CHAPTER FOUR : FIRST REAL BATTLE

DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything that has to do with NGE they belong to GAINAX and the creator of the series, of course.

'----------' = thoughts

"---------" =speech

Two weeks later. "Pattern Blue confirmed." Maya reported.

"Get unit 01 ready, where's the pilot?" Misato asked, as she continued to give orders.

"He'll arrive in T-minus 4 minutes; section two agents are escorting him here." a Aoba reported.

"Good, will unit 01 be ready when he gets here?" Misato asked, wanting to end this quickly.

"Yes, it will be ready by the time pilot Ikari has changed in to his plug suit." Maya again answered.

"What about pilot Ayanami? Is she able to pilot?" Misato asked looking at Ritsuko-san.

"Yes, but her Eva is not and full combat capacity enough for battle yet." Ritsuko-san answered. Ritsuko-san was nervous about the second child's safety, she had not collected enough DNA samples to sufficiently clone him.

"The pilot is ready to launch." Makato reported.

"How long until unit 00 is ready to launch?" Misato asked ignoring Makato who announced unit 01 was ready.

"Two hours at best." Maya reported.

"Very well, Launch unit 01!" Misato ordered.

"High intensity energy build up in the target!" shouted one of the techs monitoring the angel.

"Shinji! Move!" Misato shouted. Shinji moved as fast as he could but it wasn't fast enough. His right arm, up to his shoulder as well as part of his right leg were incinerated by the blast.

"AAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIYYYYYAAAAAAAAAA!!!!" screamed Shinji as he was hurled backwards by the force of the impact to his arm. Even though she only knew him for a few weeks, Misato was near tears, watching Shinji go through this pain. Misato had wanted Shinji to show emotion, but not like this.

"Shinji, can you walk?" Misato asked trying not to sound overly worried.

"Hrrrrhhh, I.... I'm alright....I, I will complete my... mission." Shinji managed between sucking in LCL through clenched teeth. By sheer will and determination, he stood the Eva up on both feet and headed for the nearest ammo building, clutching a stub that used to be his Eva's right arm, and limping very badly.

"Shinji, abort mission, return to base." Misato ordered.

"Not that I am questioning your motives, but why are you recalling unit 01? You are still aware that in commander Ikari's absence I am in charge, are you not?" Fuyutsuki asked Misato.

"Yes, I am aware of that, but if Shinji is lost in this battle, we will not have any viable option left to use against the angel." Misato said as she prepared to meet Shinji in the infirmary.

"I am not disagreeing with your actions, I was merely trying to make sure you understood who was in charge here. You have a habit of forgetting that." Fuyutsuki said.

"I don't have time to get in to this right now, I have to check on pilot Ikari." Misato said, leaving the bridge, Ritsuko-san hot on her heels. "Why are you coming with me? I thought you were supposed to be checking on the Eva." Misato questioned.

"Shinji is a higher priority to the operation than the Eva." Ritsuko-san said, following Misato in to the hospital wing.

"Shin-kun? Are you awake?" Misato asked.

"I am awake, Misato-san." Shinji said as emotionless as ever. "I am sorry, I have failed my mission once again." Shinji said now looking at his commanding officer, and roommate.

"No one could have dodged that blast entirely, Shinji. I was amazed that you were able to avoid more damage than was incurred." Ritsuko-san cut in.

*Misato snaps her finger*

"Ritsuko is right, and I think I have an idea of how to destroy the angel. I will be back, I have some things to do." Misato said, leaving the room. Ritsuko-san took this chance to get the rest of the DNA that she needed. As she was getting ready to draw some blood, she told Shinji that this was for the operation; the one that Gendo had spoken of, and for him not to talk about this. He agreed. After Ritsuko-san got the sufficient blood she needed, she left. Shinji rested while he waited for his next orders. After a few minutes passed by, he heard somebody at his door, though it was very faint. "Yes?" he inquired, his eyes closed.

"I wanted to see if you were still able to pilot." Rei said in a voice that was similar to his own tone, emotionless and blank.

"I am able to pilot, I am just in shock from the damage to the Eva. It will subside in time for me to pilot again." Shinji said.

"Why do you act as I do?" Rei asked.

"I don't know. I have acted this way since I can remember." Shinji answered, not knowing why, but answering anyway.

"And you, pilot Ayanami, why do you act as you do? Most people our age seem to act... 'normal' as Captain Katsuragi calls them." Shinji asked.

Rei was not immediately able to answer that question. "I...do not know either. Like you I have acted as I do ever since I can remember." Rei answered, like Shinji, she did not know why she answered.

"Pilot Ayanami, I would like to continue conversations like these, would you mind?" Shinji asked, feeling like she would understand him. 'I wonder if this is the feeling called trust?' Shinji mentally asked.

"I would also." Rei answered.

"I have things to attend to but we will continue this conversation another time." Rei said as she left. Five minutes later, Misato came in and informed Shinji of her plan.

"When I left, I went to the command bridge, to find out some things and one of the techs said that a close range combat was impossible. That reinforced my idea. So I commandeered a prototype positron rifle, and we are going to use it to destroy the angel." Misato explained. After she explained the details of the operation, she and Shinji went to the cages. "Your unit is still damaged, but it will be a simple operation. All you have to do is hit the core, it is showing on the chest of the angel. Rei will be your backup." Misato said as Shinji sat in his entry plug.

"I will not fail this time, Misato-san." Shinji said. Misato only sighed at how determined he was to prove his worth. When Misato got back to the bridge, Maya reported that both Evas were ready to launch. While Misato was giving orders, Ritsuko was talking to Fuyutsuki.

"The angels are attacking out of order, we were expecting a different angel than this one." Ritsuko informed.

"I believe they are getting smarter. As we are seeing now." Fuyutsuki said.

"Just as well, we were starting to win to easily anyway." Ritsuko joked.

"Launch units 00 and 01!" Misato ordered. When the Evas reached the surface, Rei had to help Shinji to the rifle. After the rifle was charged, Shinji put the angel in his sights.

"I have the target in my sights, advise when to fire command." Shinji reported.

"Fire when you feel you have a good shot." Misato said as she sat down in her chair. After he thought he had a good bead on the angel he fired.

"DIRECT HIT!!" said Maya who was monitoring Shinji's weapons systems. On the way down Shinji wanted to talk to his father, so he established a connection to the commander's personal viewer. Instead of Gendo, it was Fuyutsuki that answered.

"Where is Commander Ikari, Sub-commander Fuyutsuki?" Shinji asked, monotonous as usual.

"He had a meeting to attend." Kozou Fuyutsuki answered.

"Inform him that I wish to see him." Shinji requested.

"He will be informed." Kozou said.

"Thank you." Shinji said as he was helped to his cage.

"Shinji, Rei, excellent work." Misato said as she readied for the debriefing.

END CHAPTER FOUR: FIRST REAL BATTLE

A.N. I should have ended the chapter sooner but I just couldn't. I turned 18 a couple days ago and my parents haven't quit nagging me to go to college, for those of you who care I am going to college but I have to finish all of my fics right now. I might start the romance in the next chapter, although I might go into some more vague character history. I think you will find it takes a twist. Oh I am going to introduce Asuka in a different way this time. She won't be on the ship; that will be another character. She will be introduced in the next couple of chapters. Well I am going to shut the computer down for now. It has been some very bad weather, and I am risking my computer's safety to make sure I get down these ideas. Well I am going to get a notebook, and continue the story. 10-7.

p.s. one question, what do you think would happen if one very blunt person asked another ver blunt person a very personal question? Find out in the next chapter.