CHAPTER 14
Shinji tied his shoes before standing up to face Misato.
"Where is Asuka?" he asked.
"She has already left, it would seem that she doesn't want to face me right now" Misato said folding her arms. She looked down and her suitcases.
"But why?" Shinji asked picking up his school bag.
"A teenage girl can be sometimes hard to understand" Misato answered and although he wasn't quiet convinced of her answer he still accepted it.
"By the way" the both said in unison.
"Go ahead" Misato said.
"Are the rumors about unit 05 disappearing true?" Shinji asked and Misato held her breath anxiously. "I heard that there was some kind of accident and it exploded"
"Yes that is true" Misato said looking away from him. "Unit 05 is gone along with the second branch of NERV. It happened while they were testing the S2 engine. But don't worry we'll be all right" Misato said cheerfully as Shinji looked concerned. "All four of our Eva's are functioning properly and all our staff are in good shape too" Misato assured him.
"I also heard that unit 04 is being brought from America. You're performing the activation test aren't you?" he asked her and she became even more uneasy.
"Yes I will be gone for only a few days, I have Kaji staying with you until I come back" Misato answered. "Ritsuko will be supervising the tests so don't worry"
"And who will pilot it?" Shinji asked and she bit her lip as he waited for her to answer. The doorbell rang and Shinji stepped back. "Yes who is it?" he asked opening the door to find Kensuke bowing down.
"Good morning" he said standing up. "I have come to ask for you're help Major Katsuragi. Please you've got to let me pilot Evangelion unit 04!" he begged and Misato was speechless.
"How can Misato be so cruel?" Kensuke asked Shinji as he, Toji and Shinji sat at their tables before class. Mia walked in and dropped her bag on the table next to Asuka's. "Why won't she even use me as a back up?" he complained and Mia walked over to them and leant on the table.
"What's up?" Mia asked and Kensuke groaned.
"They have chosen a fifth pilot and Misato wont let me b even the back up for Eva unit 04" Kensuke complained.
"Hmm, weird. I haven't heard who the pilot is yet" Mia said ad Shinji breathed easier. At least he wasn't alone on that.
"Yeah" Toji moaned dazed and Shinji looked confusedly at him as Asuka walked into the classroom.
"Hey what's up, you left before me but you are arriving after me" Shinji asked Asuka and she threw her bag down on the table.
"What no fight between the newly-weds this morning?" Toji asked not as happily as usual and Mia looked over at him as he looked back awkwardly at her. She stared at him for a moment before looking back at Asuka.
"I just didn't want to see your ugly faces!" she snapped sitting down. "You damn three stooges!" she threw her book at Shinji and it him his head.
"Ow" he complained.
Later that night Asuka was watching TV while Shinji was studying science. As he was scribbling down some points on motion while Kaji was in the tub.
"I wonder who is going to pilot Evangelion unit 04" Shinji said resting his head on his hand.
"What? You mean you haven't heard?" Asuka asked astonished.
"Who is it?" he asked and she looked away.
"Um I am not sure," she said lying picking up a book as Kaji walked in with a towel in his hand.
"That was refreshing," he said looking down at Shinji and Asuka. "Are you two fighting again?" He asked in a stern voice.
"No!" Asuka screeched.
"I want to be happy Kaji especially since you're spending the night but I just can't.not right now" she said moaning.
"I understand, let's go to bed," he said and they all agreed. After they were all in bed Shinji laid awake deciding whether he should ask Kaji a question that had been meddling with his mind?
"Are you asleep et Kaji?" he asked.
"No, not yet" he answered.
"What's my father like?" Shinji asked quietly.
"Have you been asking around about your father?' Kaji asked.
"I haven't been around him much" Shinji answered.
"So you don't know him well?" Kaji asked and Shinji nodded.
"I learned a lot about him lately."
"You're wrong Shinji, you only believe that you know him. The fact is that people don't even understand themselves," Kaji answered. "The fact that humans don't understand one another and themselves makes life so interesting"
"Hmm I just don't understand adults," Shinji said getting up.
"Where are you going?" Kaji asked.
"Just to get some air," he answered walking out into the lounge room before going out onto the balcony. He breathed in the smell of dewed grass and of a clear night sky while feeling alone. But a strange feeling came over him and he looked up to the next balcony to his left and above him where Mia was leaning on the railing and gazing out across Tokyo-3.
He watched her for a while as one tear rolled down her cheek. She let it drop to the balcony floor and closed her eyes as one more followed.
"Mia" he said softly not wanting to startle her and she looked over at him whipping away the tear quickly.
"Yeah" she said smiling although he could tell that she was hurting on the inside. She ands shook as he gripped the railing.
"What's wrong?" he asked her and she shook her head.
"N.nothing." she lied and he raised his eye brow at her. "Maybe just a little bit" she answered.
"Do you want to tell me?" he asked and she shook her head.
"You have your own demons to battle. You don't want mine," she answered softly.
"I do have demons, but if you would let me I can help you fight yours" he said wondering where it came from.
"Hmm if you are sure" he said and he nodded. "Ok." she began and he waited for her to tell him. "No don't worry. Goodnight Shinji" she said walking back inside to her apartment. Shinji heard her cry almost silently and felt as if it was ripping him apart. He wanted to go up and hold her but he knew that Kaji would suspect something so he just walked back inside and lay down beside Kaji who was now snoring away.
"An accident? In Matsushiro?" Shinji asked after his Eva had been launched. A probable angel had attacked and the whole of Tokyo-3 had been evacuated due to red alert. All the four Evangelions had been deployed in different areas to help conquer the angel.
"No way, what happened to Misato?" Mia asked.
"Contact's haven't been restored yet," Rei answered.
"But then what will we do?" Shinji asked.
"Who is commanding the operation?" Mia asked straight after him. She was positioned after Shinji and Rei was in front of him but behind Asuka in the strategic attack plan.
"We're going to have to fight alone!" Asuka said in an upbeat tone.
"But how can we fight an angel alone?" Shinji asked.
"Commander Ikari will take command of this operation," Rei said and all of them were dumbstruck.
"My father will." Shinji said unable to find words to follow.
"Target is approaching"
"All units prepare for ground combat" Shinji looked up and realised that the 13th angel was actually Evangelion unit 05. All of the muscles in his body tensed.
"It can't be" he said astounded as the Eva approached slowly. "An angel? Is that the angel?"
"Correct that is your target" Commander Ikari said austerely.
"It may be our target, but it is also an Eva" Shinji said to no one in particular.
"But it's." Mia said shakily, as she had only found out who the pilot was, today.
"How could it have been possessed by an angel?" Asuka asked.
"There must be a pilot inside, just another kid like me." Shinji felt himself clam up inside as his stomach knotted.
"You still don't know?!" Asuka shouted through the visual transmitter. "The pilot of unit 04 is." Shinji didn't get to hear her finish as the visual when all snowy. He could hear her screaming in terror and pain as she was attacked.
"ASUKA!" he called out to her but there was no answer.
"Rei stop it but avoid close range combat" Commander Ikari ordered and she nodded.
"Yes sir" she agreed waiting until the angel had walked at least 200 meters away from her. She prepared her rifle but froze. The angel twisted and turned before spinning around and attacking Rei. It clutched the back of unit 00 neck forcing it onto the ground. Rei screamed as contamination leaked into her arm from the angel.
The left arm was severed immediately and Rei screamed in pain again holding her shoulder tightly while shivering in pain. The angel proceeded towards Shinji as Mia felt frozen behind him.
"The target is approaching you unit 01. Contact in 20 seconds" Commander Ikari informed Shinji who was unable to move.
"But there is a pilot inside. Just another kid like me" he said watching as the evening sun melted onto the back of unit 04. His hands froze as the angel stopped in front of him roaring. It pounced at him grasping at unit 01's neck and forcing it onto the mountain behind him.
"Shinji why aren't you fighting?" Commander Ikari asked as Mia waited for instruction from Commander Ikari eagerly.
"I can't there is another person inside" Shinji said as his life support system began to break down.
"Irrelevant, it is an angel destroy it!" Commander Ikari snapped at him.
"No I would rather die!" Shinji said unable to breathe.
"Damn it, Mia get out there and get that Angel off him!" Commander Ikari snapped extremely pissed off at Shinji.
"Yes sir" Mia said drawing in a deep breath. 'All I have to do is hold it back. I wont kill him' Mia thought to herself as she ran at the angel grabbing it from behind and pulling it off unit 01. She held it on the ground as it roared at her.
She suddenly felt a wave of fear wash over her as the angel grabbed her right arm and twisted it back over her head.
"Ahh!" she screamed as it flipped her backwards and continued to pull at her arm. It ripped the arm out of unit 04's socket and Mia screamed as it punched her back profusely before picking her up and slamming her into the mountain.
"Shinji fight it!" Commander Ikari shouted and Shinji couldn't breathe even without the angel clutching his throat.
"I.but." Shinji stuttered.
"Cut off all of unit 01 synchronization circuits now!" he ordered. "Switch all control to the dummy plug system"
"But sir the dummy plug system isn't fully operational" Maya stated.
"It is still better than the current pilot!" he ordered and Maya hesitantly switched it over to the dummy plug. The angel continued to bash unit 03 as the Eva went totally silent. It picked it up and slammed it back into the mountain grabbing at its neck and snapping it.
"What?" Shinji said as the cock pit went all red and the controls moved alone. "What the hell are you doing father!" he screamed as unit 01 grabbed the angel off unit 03. Shinji watched in terror, as unit 03 didn't get up before looking to see his own Eva snap the neck of the angel. It threw the angel down onto the ground before punching it once in the head smashing it completely.
Blood poured everywhere from the head exploding as unit 01 continued to attack unit 04. It ripped the armor off the chest plait ripping at its chest as more blood gushed out. It snapped the arms off one at a time dispersing them into buildings before continuing to attack the angel's chest.
"STOP IT!" Shinji screamed as blood splashed over buildings and roads. "FATHER! STOP THIS GOD DAMN THING NOW!" Shinji screamed again. "Damn it stop!" he screamed trying to hold the controls back as the Eva picked up the entry plug and snapped it in to. "NO!!!" The Eva stopped and Shinji shook in the cockpit incapable to move even his hands.
"Eva unit 04, I mean the target has gone completely silent"
* * * * *
Later that night Shinji was still watching from the cockpit as rescue teams were surrounding unit 03 and unit 04. He couldn't see if they had pulled out Mia yet and was unable to see if anyone was pulled from unit 04 as of yet. Misato's voice was the only thing that brought him back into reality.
"Shinji."
"Misato? You're safe?" he asked and she trembled.
"I am sorry, god I am so sorry Shinji" she said crying. "I need to tell you something important. Oh god I am sorry Shinji" she said as Shinji watched them pulled a body from the remains of the entry plug.
"He's alive"! Shinji said happily squinting at the pilot. His whole body tensed as he saw Toji be lifted onto a stretcher.
"Shinji" Misato said as Shinji shook violently.
"NO!"
Shinji tied his shoes before standing up to face Misato.
"Where is Asuka?" he asked.
"She has already left, it would seem that she doesn't want to face me right now" Misato said folding her arms. She looked down and her suitcases.
"But why?" Shinji asked picking up his school bag.
"A teenage girl can be sometimes hard to understand" Misato answered and although he wasn't quiet convinced of her answer he still accepted it.
"By the way" the both said in unison.
"Go ahead" Misato said.
"Are the rumors about unit 05 disappearing true?" Shinji asked and Misato held her breath anxiously. "I heard that there was some kind of accident and it exploded"
"Yes that is true" Misato said looking away from him. "Unit 05 is gone along with the second branch of NERV. It happened while they were testing the S2 engine. But don't worry we'll be all right" Misato said cheerfully as Shinji looked concerned. "All four of our Eva's are functioning properly and all our staff are in good shape too" Misato assured him.
"I also heard that unit 04 is being brought from America. You're performing the activation test aren't you?" he asked her and she became even more uneasy.
"Yes I will be gone for only a few days, I have Kaji staying with you until I come back" Misato answered. "Ritsuko will be supervising the tests so don't worry"
"And who will pilot it?" Shinji asked and she bit her lip as he waited for her to answer. The doorbell rang and Shinji stepped back. "Yes who is it?" he asked opening the door to find Kensuke bowing down.
"Good morning" he said standing up. "I have come to ask for you're help Major Katsuragi. Please you've got to let me pilot Evangelion unit 04!" he begged and Misato was speechless.
"How can Misato be so cruel?" Kensuke asked Shinji as he, Toji and Shinji sat at their tables before class. Mia walked in and dropped her bag on the table next to Asuka's. "Why won't she even use me as a back up?" he complained and Mia walked over to them and leant on the table.
"What's up?" Mia asked and Kensuke groaned.
"They have chosen a fifth pilot and Misato wont let me b even the back up for Eva unit 04" Kensuke complained.
"Hmm, weird. I haven't heard who the pilot is yet" Mia said ad Shinji breathed easier. At least he wasn't alone on that.
"Yeah" Toji moaned dazed and Shinji looked confusedly at him as Asuka walked into the classroom.
"Hey what's up, you left before me but you are arriving after me" Shinji asked Asuka and she threw her bag down on the table.
"What no fight between the newly-weds this morning?" Toji asked not as happily as usual and Mia looked over at him as he looked back awkwardly at her. She stared at him for a moment before looking back at Asuka.
"I just didn't want to see your ugly faces!" she snapped sitting down. "You damn three stooges!" she threw her book at Shinji and it him his head.
"Ow" he complained.
Later that night Asuka was watching TV while Shinji was studying science. As he was scribbling down some points on motion while Kaji was in the tub.
"I wonder who is going to pilot Evangelion unit 04" Shinji said resting his head on his hand.
"What? You mean you haven't heard?" Asuka asked astonished.
"Who is it?" he asked and she looked away.
"Um I am not sure," she said lying picking up a book as Kaji walked in with a towel in his hand.
"That was refreshing," he said looking down at Shinji and Asuka. "Are you two fighting again?" He asked in a stern voice.
"No!" Asuka screeched.
"I want to be happy Kaji especially since you're spending the night but I just can't.not right now" she said moaning.
"I understand, let's go to bed," he said and they all agreed. After they were all in bed Shinji laid awake deciding whether he should ask Kaji a question that had been meddling with his mind?
"Are you asleep et Kaji?" he asked.
"No, not yet" he answered.
"What's my father like?" Shinji asked quietly.
"Have you been asking around about your father?' Kaji asked.
"I haven't been around him much" Shinji answered.
"So you don't know him well?" Kaji asked and Shinji nodded.
"I learned a lot about him lately."
"You're wrong Shinji, you only believe that you know him. The fact is that people don't even understand themselves," Kaji answered. "The fact that humans don't understand one another and themselves makes life so interesting"
"Hmm I just don't understand adults," Shinji said getting up.
"Where are you going?" Kaji asked.
"Just to get some air," he answered walking out into the lounge room before going out onto the balcony. He breathed in the smell of dewed grass and of a clear night sky while feeling alone. But a strange feeling came over him and he looked up to the next balcony to his left and above him where Mia was leaning on the railing and gazing out across Tokyo-3.
He watched her for a while as one tear rolled down her cheek. She let it drop to the balcony floor and closed her eyes as one more followed.
"Mia" he said softly not wanting to startle her and she looked over at him whipping away the tear quickly.
"Yeah" she said smiling although he could tell that she was hurting on the inside. She ands shook as he gripped the railing.
"What's wrong?" he asked her and she shook her head.
"N.nothing." she lied and he raised his eye brow at her. "Maybe just a little bit" she answered.
"Do you want to tell me?" he asked and she shook her head.
"You have your own demons to battle. You don't want mine," she answered softly.
"I do have demons, but if you would let me I can help you fight yours" he said wondering where it came from.
"Hmm if you are sure" he said and he nodded. "Ok." she began and he waited for her to tell him. "No don't worry. Goodnight Shinji" she said walking back inside to her apartment. Shinji heard her cry almost silently and felt as if it was ripping him apart. He wanted to go up and hold her but he knew that Kaji would suspect something so he just walked back inside and lay down beside Kaji who was now snoring away.
"An accident? In Matsushiro?" Shinji asked after his Eva had been launched. A probable angel had attacked and the whole of Tokyo-3 had been evacuated due to red alert. All the four Evangelions had been deployed in different areas to help conquer the angel.
"No way, what happened to Misato?" Mia asked.
"Contact's haven't been restored yet," Rei answered.
"But then what will we do?" Shinji asked.
"Who is commanding the operation?" Mia asked straight after him. She was positioned after Shinji and Rei was in front of him but behind Asuka in the strategic attack plan.
"We're going to have to fight alone!" Asuka said in an upbeat tone.
"But how can we fight an angel alone?" Shinji asked.
"Commander Ikari will take command of this operation," Rei said and all of them were dumbstruck.
"My father will." Shinji said unable to find words to follow.
"Target is approaching"
"All units prepare for ground combat" Shinji looked up and realised that the 13th angel was actually Evangelion unit 05. All of the muscles in his body tensed.
"It can't be" he said astounded as the Eva approached slowly. "An angel? Is that the angel?"
"Correct that is your target" Commander Ikari said austerely.
"It may be our target, but it is also an Eva" Shinji said to no one in particular.
"But it's." Mia said shakily, as she had only found out who the pilot was, today.
"How could it have been possessed by an angel?" Asuka asked.
"There must be a pilot inside, just another kid like me." Shinji felt himself clam up inside as his stomach knotted.
"You still don't know?!" Asuka shouted through the visual transmitter. "The pilot of unit 04 is." Shinji didn't get to hear her finish as the visual when all snowy. He could hear her screaming in terror and pain as she was attacked.
"ASUKA!" he called out to her but there was no answer.
"Rei stop it but avoid close range combat" Commander Ikari ordered and she nodded.
"Yes sir" she agreed waiting until the angel had walked at least 200 meters away from her. She prepared her rifle but froze. The angel twisted and turned before spinning around and attacking Rei. It clutched the back of unit 00 neck forcing it onto the ground. Rei screamed as contamination leaked into her arm from the angel.
The left arm was severed immediately and Rei screamed in pain again holding her shoulder tightly while shivering in pain. The angel proceeded towards Shinji as Mia felt frozen behind him.
"The target is approaching you unit 01. Contact in 20 seconds" Commander Ikari informed Shinji who was unable to move.
"But there is a pilot inside. Just another kid like me" he said watching as the evening sun melted onto the back of unit 04. His hands froze as the angel stopped in front of him roaring. It pounced at him grasping at unit 01's neck and forcing it onto the mountain behind him.
"Shinji why aren't you fighting?" Commander Ikari asked as Mia waited for instruction from Commander Ikari eagerly.
"I can't there is another person inside" Shinji said as his life support system began to break down.
"Irrelevant, it is an angel destroy it!" Commander Ikari snapped at him.
"No I would rather die!" Shinji said unable to breathe.
"Damn it, Mia get out there and get that Angel off him!" Commander Ikari snapped extremely pissed off at Shinji.
"Yes sir" Mia said drawing in a deep breath. 'All I have to do is hold it back. I wont kill him' Mia thought to herself as she ran at the angel grabbing it from behind and pulling it off unit 01. She held it on the ground as it roared at her.
She suddenly felt a wave of fear wash over her as the angel grabbed her right arm and twisted it back over her head.
"Ahh!" she screamed as it flipped her backwards and continued to pull at her arm. It ripped the arm out of unit 04's socket and Mia screamed as it punched her back profusely before picking her up and slamming her into the mountain.
"Shinji fight it!" Commander Ikari shouted and Shinji couldn't breathe even without the angel clutching his throat.
"I.but." Shinji stuttered.
"Cut off all of unit 01 synchronization circuits now!" he ordered. "Switch all control to the dummy plug system"
"But sir the dummy plug system isn't fully operational" Maya stated.
"It is still better than the current pilot!" he ordered and Maya hesitantly switched it over to the dummy plug. The angel continued to bash unit 03 as the Eva went totally silent. It picked it up and slammed it back into the mountain grabbing at its neck and snapping it.
"What?" Shinji said as the cock pit went all red and the controls moved alone. "What the hell are you doing father!" he screamed as unit 01 grabbed the angel off unit 03. Shinji watched in terror, as unit 03 didn't get up before looking to see his own Eva snap the neck of the angel. It threw the angel down onto the ground before punching it once in the head smashing it completely.
Blood poured everywhere from the head exploding as unit 01 continued to attack unit 04. It ripped the armor off the chest plait ripping at its chest as more blood gushed out. It snapped the arms off one at a time dispersing them into buildings before continuing to attack the angel's chest.
"STOP IT!" Shinji screamed as blood splashed over buildings and roads. "FATHER! STOP THIS GOD DAMN THING NOW!" Shinji screamed again. "Damn it stop!" he screamed trying to hold the controls back as the Eva picked up the entry plug and snapped it in to. "NO!!!" The Eva stopped and Shinji shook in the cockpit incapable to move even his hands.
"Eva unit 04, I mean the target has gone completely silent"
* * * * *
Later that night Shinji was still watching from the cockpit as rescue teams were surrounding unit 03 and unit 04. He couldn't see if they had pulled out Mia yet and was unable to see if anyone was pulled from unit 04 as of yet. Misato's voice was the only thing that brought him back into reality.
"Shinji."
"Misato? You're safe?" he asked and she trembled.
"I am sorry, god I am so sorry Shinji" she said crying. "I need to tell you something important. Oh god I am sorry Shinji" she said as Shinji watched them pulled a body from the remains of the entry plug.
"He's alive"! Shinji said happily squinting at the pilot. His whole body tensed as he saw Toji be lifted onto a stretcher.
"Shinji" Misato said as Shinji shook violently.
"NO!"