I don't own anything here...
"MAGI system is now online, doctor."
"Very good. Now we just have to wait for the boy."
=====
The suit itself was oversized, but once he pressed the button in the wrist it quickly shrunk down to his exact size. That would be his only clothing for as long as the test lasted. The more he thought about the suit, the more memories came back. He looked at the adjoining lockers and remembered Kaworu. The more he thought about him, the more lonesome he felt. The pain simply proved too much for Shinji. He sat and wept.
She sat next to him. Not knowing how to respond, she simply stayed quiet. She detested seeing him like that. It even made her mad. But for now, she sat next to him, helpless, just like him.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I know you hate it when you see me like this."
She did not answer; she was, simply, too upset.
"Well, I'm going to go now."
He stood up and began to walk towards the door.
"Shinji," she called after him.
She walked to him and stared eye to eye. And before Shinji knew it, she slapped him.
"Baka! Don't bring me back if you continue being this way! Sich hineindenken!"
He held his right cheek. Underneath the pain, he felt the warmth of blood collecting in his bruised cheek. They, again, looked at each other. She had bared her teeth in anger, and hyperventilated with anxiety. He could not move, so she reacted. She snorted and walked out the door. He stood for a second, collecting his thoughts, but decided, before long, to move.
As he stepped out the door, she was no longer there.
=====
"That isn't standard mech pilot uniform."
"It's what the pilot will wear as his uniform. It's very basic fiberized plastic, and will not pollute the plug's interior, nor the LCL."
Takihiro was not convinced or impressed. To him, everyone, with no exceptions, had to follow Nerv regulations regarding safety and procedures. The introduction of a new mech might have excited everyone, but to him a mech was still a mech. And if this mech was planned to be used in military advances and tactics, then he wanted everything about it to represent his command. From the emblems on the mech, to the pilot's uniform.
"Let's just get this over with."
"Very well," Dr. Evans answered. "But pay attention to everything I do and say. Once you are given command over the mech, I will not repeat myself."
He did not bother answering but rather looked on at the monitor. He stood behind his three officers, each in their corresponding seats, in the Main Tactics Rooms. Next to him stood Dr. Evans, and behind them all, one level above, sat Commander Gendou with Sub-Commander Evans standing next to him. In the lower levels, officers and technicians moved around performing their assigned tasks. And in front of them all, stood, both, the 3-dimensional topographical map and the immense monitor that would receive transmitted images from satellite uplinks, fighters, and mechs.
"Commanders," Dr. Evans addressed them. "We are about to proceed with mech re-activation. Is there reason not to proceed?"
"None at all," responded the Sub-Commander. "Proceed as planned."
"Begin synch test."
Yuri checked her monitor and began typing furiously, trying to keep up with the incoming information.
"Connection Editors have began! Synch ratio is at 53% and rising!"
"If it reaches 85%, begin delaying the signal. Under no circumstances must we let it pass 99.99%!"
"It's beginning to slow down! Final synch ratio at 78%"
"Give the pilot visual access."
"Roger that."
She sighed with relief. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened with re- activation. Now would begin the hardest part, seeing if the pilot was able to stand the rigors of battle... today. She turned to Takihiro, who return an unreadable stare. She replied by turning around and giving the order.
"Launch Unit 01!"
=====
He sat inside the plug, simply looking at its cylindrical walls. The familiar taste of LCL filled his mouth, throat, and lungs. He opened his mouth, and he felt a small eruption in his throat, then move around his mouth and by his lips. He followed the air pocket as it slowly left his mouth and floated to the cold ceiling.
The plug, itself, was dark, but once the order was given for pilot visual the front wall of the plug began to shine, and after a couple of seconds, became transparent. Shinji was now looking through the plug, outside of the mech. But instead of looking at the dock outside, as his mech was slowly moved from one point to another, Shinji kept staring at the bubble above him for a couple of seconds, until the order came.
"Launch Unit 01!"
And the bubble burst.
=====
Unit 01 was mounted on a platform. When the order was given to launch, the platform began to accelerate at an immense speed, until it reached 75 mph under 5 seconds. Shinji felt the all familiar pressure upon his chest and face. But unlike before, the pressure was not coming from above, it was coming from the front. To him, it meant, that he was not moving up the building to the top, like the original platform, but to the front.
"We're not underground," he thought. "If we're attacked."
He did not finish the sentence as the mech had suddenly stopped, and Shinji found himself outside in midday.
=====
"Unit 01 has been deployed," announced Tenku, "and is exited through cage exit number 05. It is standing in Training Field 2."
"Static defenses are in stand-by," said Kadena. "Mech drones are ready for deployment."
"How's the pilot?" Asked Dr. Evans.
"Heartbeat beating steadily, along with synch ratio," responded Yuri.
"Then," said Dr. Evans as she turned to Takihiro. "It's all yours."
Takihiro nodded in agreement and turned to the Commanders. Commander Ikari did not turn to look at Takihiro, but Sub-Commander nodded in agreement as well. Immediately, Takihiro turned to the matter at hand.
"Shinji, this is Commander Takihiro. You passed the synch ratio test and there are no anomalies detected at the present time. Is that understood?"
A feeble "Yes" was heard through out the room in response.
"Now we will begin basic mech training in order to accommodate you for battle. But first I need you to walk 200 yards to you right side."
Everyone held their breath as the mech detached itself from the platform, and because of its weight, seemed to slump a bit. But it finally began to walk, slowly. It's movement was very fluid and in arches, unlike the boxier mechs whose movements were usually measured and repetitive. So smooth was Unit 01's walk, that the only way some recognized it as a mech was by the thundering sound of its footsteps. Otherwise, many would have had believed that what was walking out there was not a machine, but rather a living being. And the more Takihiro looked at it, the more he realized that it wasn't the pilot alone whom he had to take care of, but also a living giant.
After the 200 yards, it stopped.
"Good. Now we'll move to simplified targeting. Since we, at the moment, do not have handheld weaponry, we have decided to use the lance, which you brought, as your primary weapon of practice until more advanced weaponry can be brought in."
A smaller platform carrying the lance pointing upwards sprung from the ground, next to the mech.
=====
Shinji stared at the lance. It was red, with two throngs intertwined in the middle creating the long handle. In its entirety, the lance stood twice as tall as the mech.
He began to close his hand around the mech, when out of nowhere, the memories began.
"MAGI system is now online, doctor."
"Very good. Now we just have to wait for the boy."
=====
The suit itself was oversized, but once he pressed the button in the wrist it quickly shrunk down to his exact size. That would be his only clothing for as long as the test lasted. The more he thought about the suit, the more memories came back. He looked at the adjoining lockers and remembered Kaworu. The more he thought about him, the more lonesome he felt. The pain simply proved too much for Shinji. He sat and wept.
She sat next to him. Not knowing how to respond, she simply stayed quiet. She detested seeing him like that. It even made her mad. But for now, she sat next to him, helpless, just like him.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I know you hate it when you see me like this."
She did not answer; she was, simply, too upset.
"Well, I'm going to go now."
He stood up and began to walk towards the door.
"Shinji," she called after him.
She walked to him and stared eye to eye. And before Shinji knew it, she slapped him.
"Baka! Don't bring me back if you continue being this way! Sich hineindenken!"
He held his right cheek. Underneath the pain, he felt the warmth of blood collecting in his bruised cheek. They, again, looked at each other. She had bared her teeth in anger, and hyperventilated with anxiety. He could not move, so she reacted. She snorted and walked out the door. He stood for a second, collecting his thoughts, but decided, before long, to move.
As he stepped out the door, she was no longer there.
=====
"That isn't standard mech pilot uniform."
"It's what the pilot will wear as his uniform. It's very basic fiberized plastic, and will not pollute the plug's interior, nor the LCL."
Takihiro was not convinced or impressed. To him, everyone, with no exceptions, had to follow Nerv regulations regarding safety and procedures. The introduction of a new mech might have excited everyone, but to him a mech was still a mech. And if this mech was planned to be used in military advances and tactics, then he wanted everything about it to represent his command. From the emblems on the mech, to the pilot's uniform.
"Let's just get this over with."
"Very well," Dr. Evans answered. "But pay attention to everything I do and say. Once you are given command over the mech, I will not repeat myself."
He did not bother answering but rather looked on at the monitor. He stood behind his three officers, each in their corresponding seats, in the Main Tactics Rooms. Next to him stood Dr. Evans, and behind them all, one level above, sat Commander Gendou with Sub-Commander Evans standing next to him. In the lower levels, officers and technicians moved around performing their assigned tasks. And in front of them all, stood, both, the 3-dimensional topographical map and the immense monitor that would receive transmitted images from satellite uplinks, fighters, and mechs.
"Commanders," Dr. Evans addressed them. "We are about to proceed with mech re-activation. Is there reason not to proceed?"
"None at all," responded the Sub-Commander. "Proceed as planned."
"Begin synch test."
Yuri checked her monitor and began typing furiously, trying to keep up with the incoming information.
"Connection Editors have began! Synch ratio is at 53% and rising!"
"If it reaches 85%, begin delaying the signal. Under no circumstances must we let it pass 99.99%!"
"It's beginning to slow down! Final synch ratio at 78%"
"Give the pilot visual access."
"Roger that."
She sighed with relief. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened with re- activation. Now would begin the hardest part, seeing if the pilot was able to stand the rigors of battle... today. She turned to Takihiro, who return an unreadable stare. She replied by turning around and giving the order.
"Launch Unit 01!"
=====
He sat inside the plug, simply looking at its cylindrical walls. The familiar taste of LCL filled his mouth, throat, and lungs. He opened his mouth, and he felt a small eruption in his throat, then move around his mouth and by his lips. He followed the air pocket as it slowly left his mouth and floated to the cold ceiling.
The plug, itself, was dark, but once the order was given for pilot visual the front wall of the plug began to shine, and after a couple of seconds, became transparent. Shinji was now looking through the plug, outside of the mech. But instead of looking at the dock outside, as his mech was slowly moved from one point to another, Shinji kept staring at the bubble above him for a couple of seconds, until the order came.
"Launch Unit 01!"
And the bubble burst.
=====
Unit 01 was mounted on a platform. When the order was given to launch, the platform began to accelerate at an immense speed, until it reached 75 mph under 5 seconds. Shinji felt the all familiar pressure upon his chest and face. But unlike before, the pressure was not coming from above, it was coming from the front. To him, it meant, that he was not moving up the building to the top, like the original platform, but to the front.
"We're not underground," he thought. "If we're attacked."
He did not finish the sentence as the mech had suddenly stopped, and Shinji found himself outside in midday.
=====
"Unit 01 has been deployed," announced Tenku, "and is exited through cage exit number 05. It is standing in Training Field 2."
"Static defenses are in stand-by," said Kadena. "Mech drones are ready for deployment."
"How's the pilot?" Asked Dr. Evans.
"Heartbeat beating steadily, along with synch ratio," responded Yuri.
"Then," said Dr. Evans as she turned to Takihiro. "It's all yours."
Takihiro nodded in agreement and turned to the Commanders. Commander Ikari did not turn to look at Takihiro, but Sub-Commander nodded in agreement as well. Immediately, Takihiro turned to the matter at hand.
"Shinji, this is Commander Takihiro. You passed the synch ratio test and there are no anomalies detected at the present time. Is that understood?"
A feeble "Yes" was heard through out the room in response.
"Now we will begin basic mech training in order to accommodate you for battle. But first I need you to walk 200 yards to you right side."
Everyone held their breath as the mech detached itself from the platform, and because of its weight, seemed to slump a bit. But it finally began to walk, slowly. It's movement was very fluid and in arches, unlike the boxier mechs whose movements were usually measured and repetitive. So smooth was Unit 01's walk, that the only way some recognized it as a mech was by the thundering sound of its footsteps. Otherwise, many would have had believed that what was walking out there was not a machine, but rather a living being. And the more Takihiro looked at it, the more he realized that it wasn't the pilot alone whom he had to take care of, but also a living giant.
After the 200 yards, it stopped.
"Good. Now we'll move to simplified targeting. Since we, at the moment, do not have handheld weaponry, we have decided to use the lance, which you brought, as your primary weapon of practice until more advanced weaponry can be brought in."
A smaller platform carrying the lance pointing upwards sprung from the ground, next to the mech.
=====
Shinji stared at the lance. It was red, with two throngs intertwined in the middle creating the long handle. In its entirety, the lance stood twice as tall as the mech.
He began to close his hand around the mech, when out of nowhere, the memories began.