Disclaimer: Evangelion is owned by Gainax and ZOE is owned by Konami.
In the depths of Cyberspace Ikari Gendo was sitting in with a meeting of the SEELE. They were the organization that ran the world from the shadows, and subsequently funded and supplied Nerv. This was not a scheduled meeting, it was an emergency meeting caused by the sudden emergence of BAHRAM and the successful test of their powerful weapons, the Orbital Frame. The monoliths that represented the thirteen members of SEELE came to discuss and plan this latest development.
"This was not in the scenario!" SEELE 06 gripped. "There was not mention of the 'Voice' in the Dead Sea Scrolls. How can it be powering these Orbital Frames?"
"I do not believe it is the 'Voice,'" SEELE 08 said. "I believe it is just a codename for the power source. The real question is where did BAHRAM come from and how are they getting their funding?"
"I have looked into their history," SEELE 02 spoke up. "But up until they appeared a month before the demonstration of their prototype there were no records."
"They cannot be just a month old," SEELE 03 said. "Dr. Akagi Naoko and Dr. McLain Lawrence's appearance is proof of that. Dr. McLain was asked to join GEHIRN after the Katsuragi Expedition. He turned it down. Then after the Magi Computer was completed ten years ago Dr. Akagi disappeared. That means that BAHRAM has been in operation for at least as long as Second Impact occurred, maybe even longer. And then there is your son being the Pilot or Runner of that machine, how do you explain that Ikari."
"I cannot," Gendo answered. "If you remember he disappeared over a year ago when he ran away. No one had seen him until the demonstration sense then."
"We need more information," SEELE 01 said. "Ikari, you will find out as much information as you can and report back to us."
"I have already taken steps for that," Gendo replied. "The Scenario will be put back on schedule."
"On that subject," SEELE 02 spoke up. "We are sending Unit 02 from the German Branch a head schedule. It will be needed incase BAHRAM proves to be a threat to us. We have all seen the performance of just one of these machines and if they become hostile it could prove a significant hindrance."
"Then we should accurate the production of the other Eva Units as well," SEELE 13 said. "We cannot take any chances that BAHRAM can produce more Orbital Frames. If they do and they prove effective the public will place their faith in them. Especially if the future Runners are not children, the public only accepts our use of children because there has been no other alternative."
"The public is of no consequence," SEELE 10 scoffed.
"I disagree," SEELE 01 said. "We may be able to control most of the information but enough may leak out to the public. And the public demand will force the governments to side with BAHRAM. Regardless of our position and control the governments of the world are run by public opinion. So we shall accelerate our planning, that means that you will as well Ikari. And that includes Dummy Plug System, have it fully operational in two months."
"I understand," Gendo said.
"This meeting is adjourned," SEELE 01 ordered. One by one the monoliths disappeared until only Gendo was visible.
Soon the lights came on in Gendo's Office with Fuyutuski standing behind him. "How did it go?"
"As expected," Gendo answered. "They are worried and that is cause for alarm. They have never been worried; angry yes, concerned yes, but never worried."
A few minutes later the door to the office opened up and Ritsuko walked in. The moment she did Gendo asked, "What have you found out from her?"
"Very little in terms of what BAHRAM is," Ritsuko answered. "Mother is being rather tight lipped in the details. The only thing she said to me was what I already suspected."
"And that is?" Fuyutuski asked.
"That just before the Magi was completed she was recruited by her old college rival/colleague McLain Lawrence," Dr. Akagi answered. "She has been working for them ever since she disappeared with no contact with anyone outside BAHRAM."
"Is there anything else that you wish to report?" Gendo asked.
"Only that it appears Mother is the legal guardian of your son," she replied.
If it were not for his glasses the younger Akagi would have seen his eyes narrow, "Thank you Dr. That will be all." She nodded and left without another word.
"What will you do?" the Sub-Commander asked. "Especially with your son involved with them?" Gendo did not answer and Fuyutuski took it as a sign that he did not know, or at least not entirely, what he would do.
Shinji walked down the street to his knew school. He had just moved to Tokyo-3 and was enrolled in the local middle school. Most of the courses would do him little good considering his education in the last year, but the classes that had been pushed aside in his education would be right around his level. The closer he got the more nervous he became. Even before he ran away from his guardian Shinji had never really fit in with people his own age. And spending a year around nothing but adults with the equivalent of military training did not help much either.
When he came to the school he saw several groups of students gathered in small groups around the courtyard. Out of habit from his training he surveyed the groups taking in details about them. One group was of three girls giggling and pointing at a couple of boys across the yard, it was obvious what they were talking about. A group of boys was making gestures with their hands in the shape of round objects, from their red faces and the fact that they kept glancing around it was clear they were describing a woman one had scene probably in some kind of revealing outfit. All in all, the teenagers were acting just like one would expect of their age group. The only people that caught Shinji's attention was an albino girl sitting under a tree by herself and a trio consisting of two boys and one girl. The trio caught his attention because the blonde boy with glasses seemed to be bothering the girl while the other larger boy was trying to pull the one with glasses away. At the distance he was at Shinji was able to pick up a couple of words like, 'Pilot,' 'Robot,' and 'Please.' Because the words were coming from the blonde with glasses Shinji knew they were directed at the girl. The words led Shinji to conclude, "So she's the other pilot. Naoko told last night that all three pilots were girls." He looked over at the albino sitting by herself, "And that is Ayanami Rei the First Child." Naoko had told Shinji about her work under his father and told him about Rei. Other than saying Rei was a quite girl Naoko did not have much to say. "Doesn't look like she's changed."
"COME ON TELL ME WHAT IT'S LIKE, PLEASE?" the shout came from the blonde boy at the girl. No one except Shinji paid attention to the shout indicating it was a common occurrence. In Shinji's opinion the boy was being rather pathetic in his pleas.
"KESUKE SHUT UP BEFORE…" the other boy's threat was cut off by the bell ringing.
Not more than fifteen minutes later Shinji was standing outside class A-2. He was told to wait outside until the teacher called him in. From the other side of the door Shinji heard the old teacher say, "Class we have a new student joining us today, Ikari Shinji." Shinji took this as his que to enter the room. When he stepped inside the entire class was focused on him. However two were showing much more interest in him than the others, Ayanami Rei and the girl that was being bothered earlier.
"Considering my father," that thought made his stomach churn with anger, "is the Commander of Nerv that is not at all surprising."
"Please introduce yourself Mr. Ikari," the teacher instructed.
Shinji went up the front of the class gave a slight bow. "Hello I'm Ikari Shinji. I just moved into the city with my Guardian."
"Thank you Mr. Ikari," the teacher said. "Take a seat next to Ms. Hokari." The girl raised her hand showing it was the girl from outside. Shinji nodded and went to take a seat.
Fifteen minutes into class and Shinji was already starting to become very bored. The teacher spoke with a complete monotone voice about the world before Second Impact. Shinji would not have minded as much if this was a History Class, but right now the teacher was suppose to be teaching them language studies. Added to the fact that Shinji already knew the truth about Second Impact it was very difficult to stay focused on the teacher. After the seventh time his eyes glazed over Shinji decided to look around on the local network to pass the time.
As soon as he logged on he got several messages. Most of them were just classmates asking about whom he was and such. Not really wanting to talk about himself he ignored those messages. There were three that caught his attention. One asked 'Are you a knew pilot for the Evas?' Another asked, 'Are you related to Commander Ikari?' and the third asked 'Have you seen this hot woman with purple hair anywhere around?' The only reason he looked at the third message was because of how unusual it was. He answered with a 'No' and the second boy from earlier made an audible groan.
The first messages he answered in order with, 'No' and 'Yes.' The no received a groan from the kid with glasses and the second followed by the Hokari girl next to him looking at his curiously. She turned back to her computer and started typing. Shinji did not give her a chance to send the message and logged out of the Chat Room. He did want to be rude but he did not want to talk about his father even more.
As the day progressed Shinji soon learned that regardless of the Class he was in the teacher would be the same boring guy who would not stop talking about life before Second Impact. So needless to say Shinji thought this day was a big waste of time and could not wait until the day was over. When the dismissal bell finally rang Shinji was one of the many students that let out a relieved sigh. Just as he was about to get up a female voice next to him caught his attention, "Hello I'm Hokari Hikari."
"Hello I'm Ikari Shinji," Shinji greeted out of politeness. He really did not want to talk to the girl because he had a feeling that she wanted to talk about his father.
Shinji was soon proven correct. "I was the one that asked if you were Commander Ikari's son," Hikari stated. She was very unsure what to do at this point. She figured she should get to know the child and maybe find out about the man. The only thing she knew for certain was that he was a very cold and serious man.
"Yes I am," Shinji said with clear anger in his voice. "Look I don't really like the man so don't talk about him."
"I…I'm sorry I didn't know," Hikari said. She looked a mix between frightened, sad and a bit of guilt.
"No, I'm sorry I shouldn't have snapped at you," Shinji said. As silence descended on the pair Shinji started to try and think of ways to get a pleasant conversation going. Just because she worked for the man he hated did not mean he should be mean to her.
That however was taken out of Shinji's hands as another female voice joined the two. "You are the pilot for the Orbital Frame Idalo," the pair turned to see that Rei was the one who spoke.
"Yes I am," Shinji confirmed. He remembered the conversation he had over the weekend with Naoko, Lawrence and the Director.
Flashback
"The UN was impressed with us enough to allow our involvement in the war with the Angles," the Director said. "Once our operations are set up in Tokyo-3 we will be relocated there as our main facility."
"Who will be in charge in fighting the Angles?" Lawrence asked. "I don't want to be under Nerv's command."
"We shall be under our own command unless there is an attack," the Director answered. "Then we will coordinate with Nerv Chief of Operation Captain Katsuragi Misato. Her strategies have proven effective against the Angles so far. She will issue field orders and we will act accordingly, for now at least. Outside of that we are a completely independent and autonomous organization."
"Meaning that Commander Ikari will have no say in what we do," Naoko said. "But then again we will not have any say in what they do either."
"That includes the Magi," Lawrence said. "What if they order the Magi to cut off our power during an Angle attack?"
"You don't think they would actually do that do you?" Shinji asked.
"I doubt most people of Nerv would think of something like that," Naoko assured. "But the Commander might try it. But we don't have to worry about that. I've already taken steps to prevent that. No one knows the Magi like I do, that includes everyone at Nerv put together."
"Shinji you will starting school again once we relocate to Tokyo-3," the Director said. "When you do you will be placed into the same class as the First and Third Child. Do not tell them anything about BAHRAM, but do make an effort to get to know them. For the time being you will fighting along side them, so it would be wise to get to know them."
"Yes Sir," Shinji said.
Flashback End
And you are Ayanami Rei, Pilot of Eva Unit 01," Shinji returned.
"Yes," Rei confirmed.
"You…you're the pilot of that other machine?" Hikari asked and Shinji nodded. "Wow, I hope it's not like that Jet Alone machine. I heard that thing almost exploded."
"I can assure you that won't happen," Shinji replied. He then turned to Rei, "I heard you helped stop the Jet Alone."
"You are correct, Frame Runner Ikari," Rei said.
"You can call me Shinji if you want Ayanami," Shinji offered. "You to Hokari."
"I'll call you Shinji if you call me Hikari," Hikari said with a smile. So far she liked Shinji, he was nothing like his father. He seemed rather nice. She just wondered why Shinji did not want to talk about his relationship with the Commander of Nerv.
Rei did not respond to Shinji's gesture but turned to Hikari, "Pilot Hikari do not forget we have tests this afternoon." She turned and walked away but before she left the room she said, "I look forward to working with you later, Shinji."
After the blue haired girl left Hikari went to follow. "Like Ayanami said I have tests so I have to go. I hope we work well together too."
Unknown to the two girls and boy they were being watched from outside the classroom. "He's only here a day and already he has both Hikari and Ayanami talking to him," the blonde with glasses said. "Hey Toji what do you think they see in him?"
His larger friend Toji was not paying attention. Instead his entire focus was on the new kid in the classroom. For some reason, some would say jealousy, he was rather angry that the kid was talking with Hikari. As Shinji left the room and made his way down the hall Toji finally spoke to his friend, "Come on Kensuke, I want to 'talk' to the new kid."
"Uh oh," was all Kensuke said. He knew that tone of voice anywhere. It was the same voice he had when his sister got hurt in the first Angle Attack. The two reasons Toji did not do anything was because he never hit girls even when he was really angry with them and Ayanami came wrapped in bandages.
By the time the pair took off to catch up with Shinji he was outside the building and heading down the street. Toji tried to catch up with him but by the time he reached the gate Shinji was long gone. He hit his fist into his hand, "Danm I'll get him next time!"
"Worried the new kid is going to steal your girlfriend?" Kensuke joked.
"She's not my girlfriend!" Toji retorted with a blush. "I…I just don't want her being bothered. It'll mess with piloting."
"Sure it will," Kensuke said sarcastically earning him a hit on the head by Toji.
