Fear
"What are the readings?"
"Blue. It's definitely the next angel." Commander Fuyutski sighed heavily.
"Well at least we had a bit of a break between attacks. Call Captain Katsuragi and the three pilots."
"Yes, sir!"
(Cut)
"The attacks are coming faster and faster," Asuka said to Rei as the descended the long escalator into the center of NERV. "Don't you find it odd? I mean, they used to give us at least a few weeks. It's only been about two weeks." Rei gave a little nod.
"Hai, it is odd." She pushed some of her blue hair from her red eyes, staring off at nothing in particular. Asuka smiled over at her friend and clapped a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll pummel it double for you." Rei turned her head and returned the smile.
"Arigato."
(Cut)
"I refuse." Everyone's head instantly swung in Narikage's direction.
"Refuse?!" Misato cried, mouth hanging open.
"Hai."
"Well that's just fine!" Asuka quickly jumped in, shoving Narikage back a few steps and puffing out her chest. "I'll beat this angel all by myself!" Narikage's eyes flashed and he grabbed Asuka's shoulder, pulling the surprised woman back.
"You misunderstand." He looked up at Misato. "I'll pilot. But on one condition only."
"You are not in the position to issue demands, Eiro-san," Ritsuko said, her eyes narrowing slightly. She didn't like the tone in his voice. Narikage smirked.
"I am the best pilot you have, ne?" Misato and Ritsuko fell silent. "As I was saying. I'll pilot. But I do not want my partner to be Asuka-san." He turned halfway and pointed to Rei standing off to the side. Her red eyes widened. "Miss Ayanami will be my partner."
"Impossible! Rei's sync ratios are too low to allow an activation of Unit 00!" Ritsuko said.
"She can do it." Narikage turned fully, meeting Rei's gaze. "Or are you too afraid, Ayanami-san?" She turned her head away, her hands curling into fists. Visions from her last EVA/Angel battle flashed through her head and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block them out.
"How dare you!" Asuka jumped between the two, arms spread out from her sides. "Don't you dare talk to her like that, you...you...you bastard!" she finally burst out. "You have no idea what she's been through!"
"The best way to get over your fears are to take them head-on. Right, Captain?" He glanced back at Misato who blushed slightly.
"These are special circumstances!"
"No. He's right." Asuka looked over her shoulder as Rei straightened, walking towards them. Her face was set with a determination none of them had ever seen before.
"Rei-san..."
"I'll do it," she said before Asuka could say more. Narikage's gaze lowered to the floor but there was a tiny smile playing at the corner of his lips.
"Rei, I must protest. It's too risky to reactivate Unit 00 with your low sync scores. We might have a repeat performance of the last time your unit went beserk," Ritsuko said, stepping forward. "Is that what you want to happen?"
"No. And it won't." She stared hard at Narikage, forcing him to meet her gaze. "I will be your partner, Eiro Narikage."
(Cut)
"Why are you doing this?" Asuka persisted, watching as Rei pulled on her plug suit. "What if your unit doesn't respond?"
"Then you can take over for me." Rei pushed the button on her left wrist and the air left the suit. "Captain Katsuragi is having your unit prepared as well, just in case."
"You still haven't answered my other question. Why are you doing this?"
"Because Narikage was right. If I don't start piloting now, I may never be able to do it again."
"Who cares what that bastard thinks! You suffered more than he or any of us will ever know! Shinji died in your arms!"
"I know." Rei looked over at her friend, eyes expressionless. "And I promised him I would help protect this city. I cannot do that if I'm just sitting here."
"So you're doing this for Shinji," Asuka said quietly, her gaze dropping to her lap.
"Hai. From now on, it will always be for him."
(Cut)
"Doctor, I have always trusted you before, but this...this is just unbelievable! I won't allow Rei to pilot in her condition," Commander Fuyutski said in a stern voice. "She has not been cleared yet!"
"I know that, sir. But, please. Let us just try. Her numbers have always improved when she had a partner. If they don't, Unit 02 is on standby and we can have Asuka ready to go in less than thirty seconds if need be." The commander fell heavily into his chair with a sigh.
"This is going against every ounce of my better judgement...but...I will allow it. I want Asuka loaded into her EVA and have it fully functional before Rei's is activated."
"Yes, sir."
(Cut)
Narikage stood on the loading platform, waiting for Unit 01's entry plug to be ejected. He felt someone step onto the grating and turned. Rei stared at him for a moment before turning to her own EVA.
"You're scared," he said in a matter-of-fact way that actually sent anger spiraling up her spine.
"I'm not scared."
"Yes, you are. You don't need to be, you know. I'll protect you." She turned sharply when she heard those words, eyes wide. But Narikage was already in his seat and was in the process of being loaded into his unit.
"Shinji-kun..." she whispered, watching as the plug was inserted into Unit 01. Why did she have the strangest feeling...?
"Units 01 and 02 active," Maya declared.
"Any disruptions in either?"
"Negative. Both Units are fully functional."
"Rei," Misato said over the intercom. "Are you ready?"
"Hai," replied the soft voice.
"Activating Unit 00. Reaching borderline in 5...4...3...2...1...borderline cleared! Captain!" Both Misato and Ritsuko raced to the woman's side.
"Her numbers are through the roof! They've never been this high!" Ritsuko cried, punching a few buttons. A printed version of the screen appeared and she tore it from the printer, scanning it quickly. "Sync ratio, 82%! She's never been over 70%!"
"Looks like Nariakge knew what he was doing after all, ne?" Misato said with an ironic smile on her face. Ritsuko said nothing as she handed the printout to the Commander, who also scanned it.
"Keep Unit 02 on standby," he finally said, letting the paper fall onto the desk in front of him. "Looks like Unit 00 and Unit 01 will be handling this."
"Yes, sir! Ready Unit 00 and Unit 01 for launch!" Locks securing the EVAs popped and the platforms moved away.
"All lights green!"
"Hassha!"
The units shot towards the surface, appearing, suddenly, from two side-by-side gates. About six hundred yards ahead was the angel, this one resembling some sort of mutated praying mantis. Its wide head swiveled towards them as they appeared.
"The core is located on the back," Misato said to the pilots. "Rei, distract the angel while Narikage moves in."
"Hai."
"No." Misato's brow furrowed.
"Narikage—"
"I will distract the angel. Miss Ayanami will be on the offensive." He took the rifle that had popped up beside him.
"He certainly sounds like his father," Ritsuko muttered so only Misato could hear.
"Just don't tell him that," she muttered back. "Very well! Rei, you take the offensive! I'm sending you a high-powered rifle!"
"H-hai."
A chamber opened beside Unit 00 and the door slid to the side, revealing the weapon.
"I'll move left and distract it," Narikage said over Rei's intercom as she took the weapon. "No matter what, destroy the core."
"No matter what what?"
"Go!" Narikage didn't answer her question as he began running westward, firing a rapid volley at the insect-like angel. As expected, it turned its head towards the more threatening unit and began to run towards it. "Now, Ayanami!" Rei raised her rifle, waiting for the indicaters to converge in the center of her monitor.
Just as she got a clear shot, the angel and Unit 01 collided. Two buildings were leveled as the unit slid backwards, the angel atop it. The creature reared upwards, long blades appearing on its front forelegs. As it brought them down, Narikage reached up, catching them before it could impale the unit.
"FIRE!" he screamed over the intercom.
But Rei was frozen, watching the battle. Her hands began shaking on the controls and the rifle fell from her hands. It was just like last time...
"Pulses are flowing backwards! We're loosing Unit 00!!"
"Damnit! Get her out of there! Ready Unit 02 for launch!" Misato cried.
"DON'T YOU DARE!" Narikage's roar over the intercom made everyone in the command room wince and cover their ears.
"She's in danger, Narikage! We have to pull her back! Rei! Quick, before you go completely off-line--!" But before she had a chance to finish, a high-pitched whine came over the intercom. "What the hell?!"
"The communication devices have been shut down for both units! Narikage did it!"
"WHAT?!!!"
"Rei! Pick up the rifle!" Narikage's voice flickered over Rei's intercom but she didn't respond. "Rei-san! Get a hold of yourself!" The angel ripped itself free of Unit 01's hold, slicing the armor covering the hands. One of the blades came up, hacking into the joint where the unit's arm and shoulder met. Narikage gritted his teeth, holding in his cry as he punched the creature across the face hard enough to send it reeling.
Rei could feel her control over her unit slipping but she couldn't stop it. Images from her last battle kept wheeling in her head...Shinji grabbing the angel...Unit 01 impaled...self-destruction...
Unit 01 landed hard on its back but Narikage refused to give up. As the angel rose above him again to strike another blow, he rolled to the side, knocking its legs out from under it. He barely had gotten up when the angel again rose up for yet another attack. Again, he managed to grab the blades before they could cut into the unit's armor.
"REI!"
"Unit 00 is reactivating itself!"
"Nani?! How?!"
Her name in that tone of voice brought her back.
"Shinji-kun!" She bent and picked up the rifle. As soon as the indicators converged, she pulled the trigger.
A high-energy blast hit the core directly in the center, blowing through the angel as if it were nothing. Before the beam could hit him, Narikage leapt to the side, the blast only side-swiping him enough to do minimal damage to the outer armor. The angel shuddered, a metallic groan emitting from it. A moment later, it fell forward, a gaping hole through its back.
The gun clattered to the ground as Unit 00 slumped. Inside, Rei's eyes were squeezed shut once more as sobs threatened to burst from her.
"Ayanami..." She raised her head at the soft voice and her eyes widened when she saw Unit 01 standing just in front of her. "Good job."