Author's Notes:
Gainax, not me, owns Neon Genesis Evangelion. They make the money, not me. They own the characters, settings and storyline, not me. Consequently, if you believe that you created the series and, while reading this, decide to sue someone for stealing it, sue them, not me.
I have no idea what this will be rated, so tough. I'll figure it out later.
This takes place around the end of the attack of the twelfth Angel, with a twist on the events. I guess you'll understand as you read. With that, I leave you to the story.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------
*...So...cold...*
Shinji shivered as he huddled in the darkened cockpit of Unit-01, his mind clearing slightly as consciousness slowly retook him. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious; just that it had been some time, as indicated by the small, slowly growing clumps in the LCL. He figured that there was not much time left for him; he could already feel the numbing bite of lack of oxygen in his lungs. He shook his head and wriggled slightly in his seat, trying to find a bit of comfort.
*My plugsuit...it's too tight...squeezing me...*
Shinji pressed the button on the right wrist of his plugsuit, sighing softly as the suit slackened from his body to let in a rush of LCL to chill him further.
*This doesn't seem right.it's not supposed to be this cold.*
He shuddered from the icy jolts running up and down his spine, now fully awakened.
*Not much time left, I guess.*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------
"Colonel! We're picking up a Pattern Blue 100 km south of Tokyo-3 and closing. Visual reports confirming that it's."
Misato turned to face Lieutenant Ibuki, an eerie sort of calm extended on her face. Maya gulped lightly, unused to delivering this kind of news after so long.
"It's an Angel, Major.It's the twelfth."
Misato drew a breath deliberately, the full meaning of the news sinking in deeply. She remembered distinctly what happened the last time the twelfth Angel had been spotted; NERV's failed attack still burned fresh in her memory.
"Very well. Notify the First and Second Children, and get them here as soon as possible. Hopefully, they won't mind going in cold, but it doesn't seem like they have much choice. What is the ETA of the twelfth Angel?"
"MAGI calculations report that it should be within the next 3 hours. For some reason, it's taking a circuitous path around the city."
"Perhaps it figures that it may slow our reaction time for a counteroffensive. At any rate, we need Rei and Asuka here now."
"Yes ma'am."
Maya saluted briefly before rushing off, leaving the colonel with her head in her hands, alone with her thoughts. *I won't fail you again, Shinji.*
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Seconds dragged into minutes inside Unit-01, as its pilot sat huddled in the plug, fighting to stay awake. He rubbed his arms as vigorously as he could, trying to draw out any warmth that he could. Then suddenly, the LCL in the plug started warming up. Shinji stretched out a bit as the LCL grew warmer and warmer, eventually returning back to regular temperature. He breathed a small sigh of relief, still rubbing his arms, but not nearly as quickly as before.
*Well, that's one problem solved. Now if I could just get out of here...*
Shinji snapped to full attention as the Eva shuddered heavily all around him. Monitors sprang to life as the cockpit lit up around him. A small stirring crept into the corners of his mind as Unit-01 stirred underneath him.
*"Hello Shinji. It's good to see you're awake again. How are you feeling?"*
Shinji looked all over the plug for the source of the voice in his mind, anxiety mixed with a twinge of fear etched on his face.
*"You don't remember me, my little Shin-chan? Oh, it's okay, I guess. I know I don't look the way you remember me. Are you okay?"*
*Who are you?*
Images of Shinji's past fluttered through his mind, of Eva piloting, of Rei and his mother in turn, the voice echoing just too faintly to understand. First Eva, then Rei, and then his mother. Eva, Rei, his mother...
*...Okaa-san?!*
*"Yes, Shin-chan. It's me."*
*But how...?*
*"I'll explain it later, Shinji. Right now, we need to get out of here. You won't last too much longer in here."*
Shinji felt another shudder as Unit-01 swung at what appeared to be the void that made up the inside of the twelfth Angel, answered by a sharp resistance and an unholy howl of rage and pain.
*"Shinji! I need your help with this. You have to add your will to me for this to work."*
*Yes, okaa-san. I'll help you.*
Shinji's expression changed from nervous unease to that of intense focus. The LCL heated a bit as Unit-01 swung again, this time stretching the space further, the howls of pain growing louder.
*"Good, Shinji! It's working!"*
Unit-01 continued swiping, fists slowly becoming claws as Shinji scraped at the inside of the twelfth Angel. The sheer brilliant white slowly gave way to red as Angel's blood flowed from the scrapes inflicted from the inside. Unit-01 tore away at the wall more and more swiftly, as Shinji fought to keep his mind sharp enough to break free. Blood flowed faster and faster, rivulets becoming gushes, then torrents. Finally, after a few more scrapes, the twelfth Angel broke open, its sides snapping back and tearing further from the hole made, until nothing remained of the Angel except for Unit-01 and a great deal of blood, much of it coating the Eva.
*We did it, kaa-san! We're free!*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Colonel! Update on the twelfth Angel!"
Maya handed Misato a readout from the MAGI supercomputer. Misato scanned it, her eyes widening slightly at the news.
"How recent is this?"
"Within the last minute."
Misato reached for her cell phone. The commander had to know about this development.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"...Are you sure about this, Colonel?"
Gendo Ikari sat at his office desk, hands folded in front of his face as he conferred with Major Katsuragi over the speakerphone.
"Positive, Commander. MAGI reports with a 99.65% probability that the Angel has...self-destructed, but it's been replaced...by what looks like Unit-01."
"What do the calculations state about the chances of the Angel taking over Unit-01 while it was within?"
"We're still waiting for the calculations for that, but so far it hasn't moved. Should we send out an extraction team?"
"...No, send out Units 00 and 02 to contain it until the calculations come in... If they come back with a greater than 10% probability, have them neutralize it."
"But sir...!"
"We cannot allow for the chance of that thing reactivating and destroying Tokyo-3. Better to neutralize it now than let it have an opening to attack. You have your orders, Colonel."
"...."
"I have yet to hear, 'Yes, sir'."
"...Yes, Commander."
Gendo Ikari steepled his fingers as his expression turned to extreme thought. He knew completely the importance of Unit-01 in his plans, which he had all but discarded until mere moments ago. However, if the Eva had been contaminated, it would prove better to destroy it than to risk the destruction of the Geofront. *Besides,* Gendo thought to himself, *There might be a chance to salvage the core. My plans may yet prove fruitful.*
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*I can't believe it's you, okaa-san...I thought you died...*
Shinji smiled as he sat in the plug, Unit-01's LCL filters working to replenish the air concentration within it. Shinji leaned forward as he waited for an answer that didn't come.
*...Okaa-san? Okaa-san, are you there?*
Shinji waited for an answer, fear filling his heart and his face again, as the brief idea that his entire conversation with his mother had been imagined danced around in his mind. Then he heard:
*"I'm here, Shin-chan..."*
*Okaa-san, you're fading...*
*"The Eva's low on power...makes it hard for me to talk to you..."*
*Okaa-san...how did this happen?*
*"..."*
*Okaa-san?*
*"I'll tell you when the time is right, Shinji, but not now."*
*But why? I don't underst--*
Just then, Unit-01 shuddered as a few of the monitors shut down, darkening the plug. Shinji concentrated as hard as he could despite the shuddering, but all he could hear is silence in the plug. Then, a static- laden comm line sheared through the plug.
"Bzzzzzzzzzzz... Are you sure about this, Misato? This seems-- Bzzzzzzzzzz"
"We've been given our orders...MAGI's given--Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...Chance of it being a part of the twelfth Angel...Orders are to-- Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."
"What?!"
"You heard me...send it to hell."
*What? They're going to destroy me?!*
Shinji's mind raced as Unit-01 shuddered and reeled from the punishment it was now taking. *They're going to destroy me...no, US! Okaa- san...*
Shinji concentrated hard, trying to get the Eva to respond, but no matter how hard he tried, nothing. The monitors slowly dulled as what little power there was left slowly drained, much to Shinji's dismay. He curled up into as small a ball as he could, the shuddering growing stronger as the onslaught continued. He counted himself lucky for one thing; that since Unit-01 was this low on power, at least he wouldn't feel the feedback from the blows he was taking.
*It's probably Asuka coming in close, with Ayanami covering her, to make sure I'm not getting free...But why are they attacking me? Why is Misato letting this happen? Why am I to be destroyed...Why is Asuka hitting me?*
In one final, desperate act, Shinji yelled out into his plug, "DAMNIT, ASUKA, WHY ARE YOU HITTING ME?!"
Just as suddenly as the shuddering started, it stopped. Silence reigned as Shinji waited for the abyss. Then, another staticky transmission:
"Sh... Shinji?...Bzzzzzzzzzz...Shinji, is that...is that you?"
Shinji looked up at the nearly blank monitor and nodded. "Yes, it's me," he stated as he started to uncurl, exhaustion ready to overtake his taxed consciousness. "Now, please let me out of here."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End Chapter 1
Author's Notes (again): Okay, now I need a drink. (deep sigh) I've been trying to clean this up best I can for too long.let me know how I did. The second chapter should be done.when I feel good and ready to do it. I know I'm probably off on some things, so respond. That is not a request, that is an order. Oh well.
Gainax, not me, owns Neon Genesis Evangelion. They make the money, not me. They own the characters, settings and storyline, not me. Consequently, if you believe that you created the series and, while reading this, decide to sue someone for stealing it, sue them, not me.
I have no idea what this will be rated, so tough. I'll figure it out later.
This takes place around the end of the attack of the twelfth Angel, with a twist on the events. I guess you'll understand as you read. With that, I leave you to the story.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------
*...So...cold...*
Shinji shivered as he huddled in the darkened cockpit of Unit-01, his mind clearing slightly as consciousness slowly retook him. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious; just that it had been some time, as indicated by the small, slowly growing clumps in the LCL. He figured that there was not much time left for him; he could already feel the numbing bite of lack of oxygen in his lungs. He shook his head and wriggled slightly in his seat, trying to find a bit of comfort.
*My plugsuit...it's too tight...squeezing me...*
Shinji pressed the button on the right wrist of his plugsuit, sighing softly as the suit slackened from his body to let in a rush of LCL to chill him further.
*This doesn't seem right.it's not supposed to be this cold.*
He shuddered from the icy jolts running up and down his spine, now fully awakened.
*Not much time left, I guess.*
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------
"Colonel! We're picking up a Pattern Blue 100 km south of Tokyo-3 and closing. Visual reports confirming that it's."
Misato turned to face Lieutenant Ibuki, an eerie sort of calm extended on her face. Maya gulped lightly, unused to delivering this kind of news after so long.
"It's an Angel, Major.It's the twelfth."
Misato drew a breath deliberately, the full meaning of the news sinking in deeply. She remembered distinctly what happened the last time the twelfth Angel had been spotted; NERV's failed attack still burned fresh in her memory.
"Very well. Notify the First and Second Children, and get them here as soon as possible. Hopefully, they won't mind going in cold, but it doesn't seem like they have much choice. What is the ETA of the twelfth Angel?"
"MAGI calculations report that it should be within the next 3 hours. For some reason, it's taking a circuitous path around the city."
"Perhaps it figures that it may slow our reaction time for a counteroffensive. At any rate, we need Rei and Asuka here now."
"Yes ma'am."
Maya saluted briefly before rushing off, leaving the colonel with her head in her hands, alone with her thoughts. *I won't fail you again, Shinji.*
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Seconds dragged into minutes inside Unit-01, as its pilot sat huddled in the plug, fighting to stay awake. He rubbed his arms as vigorously as he could, trying to draw out any warmth that he could. Then suddenly, the LCL in the plug started warming up. Shinji stretched out a bit as the LCL grew warmer and warmer, eventually returning back to regular temperature. He breathed a small sigh of relief, still rubbing his arms, but not nearly as quickly as before.
*Well, that's one problem solved. Now if I could just get out of here...*
Shinji snapped to full attention as the Eva shuddered heavily all around him. Monitors sprang to life as the cockpit lit up around him. A small stirring crept into the corners of his mind as Unit-01 stirred underneath him.
*"Hello Shinji. It's good to see you're awake again. How are you feeling?"*
Shinji looked all over the plug for the source of the voice in his mind, anxiety mixed with a twinge of fear etched on his face.
*"You don't remember me, my little Shin-chan? Oh, it's okay, I guess. I know I don't look the way you remember me. Are you okay?"*
*Who are you?*
Images of Shinji's past fluttered through his mind, of Eva piloting, of Rei and his mother in turn, the voice echoing just too faintly to understand. First Eva, then Rei, and then his mother. Eva, Rei, his mother...
*...Okaa-san?!*
*"Yes, Shin-chan. It's me."*
*But how...?*
*"I'll explain it later, Shinji. Right now, we need to get out of here. You won't last too much longer in here."*
Shinji felt another shudder as Unit-01 swung at what appeared to be the void that made up the inside of the twelfth Angel, answered by a sharp resistance and an unholy howl of rage and pain.
*"Shinji! I need your help with this. You have to add your will to me for this to work."*
*Yes, okaa-san. I'll help you.*
Shinji's expression changed from nervous unease to that of intense focus. The LCL heated a bit as Unit-01 swung again, this time stretching the space further, the howls of pain growing louder.
*"Good, Shinji! It's working!"*
Unit-01 continued swiping, fists slowly becoming claws as Shinji scraped at the inside of the twelfth Angel. The sheer brilliant white slowly gave way to red as Angel's blood flowed from the scrapes inflicted from the inside. Unit-01 tore away at the wall more and more swiftly, as Shinji fought to keep his mind sharp enough to break free. Blood flowed faster and faster, rivulets becoming gushes, then torrents. Finally, after a few more scrapes, the twelfth Angel broke open, its sides snapping back and tearing further from the hole made, until nothing remained of the Angel except for Unit-01 and a great deal of blood, much of it coating the Eva.
*We did it, kaa-san! We're free!*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Colonel! Update on the twelfth Angel!"
Maya handed Misato a readout from the MAGI supercomputer. Misato scanned it, her eyes widening slightly at the news.
"How recent is this?"
"Within the last minute."
Misato reached for her cell phone. The commander had to know about this development.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"...Are you sure about this, Colonel?"
Gendo Ikari sat at his office desk, hands folded in front of his face as he conferred with Major Katsuragi over the speakerphone.
"Positive, Commander. MAGI reports with a 99.65% probability that the Angel has...self-destructed, but it's been replaced...by what looks like Unit-01."
"What do the calculations state about the chances of the Angel taking over Unit-01 while it was within?"
"We're still waiting for the calculations for that, but so far it hasn't moved. Should we send out an extraction team?"
"...No, send out Units 00 and 02 to contain it until the calculations come in... If they come back with a greater than 10% probability, have them neutralize it."
"But sir...!"
"We cannot allow for the chance of that thing reactivating and destroying Tokyo-3. Better to neutralize it now than let it have an opening to attack. You have your orders, Colonel."
"...."
"I have yet to hear, 'Yes, sir'."
"...Yes, Commander."
Gendo Ikari steepled his fingers as his expression turned to extreme thought. He knew completely the importance of Unit-01 in his plans, which he had all but discarded until mere moments ago. However, if the Eva had been contaminated, it would prove better to destroy it than to risk the destruction of the Geofront. *Besides,* Gendo thought to himself, *There might be a chance to salvage the core. My plans may yet prove fruitful.*
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
*I can't believe it's you, okaa-san...I thought you died...*
Shinji smiled as he sat in the plug, Unit-01's LCL filters working to replenish the air concentration within it. Shinji leaned forward as he waited for an answer that didn't come.
*...Okaa-san? Okaa-san, are you there?*
Shinji waited for an answer, fear filling his heart and his face again, as the brief idea that his entire conversation with his mother had been imagined danced around in his mind. Then he heard:
*"I'm here, Shin-chan..."*
*Okaa-san, you're fading...*
*"The Eva's low on power...makes it hard for me to talk to you..."*
*Okaa-san...how did this happen?*
*"..."*
*Okaa-san?*
*"I'll tell you when the time is right, Shinji, but not now."*
*But why? I don't underst--*
Just then, Unit-01 shuddered as a few of the monitors shut down, darkening the plug. Shinji concentrated as hard as he could despite the shuddering, but all he could hear is silence in the plug. Then, a static- laden comm line sheared through the plug.
"Bzzzzzzzzzzz... Are you sure about this, Misato? This seems-- Bzzzzzzzzzz"
"We've been given our orders...MAGI's given--Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...Chance of it being a part of the twelfth Angel...Orders are to-- Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."
"What?!"
"You heard me...send it to hell."
*What? They're going to destroy me?!*
Shinji's mind raced as Unit-01 shuddered and reeled from the punishment it was now taking. *They're going to destroy me...no, US! Okaa- san...*
Shinji concentrated hard, trying to get the Eva to respond, but no matter how hard he tried, nothing. The monitors slowly dulled as what little power there was left slowly drained, much to Shinji's dismay. He curled up into as small a ball as he could, the shuddering growing stronger as the onslaught continued. He counted himself lucky for one thing; that since Unit-01 was this low on power, at least he wouldn't feel the feedback from the blows he was taking.
*It's probably Asuka coming in close, with Ayanami covering her, to make sure I'm not getting free...But why are they attacking me? Why is Misato letting this happen? Why am I to be destroyed...Why is Asuka hitting me?*
In one final, desperate act, Shinji yelled out into his plug, "DAMNIT, ASUKA, WHY ARE YOU HITTING ME?!"
Just as suddenly as the shuddering started, it stopped. Silence reigned as Shinji waited for the abyss. Then, another staticky transmission:
"Sh... Shinji?...Bzzzzzzzzzz...Shinji, is that...is that you?"
Shinji looked up at the nearly blank monitor and nodded. "Yes, it's me," he stated as he started to uncurl, exhaustion ready to overtake his taxed consciousness. "Now, please let me out of here."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
End Chapter 1
Author's Notes (again): Okay, now I need a drink. (deep sigh) I've been trying to clean this up best I can for too long.let me know how I did. The second chapter should be done.when I feel good and ready to do it. I know I'm probably off on some things, so respond. That is not a request, that is an order. Oh well.