Chapter 3

Katsuragi Household

Sunlight drifted into the apartment.

Asuka crept slowly back to her room. She noticed a figure standing in front of her door, she thought it was Misato until she cleared her eyes. It was Andrew; he had his arms crossed and his eyes were closed indicating that he was asleep.

So, have a good night?

Asuka whirled around, but no one was there.

"Who said that?"

Well, are you going to answer me?

Asuka was getting a little scared as there was no one around capable of making a sound. Then she noticed that there was no sound, it was in her head.

Who is this? she thought.

"Thought you'd never ask. It was me talking to you." Said Andrew.

"You can do that?"

"It takes a lot of concentration, but I can hold a conversation for a few minutes; but I usually just use my headset."

"Cool!"

"I think you should hurry into your room, Misato is trying to get out. I'm holding the door shut for the moment with my shields."

Asuka hurried into her room and pretended to be asleep.

BOOM! Misato fell out of her room and onto the ground.

"I really need to oil those hinges."

Misato got up and trudged to the fridge.

"WOOOYAH!" burp

Andrew sweat dropped

"Uh...morning Misato."

"Morning!"

"What's on today's schedule?"

"I just got word that your tank has arrived earlier than expected with the other."

"Other? You mean the other pilot of the other tank right?"

"Yeah, she'll be coming along with her own tank."

"She?"

"I don't know much, but she's a second lieutenant."

"Morning Misato, morning Andrew."

"Morning Shinji." Misato and Andrew both replied.

"Where's Asuka?" asked Misato.

Shinji blushed slightly. "She's in the shower"

"Guten Morgen everyone!"

Asuka came by and pecked Shinji on the cheek.

"What are we having for breakfast?" asked Asuka.

"Just some toast and juice, we have to get to NERV for synch tests."

NERV HQ-Runway

"Entry plugs inserted, ready for activation." Announced Maya.

"Insert the plugs." Stated Ritsuko.

Asuka, Rei and Shinji activated their Evas with no problems.

"Ok, you three are going up to the runway to meet up with the two tanks that are being flown in."

"Got it!"

"This is drop ship number 102; package will be dropped in 5 seconds at the target zone."

"One away! Two away!"

BOOM! BOOM! The two tanks fell onto the ground.

"Ok, begin the test."

A set of targets rose up; the goal was to shoot all of them until you missed one.

BANG, RATATATATA, PHOOUM, BOOM!

Everyone began shooting at the targets. Of course, the targets popped up faster and faster, until only two mechs remained firing. The two tanks kept on firing until the Magi decided that it should end the test because no one should have gotten to that particular level.

Suddenly the angel sirens started blaring.

"Send all units up to intercept!" yelled Misato.

Shinji, Asuka, Rei, Andrew and the other tank pilot shot out through the elevators.

"Spread your AT fields to full!" shouted Misato.

"Um, Misato..."

CLUNK; the angel, what was originally thought as a giant metallic ball, deformed and part of it oozed own like liquid metal.

"What the hell is that?" asked Asuka, but only got static.

"Major, the angel's halted all communication signals, we can't get through." shouted Maya.

Andrew looked at the screen on his left; it read "NO SIGNAL DETECTED" "Looks like I'm going solo." He said to himself.

CRUNCH, CRUNCH; Andrew's tank began moving, tearing up the pavement as it walked. BOOM! Andrew fired the main cannon. The shell was stopped short by an AT field and exploded. Taking Andrew's lead, the other tank raised both mini-cannons and began unloading bullets at the target. Even thought the rounds were armor piercing, they still didn't get through. Suddenly the angel sort of splashed down on the tanks and froze that section of the body. Asuka and Shinji took advantage of the distraction and jumped the angel. However, their progressive knives and the hands holding them plunged into the body and got stuck. Being the only operational unit left, Rei grabbed the positron rifle and began firing. The charges were reflected by the angel's metallic body. The angel then reached over and pulled her into its body. The angel began oozing over its captives.

PHZZZZT! Electrical discharges appeared over the angel's body and it stopped moving. BOOM! BOOM! This time the angel didn't flow, but it exploded like it should. There was now a gaping hole in the body. The angel core could be seen and with that, the left mini-cannon from Andrew's tank. It fired, and after five seconds, the angel core broke and grew dark.

The rest of the angel fell apart and turned to dust. Nobody asked about the mysterious electrical discharge that seemed to have frozen the angel.

"Com channels are back online." Announced Maya.

"Get those units back here!"

PA "ALL PILOTS REPORT TO DEBRIEFING ROOM #8"

Asuka, Shinji and Rei were back first and could get out of their Evas faster. They just finished when Andrew arrived.

"How was it?" asked Andrew

"She was so mad!" said Asuka

"Pilot Sohryu, I as given to understand that the Major was congratulating us for a job well done."

"You ruin all the fun!"

Debriefing Room #8

"You did a good job out there." Said Misato.

"Uh, thanks! But I'm a little curious as how the other tank pilot is doing."

"Oh, I don't know... maybe she wants to tell you herself."

"2nd Lieutenant Mana Kirishima reporting for debriefing!"

Andrew turned around.

"Ma...Mana?"

"So, how's the 1st Looie today?"

"Not, bad, but it seems like wherever I get assigned to, you get assigned to the same location."

"Is that such a bad thing?"

"Well..."

Mana suddenly rushed forward and pinned Andrew to the wall.

Misato got up, thinking This is going to get rough, I'd better leave.

"I guess it's not such a bad thing after all." Came Andrew's reply with a small grin.

"You betcha!!" and with that, Mana pressed her lips tightly against Andrew's and hugged him onto the wall.

Misato decided to leave more quickly, but once out of the door, she bumped into Kaji.

"Katsuragi! I was just on my way to invite you to the bar."

"You're just in time; I think I'm going to have to get drunk before reality crashes down on me."

End of Chapter 3

A/N: I have a lot of college work to do and my midterms are coming up, so I might not update for a awhile. Sorry!