for along time But I should get back to the story" David said with a grin.
"7 years later my last remaining relative died...my older brother. He was a ship maintenance crew worker on a ship called the Cymbeline" David went silent at that. At hearing the others silence he finished.
"Well the ship sunk. No survivors..." The warning siren rang across the city after those words. They all broke ranks and left the school, some bond for shelters and others to the frontlines. Who was this David guy any way?
~~~~~~~~
~VIVE LA ASUKA!~
Well. I now stand on DANGEROUS ground. I have created a new face in EVA. Don't worry about him though. He David Cever does have a purpose to fulfil on my fic even if you think he seems to be gushing, brash, bold or another bad 'Author Insert' just hang on and you may begin to see where I'm going with him! Oh and the dude that was talking to David doesn't have a name for a reason. I can't tell you, otherwise I'd spoil my own story!
I've currently came up with a lot of 'neato' ideas of how the 'DEMONS'(The red pattern angels) are going to seriously mess around the real battles with the true angels(blue patterns). In fact, I could create a whole fic based on the aftermath with one of the next ones *insert happy face here* and I think I might too. and for those of you that forgot, all the angels up to the 12th have been beaten, so thus by order of elimination that means 13 is the next angel.
Review on what you've read, tell me what you like and dislike. Flame if you must. But gimme something to work with here! I'm needing a direction. Should I aim more for a romance, more mindless EVA fighting or more character interaction? Review and tell me what this story could need/us/add.
*Hot air Zone detected avert eyes to avoid idiocy and useless author rambling. We of the board of censors wish to regret the above statement, and will begin immediate punishment on the individual that posted this in the wrong order*(DrunkDrake tiptoes for the door)
Ok, so I managed to get this together. Ahem, I'm gonna have to flip the world around a bit on our heroes as things are going crazy. So expect oddities and weirdness to become common place...*grumble* I hate spellcheck...I really am thinking about making a fanfiction like "Adventures in Spellchecking!" or something... *Grumble*
"...." is talking
*....* is text
'....' is something that is being noted or expressed differently
Enjoy!
DrunkDrake
A Calling Of Souls
Chapter 04 : Facing The Mirror of Ourself's
~~~~~~~~
"Perhaps...it wasn't so bad, this time...I wish that I'd never have to pilot again though...every time before..."
Shinji stood in front of eva 01 talking to it staring at it's features. The purple head stares at him almost as if measuring his soul. Shinji stood still in his plug suit long after all the drills and technicians left. No one was around and Shinji looked at the eva like a puppy would look at it's mother for protection.
"I need answers... But I don't know where to find them..." Shinji turned around and rested his back against a railing that stood in front of the eva's nose. Shinji stared off towards eva 02 over on the far wall. Asuka had long left also leaving her eva in the care of the technicians. She seemed...so...
"Strong...I wish...sometimes I wish, I had another reason to use you" finishing his thought with speech then facing the eva again. A look not uncommon on Shinji's face. One of loneliness. Shinji stared at the giant both staring at each other as if lost in thought.
"I wish...that the pain would go..." With this Shinji walked towards the pilot change rooms leaving the eva where it docked. It's eyes still looked forward unmoving as if Shinji was still there.
---
Days later Shinji sat in class as the teacher was again rambling off about second impact. 'Second impact' Shinji thought. The thing that caused world wide flooding...and caused the Earth to forever shift in it's axis. This caused a permanent summer in Japan and everyday was a summer day, even in what was supposed to be winter. Really the only indication of what season it currently was, was to check the stars. The stars still had the same patterns regardless of what the weather was. Shinji had never seen snow nor falling leaves in fall and winter. The teacher talked about how their were such differences, but this didn't hold any of the students attention because the teacher had told them about it perhaps 100 times already. Shinji only stared out the window to his left, many of the students were either gently gossiping, reading or wasting time with the teachers back turned. It was an ordinary school day. Ordinary for all but Shinji. Shinji stared out the window and was thinking deeply about why he was there. He had been offered a decision before...he could remember that because he chose to live. When he chose that his eva had been seen in it's most horrible state as it burst out of the 12th angel. He was told how his eva stood like a beast as it howled at the moon before he was pulled out of his eva. This happened only 3 days ago. Staring out the window Shinji saw that a lot of the city was clearly missing...the buildings that got absorbed with eva 01 hadn't returned and the clear zone was...It was covered in blood... Whole city blocks that had been there 4 days ago were replaced by a dried river of blood. It looked like a giant had punched the city wounding it. Clean up crews had been working for days and had done a good job, some of the buildings were being reconstructed as he watched. Shinji saw that Rei wasn't looking outside for once. Truly odd...This past week was bad for everyone. Thinking back at the decision he was given...he felt his reasons...were correct.
"Wait...what decision?...what reasons..." Shinji mumbled to himself. His line of thought was forever disrupted by the sound of work crews cleaning up the mess outside.
---
"Useless...Why me?" Asuka stood in front of her eva staring at it, it's 4 eyes gazing lazily forward. Ritsuko had just finished another series of drills in the geo-front and the pilots were just docking now. Asuka looking over her back could see Shinji standing near his eva with a shrug of his shoulders he seemed...resigned and then walked to the pilot change rooms. Asuka watched him leave and she faced her own eva once again. She watched her eva as it watched her.
"I beat him in the drills but I know he didn't even try...I've seen him do better..." Asuka grumbled to her eva. The eva stared back.
"What's the point in being the best if no one is even going to try?" She signed and stared back at the 4 eyes. She signed and left.
"Being number 1 is pointless if you didn't earn it"
The eva's response was more staring.
---
Across the pacific Ocean in the replacement NERV 2nd branch activation room. Numbers roll across the screen in front of a man wearing a lab coat. The numbers vary in colour of red and green. The man sighs lightly and he gazes up at the eye that stared back at him. This is what everyone is so worried about...
"Evangelion" The man said matter of factly.
He sat in a chair and looked up from the screens back into the eye that gazed at him. The screen continued to spout nonsense directing for him to pay attention but the man didn't bother. He'd seen the sea of Dirac that swallowed NERV 2nd branch and he knew Evangelion unit 4 was lost. This was bad news for the Americans. He snickered at that. The Americans always worried about silly things when the real trouble was off else where.
"With the American's prize gone they would have been screwed, if it wasn't for the fact that we were also building up this baby" He stared again at the eye which levelled with him in the control room.
SEELE must have been rubbing there hands in glee at seeing their Sea Scrolls prove them right. SEELE had given out orders to give up all eva production and use all the semi built models as left overs to make the mass-production models SEELE demanded. This man that sat at his terminal looked longingly at his prize, his life's work. This eva had no designation because it was built in secret. The American's were breathing down his neck to salvage it for the eva-series. Technically speaking the eva was 'incomplete', but it was stable enough that it could function and it's construction had been sped up.
"I won't give it up...the kid needs it..." With this the man darkens the rooms lights and sets about working in the gloom of the office with only the screen lighting his face.
---
Misato could have sworn she been dragged through the streets she had driven on. She was sitting in the cafeteria of NERV sipping a coffee thinking how a beer could really feel good about now as the lights suddenly dimmed and turned red. The intercom immediately came on.
"Stage 2 alert! Major Katsuragi to the main office. I repeat! Stage 2 alert!" The intercom reported. Upon arrival in the main office Misato saw the bridge bunnies hopping around managing their duties, Ritsuko behind Maya and both commanders at the commander level platform.
"What's going on? Angel?" Misato asked as she ran in. Ritsuko turned and addressed Misato.
"Yes. This one is in the northern hemisphere. Not a threat to us yet but it's coming this way"
"Well. What's the satellites show us?" At Misato's question the main screen switched to a satellite feed. Showing a dark figure moving through the water, it's image was distorted from the water. It was large though no doubt about it. The image pulled back and it showed that for whatever reason it was moving across the Atlantic at varyingly fast speeds.
"We have about 3 days before it reaches Japan, but that's only if it doesn't make a side trip on the way. It'll reach the United States coast in 23 hours" Ritsuko reported.
"It's not normal for angels to appear so far away from Japan...What's the word from the United States?" Misato was glancing between the main screen and Hyuga's monitor.
"They seem anxious to say the least. The creatures path, that's if it maintains it's course, would make it pass only one city fairly closely but otherwise they don't seem to have worried so much" Aoba stated before continuing "They're asking...or rather begging us to get a few evas over there"
Gendo who was sitting in the command seat barely suppressed a smile. He'd already discussed with the American counsellor and NERV was going to gain quite a bit of muscle from the American NASA program as a part of a deal they struck. Fuyutsuki also knew about that as he was present in the meeting. NERV would be sending 2 evas and America would be in his debt. He shifted his glasses and the light reflected off them.
"We will have evas unit 01 and 02 launched to intercept the target" Gendo stated. Misato
nodded and began ordering for transports and cargo to be readied.
---
They only had 22 hours and 46 minutes before the angel got to land. When the eva's took flight, with Misato Ritsuko the pilots and the support crew were on their way.
At 14 hours and 5 minutes the angel decided to change directions...this time headed for a major city...The eva's would be 14 minutes late.
At 11 hours and 39 minutes the man at the monitor in the replacement 2nd branch made a decision.
"SEELE can rot for all I care..."
---
Machine guns, missile launches and the giants presence could all be heard. Explosions were coming closer and closer to the city of Chicago. The America army backed with UN were attempting to buy time but everyone knew it was only a fool's hope as the angel came closer and closer barely even bothering to acknowledge the troops...when they were lucky. The angel's form came out into view and suddenly lifted up it's arms. It raised an AT field at the same time. It spread it out like a blanket crushing missile platforms, tanks and infantry against the ground. It then swatted aside U.N VTOL craft like pesky flies. The angel's form was somewhat similar to the 4th angels. Only it didn't hover, it slithered across the ground it's green carapace glistened as the sunlight reflected off it. Also...it had a rack of teeth in it's mouth. It's core wasn't on the outside of it's body either. And where the 4th angel had tentacles this thing had spiny legs ending with scissor like claws. It dragged itself slashing a tank in half that dared to block it. It was getting closer to something. That something was...
---
"A demon! Nothing can stop it!" The officer shouted in the mobile command centre. He had been told that these things were big, ugly and damn strong but he thought he could have bought those few extra minutes needed for the eva's to get here in time. He was wrong looking at the clock the angel still had 9 minutes to trash the city before the eva's even got there. NERV had been true to their word and had sent help as soon as they got the message but it's still going to hurt...
~Meanwhile deep under the city~
"Well kid...I guess this is the time we've been waiting for" the man over the monitor said. He gazed again over the windows and waved. The screen popped open and a voice came through.
"You were always there for me. Let me return the favour. Don't hold any doubts" the figure spoke back.
"My only doubt was that we never got any real work done, now get to work!" The man spoke to the com window and pressed a button. The frame behind the windows was suddenly lifted up and out of sight. He could only smile as he knew SEELE would hunt him down, but at least the kid had a chance.
---
Misato sat and watched the monitors of the angel crushing the city beneath it's body. The angel just reached the outer houses and was still batting aside some of the remaining troops. Missiles flew into the AT field doing no damage but Misato knew that the mission of the troopers down there was to be a distraction to buy time until the reinforcements got there. The angel had dispersed the remaining defenders leaving only small arms fire and it begun ripping the city to pieces. making it's way deeper inside. Misato had allowed a direct feed of the action to be linked to the pilots so she knew they were watching it. Shinji had noted it's similarities to the 4th angel but Asuka merely studied the new threat intently. However it was still hard watching the massacre as the angel crushed a blockade with it's foot dragging a streak of blood. Watching the display she saw that they were still 8 minutes out.
---
Light came into his view as the door was flung open. Momentarily blinded he covered his eyes. and walked 3 steps into the light. Buildings were around him and he righted himself. as he viewed the scene a com channel popped up near him.
"Alright kid. You're as ready as you'll ever be. I don't expect you to be a Rambo on me. Just don't get yourself killed out there. If nothing else, suit your actions to waste time. 7 minutes till NERV reinforcements arrive" The man smiled back at the kid before his com channel flicked off.
"Buy time, buy time..."
The com channel appeared again and the man's smiling face came to view again.
"Oh and I'll give you an auto-link up when the other pilots come into com range" The kid mouthed a thank you and the man's com closed again. The kid kept chanting "buy time, buy time" as he went around a building. Looking around the corner he saw the angel approaching. Upon seeing the angel his chant sounded the same but the meaning changed.
"Bye time, Bye time..." He stopped chanting closed his eyes...and turned spun around the building firing his rifle.
---
Misato was growing more and more worried as the angel kept smashing the buildings along it's route as it went deeper into the downtown regions. Ground fire was quiet now and the live link up was down just like the VTOL that was giving it.
"Misato...Why did the angel attack this city? It's not even in the route to Tokyo-3" Shinji asked. Misato couldn't answer that because she could never understand the reasoning behind the angels. Asuka spoke up before Misato could finish her thought anyway.
"Baka dummkopf! Who knows what goes through those angel's heads! All I know is that I'm gonna have to crush it for this! Attacking innocents, there's no words that describe how cruel that is"
Shinji could only sit back in his LCL flooded entry plug and wait for the go order now. Misato resumed her screen viewing. As a view came over a channel.
"You want a live feed?"
"that would be excellent but who is this?" Misato asked the voice
"A friend. I'll patch you through. Oh and say hello to David for me" The voice faded and a new screen popped up. It gave an incredible view of the angel up close as it slung it's claws towards the screen. A building crumbled from the hit and the camera started backing up. the camera man was obviously anxious as the camera barely stood still and a voice over the com kept mumbling something about buying time. As she watched the voice from earlier was overheard again from the link up as the angel reared back to strike again.
"Ok kid you've got an audience. Say hello to them for me"
The angel ripped apart a building next to the camera again and some cursing was heard as the camera shifted again.
"You really know when to bug me don't you" The camera turns around and gains some distance from the angel before turning back again "Could you try to improve your party skills or something" Rifle fire is overheard in the background "Cause you know you never should bother the host as he manages the party!"
At this Misato realizes that the camera is highly elevated and the rifle fire is coming from the speaker.
"This is Major Misato Katsuragi. Name and what are you doing?"
At this the camera turned around and the inside of an entry plug was seen and the camera focused on a pilot that was grinning but focusing on something outside.
"He's a pilot?!" Screeched Asuka over the intercom, Shinji only muttered something about "Not another one"
"Hey! Damn, didn't see that coming" the camera fizzled for a second but came back on "Ah, who said that, the pilot remark, I'm a little busy here"
"Busy? You having trouble down there? Ha! I could do better" Asuka remarked
"Bet you could, all I got is a half empty B.B gun and...DAMN" the pilot remarked.
"Drop the rifle, it's over heated. Try to get to the 2nd weapon cache, I'll have a spare ready" The unknown male voice from before ordered.
"Cheap American shoddy workmanship. Gah! I'll never make it. Angel's in the way and I'd only drag it further into the city" The pilot commented.
"Well that's the only storage place that hasn't been emptied or destroyed, you'll have to rely on what you got" The male voice left at that.
"Heh...fun fun..." the pilot commented.
---
Misato had watched and listened to the whole thing but now they were coming into view and the city was badly mashed along the southern regions. And in the middle there was a giant angel in mortal combat against a grey eva. The eva has it's prog knife out and the two where bashing each other through buildings and streets. It was only 24 seconds till the eva's could be dropped in the combat zone. And she had to admit, the gray eva wasn't doing half bad. She also knew that it's power limit was slowly running out. The eva literally picked up the angel and dragged it a few blocks closer to the drop zone in order to get it out of the city. This pilot had some skills.
"Commence Drop!"
---
Shinji grunted when he landed. He still wasn't quite used to dropping several thousand feet but he saw Asuka pick herself up too. They each attached a power cable to their backs grabbed the rifles in the weapon case that had been dropped along with the cables and charged into the city.
"So where are they Misato?" Shinji asked
"Move up 200 metres and engage the target" the command was a simple one and the eva pilots moved to comply.
Turning around the corner the grey eva fell into a building near Shinji as the angel slithered across the streets. Shinji rose his eva to block to coming attack and drew his own Progressive knife as the angel bore towards them. Eva 02 burst from the right side of the angel and the 2 rolled across the street wrestling.
"Shinji get that rookie outta here!" Asuka screamed as her world continued to roll.
Unit 01 turned around and sheathed it's knife and plucked the grey eva off the ground and began to run to the extra power cable set up that was in the supplies. Shinji could hear Asuka's grunting and cursing as she continued to wrangle the angel out of the city. Shinji finally reached the power cables and began to set up the grey eva. Misato saw a lot of battle damage on the eva and demanded a report.
"Hey, Pilot of Grey! What's your status?"
"I'm fine. A lot of bad scrapes but I can still go on"
"Fine my left heel! Your missing your left arm!" Misato said checking the read outs.
"I this eva was never 'complete' this battle started with this thing missing the arm" The pilot stated.
The eva now stood having external power restored. The left elbow didn't connect to anything below it. It ended with a tangle of wires and connection circuits but there was no sign of the eva actually having one in the first place.
"Ahh...well...Ok then arm yourself and back up Asuka!" the pilots com channel showed both pilots slightly grinning and there was some snickering from the command crew at Misato's little pun, however Misato didn't catch on to it right away.
"...You know what I mean. This isn't a time for joking around!"
The grey eva went over to the weapon case and took out a single pellet rifle, holding it under it's arm, grey eva followed eva 01 towards the rising dust where Asuka was wrestling the angel.
"Damn it why do the ones I fight always have to have teeth!" Asuka screamed as the angel bit the eva's hand.
The angel had been released from the eva's head lock and was whipping it's claws towards her with deadly intent. Asuka's eva backed away on it's hands and knee's barely avoiding the scythe like claws. Drawing her progressive knife she stabbed it through one of the arms and pinned it to the ground. She dropped the knife and leapt out of the way as the other arm tried to remove her head. The angel disliked it's placement and grabbed the weapon reducing it to splinters. The angel righted itself but eva 01 and eva grey both arrived and opened fire on the upright target. The super heated rounds pelted against the armour of the angel and flew away but a few lucky shots managed to score hits on softer tissues. The bloodied angel charged the 3 eva's but the constant fire from the pellet rifles and Asuka's hand gun forced the creature down into a heap at their feet. It was still alive but not when Asuka's retrieved Progressive Knife dove into it's head. The knife had pierced the angels core and the new angel now lay dead spreading it's blood across the city in it's death throes.
---
"So tell me...where were you hiding the eva?"
Misato was sitting on the chair in front of the com-unit. She was discussing this secret eva issues with her commander and with the male voice that had been driving the new pilot.
"We weren't hiding it. We still haven't finished it yet. Look yourselves it doesn't even have a paint job" The voice said.
"You also didn't finish it's left arm" Misato pointed out.
"It never had one, Major" The voice replied.
"Explain" Gendo's image barely moved but the words were his.
"Well, it's VERY hard to create the needed tissues for eva. Anyone could make an eva if they were only machines but we were lacking successful specimens. We have...well, a lot of failures. We had hit pretty much rock bottom of the budget and we only had what was unit 04 and this thing at the time" the voice explained.
"So instead of scrapping it along with the others you, decided to keep it because it was functional unlike the others?" Misato questioned
"Major. Do not state the obvious" Misato neatly froze, hearing those words from Gendo, her supreme commander.
"Yes sir"
"I'll expect a full brief upon your return Major. I have sent an extra lander to aid you with the transportation of the eva. That is all" Gendo's image disappeared and Misato relaxed again. The male on the other channel spoke up.
"He always like that?"
---
The flight back had been uneventful. It had been 3 days since the battle with the angel in Chicago and the pilots were just finishing up their docking procedures. The new grey eva had taken residence in the second cage, which was across from Rei's unit 00. The 2 eva's stared each other down with their one eye daring the other to blink. All the pilots had begun to filter towards the change rooms, each of them looking rather beat from sitting in their eva's the whole trip. The new pilot had come back to Tokyo-3 bringing with him his semi-complete eva.
---
"STAND! BOW! SIT!" Hikari Horaki's voice rolled over the class using her class-rep voice as the teacher walked through the door with a new student in tow.
Shinji, Asuka and Rei were all in their own seats facing the front and wondered if the new student actually was the new eva pilot too. Shinji thinking back never got a good look at who that pilot was in the grey eva but he'd probably be the student. It was only 1 day later but the image of the last angel and it's similarities to the 4th were frightening when he thought about it. Hikari was now seated at the front of the class again and the teacher was announcing the new student.
"This is our new student" The old man of a teacher adjusted his glasses and read the name off a paper he held "David Cever"
The student only smiled, waved as if he just won an award and announced "I'm David Cever and as the infamous new student, I'm expecting jibes, jibs, inquiries and teasing" The classes reactions were a series of giggles, odd looks or uncaring postures.
"You may take the seat over there" the teacher pointed 2 desks past Shinji. The David fellow made head way in that direction. He nodded towards Shinji as he passed him and the same towards Asuka before taking his spot. The teacher having settled all the introductions began with math.
Undebatably he eventually fell into one of his lectures/speeches/air ventilation about the 2nd impact. The students all gave up paying attention after the first hour. Soon David found a message beeping on his monitor. He stared at it dumbly until he figured out how to answer it.
*Are you still paying attention to this?*
*Asuka*
At this David only stared at his screen then got a nasty idea to his head. Before answering Asuka, David wanted an audience.
*Keep an eye on Asuka for a second Shinji. Tell that kid with the glasses to put that camera to good use too! I await your reply!*
*Davido*
Shinji only stared at the message dumbfounded but he still managed to get Kensuke's attention and Shinji messaged his readiness. David was noticing Asuka's looks in his direction and she resent the same message. He sent his reply.
*Unless your referring to your breasts. No I'm not occupied*
*Davido*
Asuka's gasp was audible and so was her string of curses. The teacher gave a warning to Asuka for interrupting the class before he settled back on his rambling ways. Asuka gave the look of death that would have made most men self combust but her gaze impacted his gleeful smile and he waved back at her and gave a thumbs up at the camera Kensuke had trained on them. Asuka saw the camera and was about to rip one of the 2 apart when her screen flittered displaying a message.
*Sorry, you left yourself wide open. I couldn't hold back the asshole in me. I'm a major in history so this is boring. So what did you want...BEFORE this prank?*
*Davido*
*Obviously your too immature to handle this question*
*Asuka*
*I could blackmail you into telling me, but that wouldn't inspire moral between pilots would it?*
*Davido*
*Ah so you are the pilot of that eva!*
*Shinji*
*Ah so he knows too, I can't allow you both to live. Now if you'll please throw yourselfs out the window I can go back to being a good student*
*Davido*
*Your effort in school is lacking*
*Rei*
*The effort I do put in school or rather, lack of, means you all will live forever doesn't it? ^_^ *
*Davido*
At this even Shinji stiffled a laugh as Asuka held her mouth shut. Rei looked like...well Rei just sat there like normal.
*It is impossible to live forever*
*Rei*
*You really know how to make a fun day go weird you know that?*
*Davido*
*I only do as I'm told to do*
*Rei*
*Ack! Your less then no fun! You suck the fun right outta me! I think I'm gonna take a nap...*
*Davido*
At the delivery of the message there was a soft echoing of a snore. Looking back Asuka, Rei and Shinji all saw an extremely relaxed David with both legs on the desk arms holding his head back and him slowly snoring. A message beeped on their displays dragged their eyes away from him.
*I'm only pretending to sleep! Honestly are eva pilots all so gullible?*
*Davido*
There was snickering where snoring came from before.
*Well...Not really Cever. But what are you doing?*
*Shinji*
*SLEEPING NOW! STOP PESTERING ME! Oh and call me master or lord or supreme being or if your gonna be a friend just David/Dave*
*Davido*
*Cever is an odd one*
*Rei*
*Odd doesn't even begin to describe him*
*Asuka*
*Cute works for me too*
*Davido*
*PIG! Go back into hibernation!*
*Asuka*
*Pigs don't hibernate, hotcakes*
*Davido*
*What's a hotcakes?*
*Rei*
A groan was heard from the backrow.
*She really does know how to spoil my moment doesn't she?*
*Davido*
*Least wondergirl has a use now*
*Asuka*
*Which is more then Shinji can say about some red-heads*
*Davido*
Shinji, Togi and Kensuke had been keeping track of the online argument and Togi and Kensuke were grinning ear to ear at how the new comer was ripping into Asuka. Shinji however was slightly worried...he had to live with her and she was getting really wound up from this.
*Don't drag me into this*
*Shinji*
*Argh! You bailing on me! You may be the invincible Shinji when piloting but dang your a marshmallow in real life! I gotta find me some back up against the RED-BARON*
*Davido*
Kensuke and Togi grinned as they saw another point was awarded to the new comer. This guy knew his stuff. Red-Baron, they'd need to remember that.
*WHAT ARE YOU CALLING ME, YOU PIG!*
*Asuka*
*Well. Your German, I can tell from your cursing to say the least, you always want everything red(your eva is a testament to that) and your a pilot!*
*Davido*
*The term does seem to fit*
*Rei*
Before the conversation got any more heated the bell rang. Finally it was lunch. Almost half the class jumped from the surprise. Class went fast when you had something interesting to watch unfold and this online conversation held them all rapt. The teacher cleared his throat in order to bring attention to the fact that it was lunch. The class leapt out of their seats and left holding their lunches and storming out the door.
Togi, Kensuke and Shinji all left for the roof top. Asuka and Hikari were just behind them and even the new comer was following. The stooges met at their usual spot on the roof and Kensuke was filming the calm after the storm, or from the way Asuka was positively glaring at David, calm before the storm. Even Rei had come up to the roof of the school holding her lunch. It was an odd scene really. A sort of semi circle was formed around David.
"Can I join you?"
"Yeah man!"
"Dude we could really use your abilities when it comes to handling demon-girl!" Kensuke added to Togi's request. Shinji was safely on the other side of Stooges #2 and 3 as Asuka's wrath was unleashed.
"Sigh...you guys lack experience and...brains...but I could teach you the basics of survival when dealing with...'women'" Cever stated. Asuka glared after David, waiting for a moment to pounce.
"Ah your just a scum bag! and a pig! and a ...a...MALE!!" Asuka stormed off to the side for awhile. Shinji felt torn from aiding his fellow pilot and roommate to making a greeting to the new kid David.
"I think, I'll be back in a second" Shinji shuffled off towards Asuka but David's view was immediately blocked by Kensuke and Togi babbling on about something's about Demons-Girls-Barons and something about piloting.
Shinji sat in front of Asuka who was opening her Bento box for lunch. She only give him a look until she drove into her lunch.
"While the company may not be so good least the food ain't bad" Asuka stated wolfing down the lunch Shinji made. Shinji only wondered what drove this girl to always be so energized.
Well, the food ain't bad at all...but you really outta learn to cook something that's non-Japanese. It can be almost sickening, rice day in and out!" She stated looking almost regal.
"Speaking of which you still haven't taken me out to an expensive restaurant yet...you chickening out?" Shinji cringed at her predatory grin.
He had hoped she'd forgotten by now. It wasn't such a big thing as before, Misato had told him that the NERV ID card that was issued also doubled as a credit card. Of course this would explain how Asuka was always off on shopping trips with Hikari on a weekly basis. But Shinji didn't know that and by now a very sizable sum had amounted on his account...actually he almost fainted from shock from hearing he was worth so much.
"Ahhh...your sure now right? You wouldn't want to date a person like me so ahhh.." Shinji lost his train of thought when Asuka glared back at him.
"A date?! Who said anything about a date!!!! Either you do this or I'll rip your heart out and use it for batting practice!" Shinji nodded meekly.
While Asuka's voice was probably heard by the others on the roof, her tone alone warned them to ignore the content. She finished her lunch without a second thought and marched over to the new kid. At this time most of the crowd had dispersed and David was sitting with his back against a railing by himself, thinking deeply and timidly munching on his sandwich. When the shadow that was Asuka stood over him he gave her a grin and motioned her and Shinji to sit near, Asuka was about to explode at him when David spoke up.
"I'm surprised that you didn't catch the other side of my name calling. Remember when I called you the Red-Baron?" David said to her looking up. Shinji was standing near Asuka. Asuka had stopped in her tracks and now looked at David with suspicion in her eyes.
"What other side?" David sweat dropped at Asuka's question but replied.
"The Red-Baron was never beaten and racked up a nearly impossible kill ratio in battle" at hearing his words Asuka's face went through a series of changes. These changes ranged from confusion, perplexity, anger but settled on glee.
"Finally someone that can see what I truly am!" She said this with a wide grin and ruffling his hair forcefully before sitting next to him. Shinji thought that Asuka's sudden movement would have been strangulation but he saw that she had one of the few smiles on that she allowed only friends to see.
"So what did you want Shinji? I know Asuka came to plaster me against the school yard over the railing but you never seem to be the fighting type" David mumbled through his lunch. Shinji sat on the other side of David who's attention returned back to his sandwich.
"Well...I came to make sure you didn't end up like you said you were but I do have a question for you" David nodded for Shinji to continue, Asuka only watched from her spot.
"Why did you become an eva pilot?"
"Ah not that question again! Who won't you ask it too!" Asuka rumbled. David only returned his attention to his sandwich and looked to be far off in thought as her chewed. He took his time and Asuka went off to gossip with Hikari but when she returned David still didn't answer. Finally he looked at Shinji.
"I became an eva pilot because...it was my last chance to...prevent what happened to me" he said almost with a whisper. Both Asuka and Shinji heard this.
"You may wonder but...the world wide flooding that was second impact didn't arrive till almost a year after it occurred at my home" He paused sipping his drink "We hadn't been warned as to what was coming because the regions that did get flooded got that way too fast for a warning to be sent out. I was told that the city had been flooded too fast for people to get out" David now continued staring at the sandwich as if it was telling him the story.
"I was merely a few months old...but the flooding hit us and...I was found saved by my father. He had been clutching me but rumble had crushed him and some of me after the flood had subsided" David paused audibly.
"He was dead...my mother was missing...and my left arm was crippled I was saved by my brother as pulled me to high ground"
Asuka and Shinji stared at the boy in front of them for the first time, even Rei was listening to the boy open his wound like memories. The boy stood only a hair taller then Shinji with musty blond hair and a slim body. His eyes were brown with traces of yellow and his skin was a bit darker then Shinji's.
"You said your left arm was crippled...how is it that it functions now?" Rei asked standing near.
"Well. I never lost blood circulation with the arm. So it was still a healthy left arm. However I couldn't control it. It didn't move, grip or anything. It wasn't until 7 years ago that I was taken pity upon. However the guy was paid for a really pricy experiment on me. The experiment was to add a few dozen microchips and such into my muscle tissues"
"I heard of something like that actually! It was in the news, the headlines read 'technological breakthrough! Boy gains use of arm after 6 years!' or something" Asuka said thinking back.
"Yeah that was me probably, well with all said and done it worked. I regained my left arm, it was a great. I lived pretty happy with myself for along time But I should get back to the story" David said with a grin.
"7 years later my last remaining relative died...my older brother. He was a ship maintenance crew worker on a ship called the Cymbeline" David went silent at that. At hearing the others silence he finished.
"Well the ship sunk. No survivors..." The warning siren rang across the city after those words. They all broke ranks and left the school, some bond for shelters and others to the frontlines. Who was this David guy any way?
~~~~~~~~
~VIVE LA ASUKA!~
Well. I now stand on DANGEROUS ground. I have created a new face in EVA. Don't worry about him though. He David Cever does have a purpose to fulfil on my fic even if you think he seems to be gushing, brash, bold or another bad 'Author Insert' just hang on and you may begin to see where I'm going with him! Oh and the dude that was talking to David doesn't have a name for a reason. I can't tell you, otherwise I'd spoil my own story!
I've currently came up with a lot of 'neato' ideas of how the 'DEMONS'(The red pattern angels) are going to seriously mess around the real battles with the true angels(blue patterns). In fact, I could create a whole fic based on the aftermath with one of the next ones *insert happy face here* and I think I might too. and for those of you that forgot, all the angels up to the 12th have been beaten, so thus by order of elimination that means 13 is the next angel.
Review on what you've read, tell me what you like and dislike. Flame if you must. But gimme something to work with here! I'm needing a direction. Should I aim more for a romance, more mindless EVA fighting or more character interaction? Review and tell me what this story could need/us/add.
*Hot air Zone detected avert eyes to avoid idiocy and useless author rambling. We of the board of censors wish to regret the above statement, and will begin immediate punishment on the individual that posted this in the wrong order*(DrunkDrake tiptoes for the door)