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the Series and the Movies from them. I did, and it was worth every dime.
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Episode 2:14 Fighting for a brother's love
Takes place after 1st season, and the End of Evangelion Movie.
Presumed date is December 22nd, 2016
Shinji awoke to the sounds of Kensuke revving the engine of his Suzuki Hayabusa II, and then the engine sounds softly faded.
He stretched and yawned. 'Kensuke must be off to work. I almost miss piloting recovery missions,' he thought sleepily. 'But then again, I don't miss waking up at 5 am to be on station a little after 6.'
He rolled out of bed, and headed to the shower. He spent plenty of time in there, soaking and letting the water run over him. He rubbed his face, and felt the bristles of his beard scratchy against his hands. He hadn't shaved in about a week, so it was beginning to grow out. He actually felt pretty good that he had to shave that often. Kensuke only shaved once a month, and probably really didn't need to do that, as light as his facial hair was. Toji, on the other hand, was shaving every day, and complaining that his face kept breaking out. Shinji had finally convinced him to get a wet/dry electric razor, and shave wet.
Shinji decided that he'd go ahead and wait to shave, it wouldn't hurt to wait a day or two.
'Not like I'm going to be kissing anyone anytime soon,' the thought, listlessly.
He still hoped that Asuka would keep her promise and return to him, but he was missing her more and more each day. Shaking his head, he shut off the water, and climbed out, toweling himself off, and went back to his room to dress.
Finished dressing, and tidying up his room he headed downstairs to get some breakfast. He made a light meal, and gathered up is paperwork from the day before. He sat down to examine the new information that Ritsuko had been so excited about. Apparently the EVA's armor had altered since Instrumentality, and was now a part of the body.
There were cells on the surface of the units skin that generated a plastic like Chitin molecule and some very complex proteins. The effect was that the EVA was now covered in a living Exoskeleton, very much like an insects. It helped regulate the EVA's body temperature, and was resistant to heat and energy based attacks.
Ritsuko was still trying to figure it all out. She was having a new lab built in the expanded NERV facilities, so she could continue her EVA studies. There were several rooms large enough to hold the EVA, and she'd brought in salvaged computer and medical equipment from all across Japan.
Shinji was proud of his work on the new base. Thanks to his efforts, and the manipulation of his AT field, he'd been able to complete the work of a decade in mere months. The construction crews had immediately swarmed into the large empty chambers and begun filling them with steel beams, building the NERV facility outward and downward. There was still a huge amount of work to do, but the excavation work was taken care of.
No one wanted to be caught out in the open when the next Legionnaire attacked. Many of the residents here had seen the devastation caused by the Angels in Tokyo-3 first hand. Misato had had Shinji working overtime on several different projects using his unique tunneling ability to fashion passageways and shelters deep under the base. The passageways linked the housing areas directly to the central NERV Base. Now, one no longer need spend long minutes exposed on the surface. Instead, you could travel down the tunnels composed of diamond hard compressed stone, created by Shinji/EVA.
Oh, there were still a few places not connected to the tunnels, but they were growing fewer and fewer each day. There was even a tunnel entrance less than 100 feet from where he stood right now. The house to the west his had been gutted, leaving only an empty shell, and a stairway leading down. At about 75 feet below ground the stairway opened up into one of the large tunnels. It was more than twenty feet across, and so smooth, the surface was almost like glass.
Misato and Ritsuko had originally planned that this tunnel and all the others like it would have Monorails similar to the main NERV monorail, but Shinji had pointed out that it would be hugely time and labor consuming to construct such a system. Instead, he offered, they should just bring several street bikes down, and they could be used for rapid transit down the tubes.
Now, instead of taking a leisurely ride over green forested hills into the Monorail Parking Structure, and the above ground entrance to the NERV base, most people hopped on a bike, and shot down the tube's to their destination. The underground terminus for all the tunnels was within an underground chamber especially constructed to serve as a large parking garage and transfer point for the motorcycles that ran back and forth. The biggest drawback was air quality. It sucked, so several fans blowing fresh air into the base and the tunnels had to be installed. This had fixed the toxic fumes problem.
He finished his third cup of coffee, decaf, because Ritsuko was worried that excessive caffeine might affect his biochemistry, and she was always wanting to take readings on him, untainted by stimulants, or other, odd, chemicals. That meant no bacon, to many nitrates, and a number of other things were right out.
The back door opened, and Toji walked in, bleary eyed.
"I'd offer you a cup, but it's unleaded, and won't do you much good," Shinji smiled. "How late did you and Hikari stay up watching movies?"
"3:30. She drifted off sometime before that, but I was too comfortable to get up and come back home," Toji yawned.
"You know, that's the fourth time in as many weeks that you two have fallen asleep together watching movies, you keep it up, and Kensuke and I are going to think that you're living in sin," Shinji joked.
Toji glared at him as only those who were suffering from too little sleep, and too much friendly advice, could glare. A happy and taunting Shinji Ikari was not something he'd ever get used to.
"Okay, Okay," Shinji said, conceding defeat. "But, you know, sooner or later she's going to ask you to make it a permanent arrangement."
"Yeah, I know. We've talked about it, but..."
"But what?"
"Well, I don't want to abandon you and Kensuke. Hey we ARE the three Musketeers after all."
'More like the three Stooges,' Shinji thought, thinking of Asuka's favorite epithet for the three male friends.
"Toji, you'll be living right next door, not on the other side of the planet. And it would give you and Hikari time to explore what its like to live together as a couple. Maybe even make the relationship more serious," Shinji observed, but thought, 'although if it gets much more serious Toji's going to be ring shopping.'
"I don't know. She and I have decided that, until something changes, for now, we'll keep this arrangement, and live apart. Living together is just too much of a temptation for us right now."
"Good luck, old man. I have to say, though, I envy you your problems. Anyhow, I've got to get to the base. I have a lesson with Sensei starting in 45 minutes, and I want to check in with Misato before I have to go. See you tonight," Shinji said, shaking his friends hand, clasping his shoulder, and walking out the back door.
He walked to the house to the west of his, and opened the door, walking inside with ease. There was nothing here, except an empty room and a stairway that led down, into the bowels of the earth. He descended, and came into the tunnel leading to the NERV base. There he got on his street bike, put on his helmet, and sped to work. Five minutes later, he'd arrived, parked his bike in the garage, and was on his way to the Command Center.
He found Misato sitting behind her desk, and enjoying a cup of coffee. He smiled. She hadn't had so much as a single can of beer since waking up next to Kaji that morning on the beach, and she seemed much the better for it. Although since the Legionnaires had arrived, he was sure she'd been tempted.
"Hey Misato, anything up for today?" he asked.
"Nope, the guys in excavation have decided that what little bit remains they can manage themselves, so no playing in the dirt for you today. Ritsuko wants you to stop by after your training session this morning. She wants to test out some of the new medical scanners that she's scavenged, to see if they can tell her anything new about the EVA."
"So it's Shinji the Human Guinea Pig to the rescue. Jeez. If I'd know she was gonna be this pushy, I'd have taken Professor Fuyutsuki and left her on that beach by herself," Shinji joked.
Misato laughed. "I know you've got it rough sometimes Shinji, but she only wants to help."
"Okay, well then I'm off for practice with Sensei," he said.
"What are you working on today?"
"Brazilian Jujitsu. It's all about holds and joint locks. I only hope that the next Legionnaire that I end up facing has places to hold and joints to lock, but oh well," he shrugged, smiling, and heading to the elevators.
He came out on the surface, into the Monorail parking garage, and began to jog to the gym. From here it was a little over 6 miles, and he was determined to make it there in less than 40 minutes. He did, but was a little winded, so he spent some time walking around with his hands over his head, elbows thrown back to let as much air into his lungs as he could get. When he'd cooled down, he went inside and changed into his workout gear.
Sensei proceeded to stretch, pull, and twist him into several painful positions, making him duplicate them when he thought he understood them. He didn't really like this kind of fighting, because it meant he was down on the ground, and the few times he'd been down on the ground with the EVA he'd almost been beaten, but he guessed that's why Sensei was having him practice like this. They were nearing the end of their scheduled session when an alarm sounded, and Shinji looked in alarm at the Sensei.
"Legionnaire," they both said, recognizing the alarm.
They didn't bother to change, instead they ran out of the gym, and Sensei drove Shinji back to the Monorail at break neck speeds.
"Go with god, Shinji," Sensei said to his back, as he sprinted for the Monorail.
Diving through the closed doors, Shinji finally reached for his phone, and dialed the Command Center.
"Misato, what is it?"
"Looks like we've got a Legionnaire sighting. Kensuke just radioed in to tell us that he's seen something huge coming out of the bay where old Tokyo- 3 was. He says it's not moving real fast, but it's headed due south."
"Right for us?"
"Got it in one kiddo."
"Ritsuko done poking and proding my EVA?"
"Even if she wasn't, she is now. She's expecting you. Need anything?"
"Just a clear path, and a good launch."
"We'll do our best. Luck Shinji," Misato said, hanging up.
Shinji finally got off the Monorail, and dashed for a special elevator put at the end of a long bank of newly installed units. He passed his NERV id into the slot, and it opened up for him. There was only one button, marked "EVA" and he pressed it. Immediately the bottom dropped out of his stomach as the elevator dropped 500 feet in a mater of seconds. The doors opened and a huge room greeted his eyes.
There in the center of the room, knelt his EVA, waiting for him. Ritsuko had wheeled some of the test equipment in here, but it was now all pushed up against the walls. Shinji was grateful she'd cleared it away. He didn't want to break it when entered the EVA.
Then he was standing below the EVA, and expanding his AT field. When it reached the S2 Unit, Shinji vanished from the room, and the EVA's eyes glowed.
Shinji/EVA stood up, and walked over to a large square, painted on the floor of the room. He touched two large circles on the wall, and several dozen thick hatches snapped open between him and the surface, giving him a straight shot.
"Ready Shinji?" came Misato's voice.
"Ready for lift, Misato," he replied.
Two large trapezoid shapes, composed of huge pieces of steel, lifted off the floor, and up to shoulder height. He turned and snapped into the cradles, and braced himself. There was a sudden jerk, and he was shooting toward the surface. As he approached two long poles were pushed out ahead of him, and he arrived on the surface with a clang, the cradles stopped at the end of their run by the top of the poles. He stepped forward and readied himself.
"Distance and heading, Misato?"
"East by Northeast, about 200 kilometers out. It's not moving very fast, so maybe that's a good sign," she said hopefully.
"I don't think there is such a thing as a good sign where the Legionnaires are concerned. Kensuke still orbiting or is he clear?"
"He's holding position about 20 kilometers out, but he's near an area where we've had several groups Awaken in the last couple weeks. He's already picked up one couple there this morning, and we were hoping that he'd get another group before the morning window closed."
"Well tell him heads up, I'm coming in."
"Shinji, what are you doing?"
"I'm going for a run Misato," and with that, Shinji/Eva took off at a run to the coordinates furnished him. The ground under him shook, as he hurtled across the countryside. A huge purple monster sprinting for all he was worth across the breadth of Japan.
"Would you look at him go," shouted Shigeru Aoba, "He's breaking 200 miles per hour."
"Now that's fast," agreed the other tech, Makoto Hyuga.
"How long till he hits the target?" Misato asked.
"Um, if he continues at this speed he'll be there in under 30 minutes."
'That is fast,' Misato thought. "Okay, someone get me Aida, and tell him helps coming, and he's to stay out of the way, and orbit just in case."
Shinji watched more and more of the countryside pass below him, and things that would normally have been enjoyable to look at flashed by in a blur. He loved this feeling. Pure exhilaration, and adrenaline. He'd be there soon, and then this Legionnaire would pay for thinking it could take him.
Maya Ibuki found herself lying on a beach. Somewhere. It wasn't like any beach she'd ever seen, though. She'd seen sand before, but the red sea before her was something different. She wondered where she was, and then the images began to flash through her mind. The assault on NERV by the JSSDF, and the culmination of 3rd Impact, and Instrumentality.
"But it didn't work. Shinji said no," She whispered, and smiled. He'd finally gained a backbone. When the rest of humanity had collapsed and joined into a single conscious mind, Shinji Ikari had refused. He'd accepted a life filled with pain, rather than an eternity as part of the whole.
"How remarkable," she said.
Down the beach, the wind carried the sound of crying. It sounded like a little girl. She got up and walked down the beach, until she found a small girl, not more than eight. Clutching a teddy bear, and crying into its fur.
"Hello, are you alright? My name is Maya. Can I help you?"
"Oh," sniff, "Oh thank goodness. I thought I was alone," she wailed, "just me and mister snuffles. And I don't want to be alone," she began to cry again, starting to hiccup.
"There there," Maya said, gathering the girl to her. "We'll see if we can't find your family, but first we need to figure out where we are. Alright?"
Another sniff, more hiccupping, "Alright," squeaked a reply.
"My name's Maya Ibuki. What's yours?"
"Mari Suzuhara."
"Aida here. Over."
"Kensuke, we've just had a Pattern Red appear between you and the target, two kilometers north of your position. Over."
"Roger. Contacts 2 Kilometers North. I'm beginning to approach for pickup. Once we have the Awakened onboard we'll make a run for the base. Over."
He gave power to the engines, dropping out of the sky quickly, toward the beach. He quickly spotted the two figures there, and considered landing inland from their position on a road about a half mile in, but the Legion was too close, barely 10 klicks away. He'd have to make this a fast pickup, if they didn't want to get caught in the crossfire.
He dropped down, and landed as close to them as he dared, as his two crewmen jumped off and drug the two frightened Awakened aboard.
"Hang on, we're getting out of here fast," he shouted, as his crewmen slammed the door shut, and shouted for him to go.
They were arrowing up into the sky when he saw the purple blur.
"My god, is that Shinji and Unit-01?" the woman behind him asked.
"Yes Ma'am, he made pretty good time too. Less than 30 minutes from here to Nagoya-2. That's almost 200 miles per hour."
"Shinji, my brother knows a guy named Shinji," said the little girl with the woman.
Kensuke poured power to the engines, and began a high-speed climb away from the coming battle.
"Oh yeah, who's your brother?" he asked, trying to keep his mind off Shinji and the Legion.
"Toji Suzuhara."
Shinji cleared the last of a small chain of hills and saw Kensuke's VTOL lifting off on his right, gaining altitude.
'Damn it,' he thought, 'this had to happen here. Now. He's too close, if this things got some kind of energy weapon Kensuke's toast.'
He saw it then, coming out of the sea. The water was less than 50 feet deep here for several miles, and Shinji could see that it had traveled across the small bay from the opposite shore, where Kensuke had first sighted it, traveling over a small peninsula.
The Legion had a head like a goats, but covered by bone instead of fur. The eyes were dull read, and its skin was covered in bony scales that were huge. It had a long, segmented, tail that looked more like the fossil tail of a dinosaur than something you'd find on a living breathing creature. If this thing did breath.
Suddenly the thing noticed the flying aircraft, receding in the distance, and it stood up to it's full height, a large jewel in it's chest glowing brightly.
"Energy Weapon. It's going to fire. Go Kensuke, Go!" he shouted, spreading his AT field, and placing himself between the Legionnaire and Kensuke's ship.
The red blast that came out of the things jewel hit his AT field and sparked, throwing shafts of light around the beach. Wherever they touched the ground blacked, and the vegetation burned.
"We're clear Shinji, we're clear. I've got the first range between us, and I'm heading for the next valley," Kensuke reported.
"Stay low and fast until you're another 5 miles out," he grunted, holding the AT field.
"No problem. Oh, and you need to get ready for another welcome back party, so hurry up and hand this thing it's ass."
"Roger Kensuke. Ikari out."
Now he could concentrate all of his energy to the battle at hand.
The thing before him took a step back, and the beam cut off. It's head slithered from side to side, and the whole body writhed like a snake. It brought up its arms, and its four fingered hands curled into fists. The fists tipped back and spikes that looked like bone slid out of the wrists. The creature grasped the spikes, which were still attached to its arms, and stepped back. It shook itself like some kind of shaggy beast, though no hair was present, and six small decayed wings sprouted from it's back, shaking free.
The goat head smiled, and Shinji could smell it's fetid breath. He reached behind him, pulling the Lance of Longinus from his back, and grasped it in both hands. It separated into two short wide blades. He brought his AT field back from where he'd extended it, and gathered it around him in it's usual protective field.
The thing let out a bark of laughter and attacked.
It came at him fast stabbing with blinding speed. Shinji knocked the spikes aside with one of his blades, and jabbed with another. He scored a hit on the things shoulder, and it howled in pain, jerking back. It swung a great arm in a roundhouse style attack, and he again got an arm up to deflect the attack, but the other arm darted in underneath, and the spike there stabbed him in the gut.
He jumped back and took up a defensive stance, waiting for it's next move.
The thing jumped in the air, and it's wings glowed with an eerie eldritch energy, and grew until they were truly huge. It hung there in the air, the six wings overlapping, casting a terrible shadow across the ground. As the shadow touched Shinji he felt his life force draining from him. His AT field sparked and became visible within the shadow, and began to dim.
He jumped back, out of the things reach, and away from the shadow.
'What the hell was that?" he thought to himself.
It raised its head and shrieked it's fury at the sky, diving onto him, attempting to stab him with its spikes. He dodged aside, but then it's tail snaked around his chest, and drug him off his feet. Lifting him up into the air, it released him and he crashed back to earth, rolling to a stop with his back against a small hill.
It was on him then, before he could get up, clawing and biting, its terrible breath fouling the air. He could feel his AT field failing again as it's shadow closed over him. It struck him with it's spikes, driving them into his chest, his stomach his shoulders again and again. He kept knocking the spikes aside, keeping them from doing any real damage, but it still hurt. And he could feel his AT field draining, his soul freezing.
The thing finally managed to pin him to the ground with one of it's spikes, as it broke through his AT field and crashed through his shoulder, and deep into the ground. He screamed, and the roar shook the ground around him. The thing grinned with malice, enjoying his scream, and raised its other arm back, ready to repeat the motion again.
Shinji dropped the Lance-blade from one hand and grabbed at the things neck, catching it, and squeezing. He could feel the cartilage crack and snap beneath his grip, and he gave a vicious yank, and the things throat tore free, but still it smiled down at him.
He concentrated his failing energy and the Lance-blade he'd dropped joined with it's twin and became a short thin blade. He stabbed it into the thing repeatedly, and still it smiled. Over and over the blade pierced its body, until at last Shinji felt the resistance he'd been hoping to find. Not in it's Chest, but down lower. High up in it's abdomen.
The thing stopped grinning, and it's eyes locked on his, and the great faceted jewel in it's chest began to glow. He stabbed with the Lance-blade as hard as he could, driving it into what he had to hope was this things S2 Unit. He felt the resistance, the slight slippery slide, as it tried to slide away, then it bit, and the blade started to slide in.
It howled, and the wings collapsed. It fell upon him, its tail limp, it's arms clawing at his, trying to withdraw the blade. It kicked him, trying to get him to flinch away. Shinji reached up with his free arm and grasped the thing again, pulling it closer to him, as the drove the blade in farther. Finally there was a snap and the blade broke through the things back.
He felt his energy return, his soul lighten, and the beast collapsed upon him, lifeless.
He lay there for a moment, recovering, and then looked at his ruined left shoulder. It was a mess. He reached up, and pulled the spike out of it. The spike grated against his bone, but he gritted his teeth and pulled. It finally slid free and he was able to stand up.
Holding the Lance in his right arm, he put it back onto his back, where it rested, waiting for it's next call, and turned toward the southwest.
"Shinji, you did it. Are you alright?"
"I think so. I'm going to have to have Ritsuko look at this shoulder, but I should be able to make it back there no problem. I'm tired though, so I'm gonna walk back, not run, alright?"
"Sure Shinji, as long as it takes. Just make sure you're in time for the party."
"The party? What? Oh. Kensuke mentioned something about that, why, who'd he pick up?"
"Maya Ibuki, the last NERV Command Officer who was missing, and a little girl."
"Really?" he asked, flexing his shoulder, and trying to focus his AT field on it so it could begin the healing.
"Arent' you going to ask who the little girl is?"
"Oh, sorry, a little out of it. Who's the little girl?"
"Toji's sister."
He stopped walking. "The one who was injured in my first battle? The same little girl who used to keep Toji wrapped around her finger? Oh, I can't wait to meet this kid. I'll be right there," he said, and began to run.
Next on Episode 2:15 of Neon Genesis Evangelion Asuka is adapting well to her life in Omsk Russia, and helps by gathering the eggs at a local farm. The keeper of the farm, and elderly Doctor will do his best to heal Asuka from the wounds she's received, but is it too little to late.
It's Evangelion Episode 2:15 Open Wounds
Episode 2:14 Fighting for a brother's love
Takes place after 1st season, and the End of Evangelion Movie.
Presumed date is December 22nd, 2016
Shinji awoke to the sounds of Kensuke revving the engine of his Suzuki Hayabusa II, and then the engine sounds softly faded.
He stretched and yawned. 'Kensuke must be off to work. I almost miss piloting recovery missions,' he thought sleepily. 'But then again, I don't miss waking up at 5 am to be on station a little after 6.'
He rolled out of bed, and headed to the shower. He spent plenty of time in there, soaking and letting the water run over him. He rubbed his face, and felt the bristles of his beard scratchy against his hands. He hadn't shaved in about a week, so it was beginning to grow out. He actually felt pretty good that he had to shave that often. Kensuke only shaved once a month, and probably really didn't need to do that, as light as his facial hair was. Toji, on the other hand, was shaving every day, and complaining that his face kept breaking out. Shinji had finally convinced him to get a wet/dry electric razor, and shave wet.
Shinji decided that he'd go ahead and wait to shave, it wouldn't hurt to wait a day or two.
'Not like I'm going to be kissing anyone anytime soon,' the thought, listlessly.
He still hoped that Asuka would keep her promise and return to him, but he was missing her more and more each day. Shaking his head, he shut off the water, and climbed out, toweling himself off, and went back to his room to dress.
Finished dressing, and tidying up his room he headed downstairs to get some breakfast. He made a light meal, and gathered up is paperwork from the day before. He sat down to examine the new information that Ritsuko had been so excited about. Apparently the EVA's armor had altered since Instrumentality, and was now a part of the body.
There were cells on the surface of the units skin that generated a plastic like Chitin molecule and some very complex proteins. The effect was that the EVA was now covered in a living Exoskeleton, very much like an insects. It helped regulate the EVA's body temperature, and was resistant to heat and energy based attacks.
Ritsuko was still trying to figure it all out. She was having a new lab built in the expanded NERV facilities, so she could continue her EVA studies. There were several rooms large enough to hold the EVA, and she'd brought in salvaged computer and medical equipment from all across Japan.
Shinji was proud of his work on the new base. Thanks to his efforts, and the manipulation of his AT field, he'd been able to complete the work of a decade in mere months. The construction crews had immediately swarmed into the large empty chambers and begun filling them with steel beams, building the NERV facility outward and downward. There was still a huge amount of work to do, but the excavation work was taken care of.
No one wanted to be caught out in the open when the next Legionnaire attacked. Many of the residents here had seen the devastation caused by the Angels in Tokyo-3 first hand. Misato had had Shinji working overtime on several different projects using his unique tunneling ability to fashion passageways and shelters deep under the base. The passageways linked the housing areas directly to the central NERV Base. Now, one no longer need spend long minutes exposed on the surface. Instead, you could travel down the tunnels composed of diamond hard compressed stone, created by Shinji/EVA.
Oh, there were still a few places not connected to the tunnels, but they were growing fewer and fewer each day. There was even a tunnel entrance less than 100 feet from where he stood right now. The house to the west his had been gutted, leaving only an empty shell, and a stairway leading down. At about 75 feet below ground the stairway opened up into one of the large tunnels. It was more than twenty feet across, and so smooth, the surface was almost like glass.
Misato and Ritsuko had originally planned that this tunnel and all the others like it would have Monorails similar to the main NERV monorail, but Shinji had pointed out that it would be hugely time and labor consuming to construct such a system. Instead, he offered, they should just bring several street bikes down, and they could be used for rapid transit down the tubes.
Now, instead of taking a leisurely ride over green forested hills into the Monorail Parking Structure, and the above ground entrance to the NERV base, most people hopped on a bike, and shot down the tube's to their destination. The underground terminus for all the tunnels was within an underground chamber especially constructed to serve as a large parking garage and transfer point for the motorcycles that ran back and forth. The biggest drawback was air quality. It sucked, so several fans blowing fresh air into the base and the tunnels had to be installed. This had fixed the toxic fumes problem.
He finished his third cup of coffee, decaf, because Ritsuko was worried that excessive caffeine might affect his biochemistry, and she was always wanting to take readings on him, untainted by stimulants, or other, odd, chemicals. That meant no bacon, to many nitrates, and a number of other things were right out.
The back door opened, and Toji walked in, bleary eyed.
"I'd offer you a cup, but it's unleaded, and won't do you much good," Shinji smiled. "How late did you and Hikari stay up watching movies?"
"3:30. She drifted off sometime before that, but I was too comfortable to get up and come back home," Toji yawned.
"You know, that's the fourth time in as many weeks that you two have fallen asleep together watching movies, you keep it up, and Kensuke and I are going to think that you're living in sin," Shinji joked.
Toji glared at him as only those who were suffering from too little sleep, and too much friendly advice, could glare. A happy and taunting Shinji Ikari was not something he'd ever get used to.
"Okay, Okay," Shinji said, conceding defeat. "But, you know, sooner or later she's going to ask you to make it a permanent arrangement."
"Yeah, I know. We've talked about it, but..."
"But what?"
"Well, I don't want to abandon you and Kensuke. Hey we ARE the three Musketeers after all."
'More like the three Stooges,' Shinji thought, thinking of Asuka's favorite epithet for the three male friends.
"Toji, you'll be living right next door, not on the other side of the planet. And it would give you and Hikari time to explore what its like to live together as a couple. Maybe even make the relationship more serious," Shinji observed, but thought, 'although if it gets much more serious Toji's going to be ring shopping.'
"I don't know. She and I have decided that, until something changes, for now, we'll keep this arrangement, and live apart. Living together is just too much of a temptation for us right now."
"Good luck, old man. I have to say, though, I envy you your problems. Anyhow, I've got to get to the base. I have a lesson with Sensei starting in 45 minutes, and I want to check in with Misato before I have to go. See you tonight," Shinji said, shaking his friends hand, clasping his shoulder, and walking out the back door.
He walked to the house to the west of his, and opened the door, walking inside with ease. There was nothing here, except an empty room and a stairway that led down, into the bowels of the earth. He descended, and came into the tunnel leading to the NERV base. There he got on his street bike, put on his helmet, and sped to work. Five minutes later, he'd arrived, parked his bike in the garage, and was on his way to the Command Center.
He found Misato sitting behind her desk, and enjoying a cup of coffee. He smiled. She hadn't had so much as a single can of beer since waking up next to Kaji that morning on the beach, and she seemed much the better for it. Although since the Legionnaires had arrived, he was sure she'd been tempted.
"Hey Misato, anything up for today?" he asked.
"Nope, the guys in excavation have decided that what little bit remains they can manage themselves, so no playing in the dirt for you today. Ritsuko wants you to stop by after your training session this morning. She wants to test out some of the new medical scanners that she's scavenged, to see if they can tell her anything new about the EVA."
"So it's Shinji the Human Guinea Pig to the rescue. Jeez. If I'd know she was gonna be this pushy, I'd have taken Professor Fuyutsuki and left her on that beach by herself," Shinji joked.
Misato laughed. "I know you've got it rough sometimes Shinji, but she only wants to help."
"Okay, well then I'm off for practice with Sensei," he said.
"What are you working on today?"
"Brazilian Jujitsu. It's all about holds and joint locks. I only hope that the next Legionnaire that I end up facing has places to hold and joints to lock, but oh well," he shrugged, smiling, and heading to the elevators.
He came out on the surface, into the Monorail parking garage, and began to jog to the gym. From here it was a little over 6 miles, and he was determined to make it there in less than 40 minutes. He did, but was a little winded, so he spent some time walking around with his hands over his head, elbows thrown back to let as much air into his lungs as he could get. When he'd cooled down, he went inside and changed into his workout gear.
Sensei proceeded to stretch, pull, and twist him into several painful positions, making him duplicate them when he thought he understood them. He didn't really like this kind of fighting, because it meant he was down on the ground, and the few times he'd been down on the ground with the EVA he'd almost been beaten, but he guessed that's why Sensei was having him practice like this. They were nearing the end of their scheduled session when an alarm sounded, and Shinji looked in alarm at the Sensei.
"Legionnaire," they both said, recognizing the alarm.
They didn't bother to change, instead they ran out of the gym, and Sensei drove Shinji back to the Monorail at break neck speeds.
"Go with god, Shinji," Sensei said to his back, as he sprinted for the Monorail.
Diving through the closed doors, Shinji finally reached for his phone, and dialed the Command Center.
"Misato, what is it?"
"Looks like we've got a Legionnaire sighting. Kensuke just radioed in to tell us that he's seen something huge coming out of the bay where old Tokyo- 3 was. He says it's not moving real fast, but it's headed due south."
"Right for us?"
"Got it in one kiddo."
"Ritsuko done poking and proding my EVA?"
"Even if she wasn't, she is now. She's expecting you. Need anything?"
"Just a clear path, and a good launch."
"We'll do our best. Luck Shinji," Misato said, hanging up.
Shinji finally got off the Monorail, and dashed for a special elevator put at the end of a long bank of newly installed units. He passed his NERV id into the slot, and it opened up for him. There was only one button, marked "EVA" and he pressed it. Immediately the bottom dropped out of his stomach as the elevator dropped 500 feet in a mater of seconds. The doors opened and a huge room greeted his eyes.
There in the center of the room, knelt his EVA, waiting for him. Ritsuko had wheeled some of the test equipment in here, but it was now all pushed up against the walls. Shinji was grateful she'd cleared it away. He didn't want to break it when entered the EVA.
Then he was standing below the EVA, and expanding his AT field. When it reached the S2 Unit, Shinji vanished from the room, and the EVA's eyes glowed.
Shinji/EVA stood up, and walked over to a large square, painted on the floor of the room. He touched two large circles on the wall, and several dozen thick hatches snapped open between him and the surface, giving him a straight shot.
"Ready Shinji?" came Misato's voice.
"Ready for lift, Misato," he replied.
Two large trapezoid shapes, composed of huge pieces of steel, lifted off the floor, and up to shoulder height. He turned and snapped into the cradles, and braced himself. There was a sudden jerk, and he was shooting toward the surface. As he approached two long poles were pushed out ahead of him, and he arrived on the surface with a clang, the cradles stopped at the end of their run by the top of the poles. He stepped forward and readied himself.
"Distance and heading, Misato?"
"East by Northeast, about 200 kilometers out. It's not moving very fast, so maybe that's a good sign," she said hopefully.
"I don't think there is such a thing as a good sign where the Legionnaires are concerned. Kensuke still orbiting or is he clear?"
"He's holding position about 20 kilometers out, but he's near an area where we've had several groups Awaken in the last couple weeks. He's already picked up one couple there this morning, and we were hoping that he'd get another group before the morning window closed."
"Well tell him heads up, I'm coming in."
"Shinji, what are you doing?"
"I'm going for a run Misato," and with that, Shinji/Eva took off at a run to the coordinates furnished him. The ground under him shook, as he hurtled across the countryside. A huge purple monster sprinting for all he was worth across the breadth of Japan.
"Would you look at him go," shouted Shigeru Aoba, "He's breaking 200 miles per hour."
"Now that's fast," agreed the other tech, Makoto Hyuga.
"How long till he hits the target?" Misato asked.
"Um, if he continues at this speed he'll be there in under 30 minutes."
'That is fast,' Misato thought. "Okay, someone get me Aida, and tell him helps coming, and he's to stay out of the way, and orbit just in case."
Shinji watched more and more of the countryside pass below him, and things that would normally have been enjoyable to look at flashed by in a blur. He loved this feeling. Pure exhilaration, and adrenaline. He'd be there soon, and then this Legionnaire would pay for thinking it could take him.
Maya Ibuki found herself lying on a beach. Somewhere. It wasn't like any beach she'd ever seen, though. She'd seen sand before, but the red sea before her was something different. She wondered where she was, and then the images began to flash through her mind. The assault on NERV by the JSSDF, and the culmination of 3rd Impact, and Instrumentality.
"But it didn't work. Shinji said no," She whispered, and smiled. He'd finally gained a backbone. When the rest of humanity had collapsed and joined into a single conscious mind, Shinji Ikari had refused. He'd accepted a life filled with pain, rather than an eternity as part of the whole.
"How remarkable," she said.
Down the beach, the wind carried the sound of crying. It sounded like a little girl. She got up and walked down the beach, until she found a small girl, not more than eight. Clutching a teddy bear, and crying into its fur.
"Hello, are you alright? My name is Maya. Can I help you?"
"Oh," sniff, "Oh thank goodness. I thought I was alone," she wailed, "just me and mister snuffles. And I don't want to be alone," she began to cry again, starting to hiccup.
"There there," Maya said, gathering the girl to her. "We'll see if we can't find your family, but first we need to figure out where we are. Alright?"
Another sniff, more hiccupping, "Alright," squeaked a reply.
"My name's Maya Ibuki. What's yours?"
"Mari Suzuhara."
"Aida here. Over."
"Kensuke, we've just had a Pattern Red appear between you and the target, two kilometers north of your position. Over."
"Roger. Contacts 2 Kilometers North. I'm beginning to approach for pickup. Once we have the Awakened onboard we'll make a run for the base. Over."
He gave power to the engines, dropping out of the sky quickly, toward the beach. He quickly spotted the two figures there, and considered landing inland from their position on a road about a half mile in, but the Legion was too close, barely 10 klicks away. He'd have to make this a fast pickup, if they didn't want to get caught in the crossfire.
He dropped down, and landed as close to them as he dared, as his two crewmen jumped off and drug the two frightened Awakened aboard.
"Hang on, we're getting out of here fast," he shouted, as his crewmen slammed the door shut, and shouted for him to go.
They were arrowing up into the sky when he saw the purple blur.
"My god, is that Shinji and Unit-01?" the woman behind him asked.
"Yes Ma'am, he made pretty good time too. Less than 30 minutes from here to Nagoya-2. That's almost 200 miles per hour."
"Shinji, my brother knows a guy named Shinji," said the little girl with the woman.
Kensuke poured power to the engines, and began a high-speed climb away from the coming battle.
"Oh yeah, who's your brother?" he asked, trying to keep his mind off Shinji and the Legion.
"Toji Suzuhara."
Shinji cleared the last of a small chain of hills and saw Kensuke's VTOL lifting off on his right, gaining altitude.
'Damn it,' he thought, 'this had to happen here. Now. He's too close, if this things got some kind of energy weapon Kensuke's toast.'
He saw it then, coming out of the sea. The water was less than 50 feet deep here for several miles, and Shinji could see that it had traveled across the small bay from the opposite shore, where Kensuke had first sighted it, traveling over a small peninsula.
The Legion had a head like a goats, but covered by bone instead of fur. The eyes were dull read, and its skin was covered in bony scales that were huge. It had a long, segmented, tail that looked more like the fossil tail of a dinosaur than something you'd find on a living breathing creature. If this thing did breath.
Suddenly the thing noticed the flying aircraft, receding in the distance, and it stood up to it's full height, a large jewel in it's chest glowing brightly.
"Energy Weapon. It's going to fire. Go Kensuke, Go!" he shouted, spreading his AT field, and placing himself between the Legionnaire and Kensuke's ship.
The red blast that came out of the things jewel hit his AT field and sparked, throwing shafts of light around the beach. Wherever they touched the ground blacked, and the vegetation burned.
"We're clear Shinji, we're clear. I've got the first range between us, and I'm heading for the next valley," Kensuke reported.
"Stay low and fast until you're another 5 miles out," he grunted, holding the AT field.
"No problem. Oh, and you need to get ready for another welcome back party, so hurry up and hand this thing it's ass."
"Roger Kensuke. Ikari out."
Now he could concentrate all of his energy to the battle at hand.
The thing before him took a step back, and the beam cut off. It's head slithered from side to side, and the whole body writhed like a snake. It brought up its arms, and its four fingered hands curled into fists. The fists tipped back and spikes that looked like bone slid out of the wrists. The creature grasped the spikes, which were still attached to its arms, and stepped back. It shook itself like some kind of shaggy beast, though no hair was present, and six small decayed wings sprouted from it's back, shaking free.
The goat head smiled, and Shinji could smell it's fetid breath. He reached behind him, pulling the Lance of Longinus from his back, and grasped it in both hands. It separated into two short wide blades. He brought his AT field back from where he'd extended it, and gathered it around him in it's usual protective field.
The thing let out a bark of laughter and attacked.
It came at him fast stabbing with blinding speed. Shinji knocked the spikes aside with one of his blades, and jabbed with another. He scored a hit on the things shoulder, and it howled in pain, jerking back. It swung a great arm in a roundhouse style attack, and he again got an arm up to deflect the attack, but the other arm darted in underneath, and the spike there stabbed him in the gut.
He jumped back and took up a defensive stance, waiting for it's next move.
The thing jumped in the air, and it's wings glowed with an eerie eldritch energy, and grew until they were truly huge. It hung there in the air, the six wings overlapping, casting a terrible shadow across the ground. As the shadow touched Shinji he felt his life force draining from him. His AT field sparked and became visible within the shadow, and began to dim.
He jumped back, out of the things reach, and away from the shadow.
'What the hell was that?" he thought to himself.
It raised its head and shrieked it's fury at the sky, diving onto him, attempting to stab him with its spikes. He dodged aside, but then it's tail snaked around his chest, and drug him off his feet. Lifting him up into the air, it released him and he crashed back to earth, rolling to a stop with his back against a small hill.
It was on him then, before he could get up, clawing and biting, its terrible breath fouling the air. He could feel his AT field failing again as it's shadow closed over him. It struck him with it's spikes, driving them into his chest, his stomach his shoulders again and again. He kept knocking the spikes aside, keeping them from doing any real damage, but it still hurt. And he could feel his AT field draining, his soul freezing.
The thing finally managed to pin him to the ground with one of it's spikes, as it broke through his AT field and crashed through his shoulder, and deep into the ground. He screamed, and the roar shook the ground around him. The thing grinned with malice, enjoying his scream, and raised its other arm back, ready to repeat the motion again.
Shinji dropped the Lance-blade from one hand and grabbed at the things neck, catching it, and squeezing. He could feel the cartilage crack and snap beneath his grip, and he gave a vicious yank, and the things throat tore free, but still it smiled down at him.
He concentrated his failing energy and the Lance-blade he'd dropped joined with it's twin and became a short thin blade. He stabbed it into the thing repeatedly, and still it smiled. Over and over the blade pierced its body, until at last Shinji felt the resistance he'd been hoping to find. Not in it's Chest, but down lower. High up in it's abdomen.
The thing stopped grinning, and it's eyes locked on his, and the great faceted jewel in it's chest began to glow. He stabbed with the Lance-blade as hard as he could, driving it into what he had to hope was this things S2 Unit. He felt the resistance, the slight slippery slide, as it tried to slide away, then it bit, and the blade started to slide in.
It howled, and the wings collapsed. It fell upon him, its tail limp, it's arms clawing at his, trying to withdraw the blade. It kicked him, trying to get him to flinch away. Shinji reached up with his free arm and grasped the thing again, pulling it closer to him, as the drove the blade in farther. Finally there was a snap and the blade broke through the things back.
He felt his energy return, his soul lighten, and the beast collapsed upon him, lifeless.
He lay there for a moment, recovering, and then looked at his ruined left shoulder. It was a mess. He reached up, and pulled the spike out of it. The spike grated against his bone, but he gritted his teeth and pulled. It finally slid free and he was able to stand up.
Holding the Lance in his right arm, he put it back onto his back, where it rested, waiting for it's next call, and turned toward the southwest.
"Shinji, you did it. Are you alright?"
"I think so. I'm going to have to have Ritsuko look at this shoulder, but I should be able to make it back there no problem. I'm tired though, so I'm gonna walk back, not run, alright?"
"Sure Shinji, as long as it takes. Just make sure you're in time for the party."
"The party? What? Oh. Kensuke mentioned something about that, why, who'd he pick up?"
"Maya Ibuki, the last NERV Command Officer who was missing, and a little girl."
"Really?" he asked, flexing his shoulder, and trying to focus his AT field on it so it could begin the healing.
"Arent' you going to ask who the little girl is?"
"Oh, sorry, a little out of it. Who's the little girl?"
"Toji's sister."
He stopped walking. "The one who was injured in my first battle? The same little girl who used to keep Toji wrapped around her finger? Oh, I can't wait to meet this kid. I'll be right there," he said, and began to run.
Next on Episode 2:15 of Neon Genesis Evangelion Asuka is adapting well to her life in Omsk Russia, and helps by gathering the eggs at a local farm. The keeper of the farm, and elderly Doctor will do his best to heal Asuka from the wounds she's received, but is it too little to late.
It's Evangelion Episode 2:15 Open Wounds