Disclaimer –
The original story Neon Genesis Evangelion, its characters and all other trademarks are used without permission. The originals are mine, and will be named in the author notes of the first chapter they appear in. I will be making no profit from this story.
Evangelion Chronicles
by Room3
Chapter 05 – Seeds Of The Future
"So, Unit 00 is now ready for combat?" Keele's voice asked over the phone.
"That's what Dr. Akagi assures me," Fuyutski replied, unconsciously fiddling with the phone's cable. "The latest activation test was a complete success. No abnormalities whatsoever."
"Just as well," the head of Seele said, "considering the current state of Unit 01. Have you discovered the source of the problem yet?"
"Dr. Akagi says she has isolated it and will have it sorted within the next four or five days at most," Kouzou answered, leaning back in his chair while his fingers continued to play with the cable.
"So by this time next week you will have two fully functional Evangelions. Excellent," Lorentz commented. "I assume you know about the 'Jet-Alone' trial?" he asked, his tone making it clear how unhappy he was about it.
"Yes, I do."
"And?"
"I've sent Dr. Akagi as our representative," the professor answered. "Personally, I don't think we have anything to worry about. They don't even know about AT Fields, yet alone have any idea as to what is necessary to generate one. And without that capacity, those expensive toys of theirs have no chance of defeating the Angels."
"True," the elder of the two murmured grudgingly. "But still, a successful trial-run would cause more than a few problems for us."
"Yes, it would," Fuyutski agreed. "But I have a feeling that that won't be a problem," he added casually.
"Oh?"
"I have a bad feeling that there will be some kind of malfunction during the test," Kouzou related innocently. "You know how poor quality Spanish manufacturing is these days. And I believe a large number of parts for the one they're testing were made in Spain."
"I see your point," Lorentz replied, understanding dawning on him. He should have suspected that the situation would be in hand already. "Have a copy of Dr. Akagi's report forwarded to me would you."
"Certainly, Lorentz. Is there anything else?" Fuyutski enquired, sitting up in his seat and extracting his fingers from the phone cord.
"Actually, yes. The committee has received an official letter of complaint from the chief engineer of Unit 02 in Germany. He was rather upset by the request he received last week."
"I thought he might be," the commander of Nerv admitted, sighing. He began drumming his fingers on his desk. "But with the problems they've had under his tenure, not to mention the difficulties we've had here, a level four diagnostic seems a perfectly logical precaution. Wouldn't you agree?"
"I'll take your word for it, Kouzou. You know I'm not that good with the technical stuff," Keele responded, his tone showing that he could see the professor's point of view. "I'll have a response sent to him letting him know the request stands."
"That would be appreciated, thank you."
"You'll still have to explain the request at Thursday's committee meeting."
"I thought I might."
"Well then, until Thursday."
"Until Thursday," Fuyutski repeated. The line went dead and he placed the handset back on its base unit. He was about to open a file on his desk when there was a knock at his office door.
"Enter." The door slid open to reveal Lieutenant Ibuki; she was clutching a rather thick file in her hands. "Yes, lieutenant?"
"Dr. Akagi told me to bring these to you sir," Maya informed him, walking over to his desk and placing the papers down.
The professor grimaced as he looked at the size of the pile. "She's always so damned thorough," he muttered, eliciting a grin from Ibuki. "All I asked for was a comparison on the two Angel encounters so far."
"She just wanted to make sure all the data you needed was here," the lieutenant replied. The professor had to hide the frown he felt wanted to develop at her tone. It had sounded almost…defensive? Ritsuko had commented on how skilled her assistant was on many occasions. Could it be that she had been the one to compile the data? Or was there something else going on?
"I'm sure it will be," he replied, a fake smile on his lips. "Was there anything else, lieutenant?"
"No, sir," Maya responded, shaking her head.
"Then I'll let you get back to work. I believe you're in charge of the team working on Unit 01?"
"I am, sir," she replied. "But I've also got to cover Dr. Akagi's assignments until she gets back." She sighed softly as she realised just how much work that would entail. 'At least I won't be bored.'
"Well, don't work too hard," Kouzou told her. "And remember to delegate jobs to other people. You don't have to do every little thing yourself."
"I will, sir," Ibuki assured him before turning around and walking from the room. As the door slid shut behind her the professor took another look at the pile of paperwork she'd deposited on his desk and exhaled noisily.
"This is gonna take a while," he muttered, moving the pile towards him. A closer examination showed that the pile had been broken up into a number of smaller sections, each within its own folder. He picked up the first one and began to read.
"Will you be going to school tomorrow?" Shinji asked the blue-haired girl sat across from him. They were sat at the large dining table in the dormitory's living room.
She looked up from the meal the two of them had prepared. He'd asked that question every evening for the last several days. Blinking once, she replied calmly "I will."
"Where'd you go?" Ikari asked as she chewed a mouthful of noodles. He'd been wanting to ask that question for days, but hadn't had the nerve to do so. He looked down at his plate, focusing on the food sat there.
Rei swallowed before speaking, a puzzled expression creasing her brow. "Where did I go when?" she enquired.
"The day of the last Angel attack," the boy clarified.
"I was assisting Dr. Akagi," the first-child informed him. "I am not at liberty to discuss what I was doing."
"Oh," Shinji responded absently, lifting his laden chopsticks to his mouth. He stared at the food for a moment, as if trying to figure something out, before putting it in his mouth. "What do you think of it? School, I mean."
"School is still a new experience for me," Ayanami answered softly. "It is…unsettling to be around so many young people." She looked at him. "You have always attended to school for your educational needs, have you not?"
"Uh-huh," the boy nodded.
"I am puzzled by our teacher. The literature I have read about school mentions that we should be taught a variety of different subjects, most of which will assist us in the future. Our teacher seems to be failing in that. All of his lessons revolve around the world of the past. I do not see how knowledge of events prior to Second Impact will be of any assistance to us with our future endeavours." She paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Also, our fellow students do not appear to be paying any attention to his lessons. Is this the normal situation in school?"
"What, students ignoring teachers?" Ikari replied, leaning back in his chair. "It happens a lot," he shrugged. "And as for our teacher…" he trailed off, lost in thought. "Well, I'm not sure why he teaches what he does. He just gets started talking about something and completely looses touch with reality."
"I see," the girl said, placing her chopsticks down on her now empty plate. "And our fellow students?"
"I dunno. I guess they've just gotten used to him and his ways."
"And what of the syllabus that Professor Koyasu is supposed to be teaching us?" Rei enquired, cocking her head to one side.
"Haven't got a clue," the third-child shrugged. He looked down at his empty plate. "You know, Ayanami, I think you've gotten the hang of noodles. Perhaps you'd like to try something else tomorrow?"
"That would be agreeable."
"I've got a couple of ideas. If I make a list, can you get a few things from the store after school tomorrow? I would, but Makoto told me Lieutenant Ibuki wants me for something."
"I do not believe I shall have any difficulty completing such a task."
"Thanks."
Silence reigned between the two for a few moments, before Rei spoke again. "I find I have a question that I would like to ask you, but I am unsure of how you would react to it."
Shinji looked at the girl for a moment. He could see the indecision in her eyes. It was faint, but having gotten used to her, Ikari could see it. "What's the question?" he asked, before quickly adding "I'm not saying I'll answer it though."
"What was it like piloting the Evangelion during battle?" Ayanami responded with a barely perceptible pause.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because Unit 00 is now ready for combat and I found myself…uncertain about the prospect," the first-child replied, looking down at her empty plate. She looked up at Shinji, staring him in the eye. "I am curious as to how you feel about piloting during combat."
"To be honest, it's something I wish wasn't necessary," the boy said, sighing. "Both times I've launched, I've been scared out of my mind, worried I won't come back. But once I'm out there, I push that fear away. If I don't, then I wouldn't be able to pilot. I'd just…run away, I guess."
"What is fear?" the blue-haired girl enquired.
"You don't know?"
"I would not have asked if I did know," she replied calmly.
"Fear can be many things," the third-child said, thinking hard and creasing his brow. "It holds you back." Shinji stood up and began pacing. "When you're afraid, you wonder whether or not you're doing the right thing. You wonder 'is it worth it?' It makes you question yourself and your worth." He paused to think
"Fear is bad then?" Rei asked, watching the boy.
"Not always," Ikari replied. "Fear can also be good sometimes." He caught her expression. "It stops you making mistakes," he explained, "from trying to do things that you can't."
"Fear assists one in knowing their limitations."
"Yes."
"But do you not have to surpass your limitations in order to grow?" Ayanami enquired.
"I guess so," Shinji shrugged.
"What of fear then?"
"You push it aside, take no notice of it."
"Is that easy to do?"
"Sometimes," the third-child responded, dropping heavily into one of the chairs in front of the television. "But sometimes it's almost impossible to ignore." He looked over at the girl. "You know, some people say you can only feel alive when you're afraid."
"How do you know when you are afraid?"
"Me?" the boy asked. Rei nodded. "Let's see," Ikari murmured thoughtfully. "I sweat. I breathe faster," he said. Lifting his left hand he added "My left hand twitches. I swallow a lot. My stomach feels queasy. I get jumpy."
"Does everyone react in the same manner?" the blue-haired first-child asked.
"I don't know," Shinji answered, his head shaking slightly. "Are you afraid to pilot during a battle?"
The girl was silent for a short time, her eyes looking downwards. "I believe that I am," she murmured softly, blinking.
Makoto walked across the umbilical bridge and stooped next the grey-haired figure who was looking up at the face of Evangelion Unit 01. "You asked to see me, professor," he said.
"Yes, I did, lieutenant," Fuyutski said, turning his head to look at him. "There is a day coming up in the next few months which has special significance for Shinji. He will need the day off school and will require transport."
"Sir?" Hyuga asked, puzzled. He knew his commanding officer wasn't referring to Shinji's birthday; that had been about a month before the boy had arrived.
"The anniversary of his mother's death," Kouzou told him softly.
"Oh."
"I would be grateful if you would organise things now," the professor continued, turning back to the horned visage. "No sense leaving things to the last minute." He sighed, and shook his head. 'Perhaps I should go to. It's been too long since I honoured her memory properly.'
"Yes, sir. Is that all?"
"For now."
"Oh, come on, Shinji, you can tell me," Hikari heard Kensuke whine as she entered the classroom. The bespectacled youth was stood over to the Evangelion pilot, gesturing wildly.
"But I don't know, Kensuke," Ikari replied, his tone sounding lightly desperate to the brunette.
"Know what?" she asked as she walked over to them.
Aida looked over at her. "Oh, morning, Hiki." Horaki scowled at him; he knew how much she hated being called that. "Shinji won't tell me why the 'Angels' are called that."
"Because I don't know!" the third-child protested, his exasperation clearly apparent. The girl decided to step in before violence erupted between the two.
"Maybe he really doesn't know," Hikari suggested soothingly.
"But he must do!" the bespectacled boy exclaimed. He turned to Shinji. "You do work for Nerv."
"That doesn't mean I know," Ikari replied. Kensuke's shoulders slumped in defeat. "They don't really tell me all that much," Shinji muttered, sighing heavily.
'I guess they figure he doesn't need to know,' Aida thought, mentally kicking himself for assuming the boy knew just because he worked for them. 'Should've known better!' He spotted Toji entering the room and walked over to his seat; he had no intention of getting on his friend's bad side. Seeing Aida leave, Hikari looked around and caught sight of Suzuhara. Deciding that she didn't feel like an argument, she headed for her own seat behind Kensuke's. She knew Shinji would understand.
"Morning, Toji," Kensuke said cheerfully as his friend sat down in his seat to the bespectacled boy's left.
Suzuhara sighed. "You know," he said slowly, carefully choosing his words, "I'm not gonna have a go at you if you wanna talk to Ikari."
"You're not?" Aida asked cautiously. He was surprised by his friend's change in attitude and wanted to make sure he hadn't misheard him.
"No, I'm not," his friend assured him. "It's up to you who talk to, not me."
"You really don't mind?"
"Really. I don't mind."
Shinji felt a smile tugging at his lips as he listened to the conversation going on behind him. He'd been as surprised as Kensuke by Toji's statement. A figure with blue hair walking across his field of vision distracted him. Looking over, he saw Rei taking a seat at her desk. "Hi, Ayanami," he called in greeting.
The first-child looked over at him. "Pilot Ikari."
"Um…" he said, not sure how to phrase the question that was bothering him. "How come you've only just gotten here? I mean, you did leave before me."
"Lieutenant Ibuki requested my presence," Ayanami replied. "She had something she wished to speak with me of." Looking at the boy's face, she gathered from his expression that he wished to know what the lieutenant and she has talked about. "I cannot tell you what she discussed with me."
"Oh. Okay," Ikari responded, a little sad. He wanted to know what was going on with the girl, but he'd learned how much of a private person she was and, as such, had decided not to push the issue. The bell rang and the blue-haired girl turned to face forward.
Putting her magazine down, Miki yawned, covering her mouth with her left hand. Rubbing her eyes, she sighed heavily. The teacher was still talking, and the class rep. seriously doubted that he'd stop anytime before the bell rang. Did he really think any of his students gave a damn about this 'Cuban Missile Crisis' he was twittering on about? Heck, it had been old news long before Second Impact.
'It's not something I'll never need to know about!' she snorted mentally. Casually, she looked around the classroom to see if any of her fellow students were doing anything even remotely interesting and whether or not she could use it to her advantage. She frowned as she noticed Aida and Ikari openly talking about something; the bespectacled youth apparently hanging on the pilot's every word. A quick glance at Suzuhara showed he knew they were speaking but didn't seem to care.
"Well that's just great!" she muttered, dropping her eyes to her desk lest someone catch her looking over at that group and get the wrong idea. 'I can't believe that Suzuhara's letting Aida speak to Ikari.' Okay, so perhaps the two of them weren't friends, but still…
'I hate wasting my time,' she thought, grimacing. 'I put a lot of effort into keeping them at each other's throats. And all for nothing!' Shaking her head sadly, she sighed softly, feeling a slight tickle at the back of her throat. She tried swallowing in the hopes for removing the irritation, but that only resulted in it getting worse. Drumming her fingers on her desk, she rubbed her throat with her left hand and tried to clear it, succeeding only in triggering a cough.
As a second cough erupted from her despite her best efforts, her left hand drifted up and covered her mouth while her right lay flat on the desk. Again and again she coughed. She turned in her seat to face the door in the hopes of going unnoticed as the coughing grew worse and her right hand found its way to her abdomen, the muscles beginning to ache as she struggled to bring herself under control.
Succeeding after a few minutes, she sat still in her seat, hunched over and breathing heavily. Looking up, she found Professor Koyasu stood in front of her desk, looking at her in concern.
"Are you alright, Miss Sadamoto?" he asked gently.
"I'm fine," she assured him, flushing slightly as she realised the entire class was looking at her. "The air in here's a bit dry, that's all."
"Yes, I suppose it is," Jin responded absently. "Are you sure you don't want to see the nurse?" he enquired.
Miki forced herself not to flinch at the mention of the old medical professional the school employed as nurse and nodded once. "I could do with a drink though," she informed him.
"Of course," the grey-haired teacher smiled. "You may leave," he told her, returning to his place at the blackboard.
"Thank you, sir," the class rep. said, getting to her feet, although she doubted he heard her. As she left the room, she heard him resume his lecture. Maybe it was her imagination, but she could swear she heard a collective groan from the remainder of the class. She smiled as she walked towards the girl's rest room, rubbing her sore throat.
Draining his glass, Shigeru put it down on the table in front of him and sighed contentedly. Leaning back in his seat, he cast his eyes around the canteen, smiling as he noticed just how relaxed everyone was. As his gaze drifted across the door, Maya walked in, her attention firmly fixed on the clipboard in her hands. Aoba couldn't help but chuckle as she almost walked into a male technician. She apologised before making her way over to the serving hatch and, placing the board under her arm, got something to eat.
"Maya, over here," the long-haired technician called, waving with his right hand, as the petite brunette began looking for somewhere to sit. Spotting him, she smiled and made her way over.
"Sure is busy in here," Ibuki commented as she sat down, placing the clipboard on the table beside her food.
"Glad to see you're taking a break," Shigeru said.
May smiled and shrugged. "I've just got so much to do with Dr. Akagi being away. And before you say anything, I am delegating as much as I can. It's just that-"
"She's as much of a workaholic as you are," Aoba finished for her.
"She's not a workaholic!" Ibuki snapped. "And neither am I. We're just…committed to our work."
'Defensive much?' he mused. "Being committed's one thing," he said aloud, "but you two are always the last to leave after your shift is finished, as well as being the first to arrive." He sighed. "You are allowed to have a life outside of work you know."
Maya shrugged again. "I just don't like leaving anything unfinished, you know. And Dr. Akagi's the same."
"Yeah, you two are real perfectionists," he joked.
"I guess we are," she replied, a sad smile on her lips.
The long-haired technician looked at his watch. "Well, I better head back or Katsuragi'll chew my ass off," he told her, getting to his feet. "Take it easy," he called, heading towards the door.
"How can I take it easy," Akagi's assistant murmured sadly, "when there's so much to do?" Sighing heavily, she began eating as she reviewed the report on Unit 01's condition.
Suzuhara's step lacked its usual spring as he walked along through the streets of Tokyo-3. He'd just been to visit his sister and had been saddened by the lack of improvement in her condition. Ahead of him, a female figure steeped out of the grocery store, a carrier bag in each hand. The boy would have paid it no heed, had not something caught his eye. Taking a second glance, he realised the girl had blue hair. That meant it could only be one person. The other Evangelion pilot. He quickly walked over to her.
"Hey, you're Ayanami, right?" he said, coming to a stop beside her.
The girl stopped and looked at him before saying "Correct, that is my name."
"Name's Toji Suzuhara," the boy replied.
"I am aware of your name," Rei told him, continuing to look at him. She was curious as to what he wanted.
"So what are you doing around here?" Suzuhara asked after a few moments silence, having been wracking his brains to think of something to say.
"I am returning to the pilot dormitory," the first-child answered.
Toji looked at the bags she was carrying. "Been shopping, huh?"
"That is correct."
"Me, I'm just heading home from the hospital," he informed her. The girl blinked and began to walk off. "Hey, don't you wanna know why I was there?" he asked her, a few steps behind.
"I already know why you were in the hospital," Ayanami responded calmly. "You were visiting your sister who was injured during the battle with the third Angel."
"Oh," Toji sighed sadly, his shoulders slumping. "Hey," he said after a brief pause, "I've been wondering, how come you're not being home-schooled any more?"
"Professor Fuyutski requested that I attend high school," the blue-haired girl answered, continuing on her way. She did not understand why the boy continued to follow her, and it was beginning to unsettle her.
"Who's Professor Fuyutski?" her companion asked.
"Professor Fuyutski is the commander of Nerv," she informed him. He was silent for about thirty seconds, for which the girl was glad.
"What do you think of Ikari?" he asked.
"Pilot Ikari is a kind and gentle person," Rei said without hesitation. "He is considerate and puts the needs of others before his own." She paused for and took a breath. "He is instructing me in how to prepare my own meals."
Toji stopped dead at hearing this, looking to the floor. Rei continued on for a few steps before stopping and looking back at him. He appeared to be lost in thought, and they did not appear to be pleasant ones.
"What do you think of Pilot Ikari?" she enquired.
"I-I don't really know," he stammered, uncertain. "At first I was sure I hated him, it was his fault that Noriko was injured," the boy related forcefully. "But, after seeing what he goes through when he's piloting… I just don't know."
"Do you still blame Pilot Ikari for the injuries your sister sustained during the battle with the third Angel?" she asked, curious about his reaction to the simple question she had asked him.
"Yes. But I…" he started, before trailing off. "I guess I respect him now. I've seen what he does, what happens to him." He sighed and looked up at the cloud-filled sky. "I'm not sure how I feel about him."
"Do you regret hitting him?"
Toji looked at the girl, stunned "You-you know about that!"
"Correct. All pilots are under constant surveillance by Section Two. You are fortunate that Pilot Ikari bares you no malice."
"What do you mean?" the boy asked, frowning.
"I am certain that he had the opportunity to report your actions, but he did not do so," she informed him. "Had he done so, you would have been arrested and charged with assault on a UN official."
"I-I didn't know," Suzuhara stammered. "Wait a minute! You guys are part of the UN!" he asked.
"Correct. You did not know this?"
"No, I didn't."
"I must be going," she told him. Their conversation had been enlightening, but she had somewhere she was meant to be. "Pilot Ikari will be wondering where I am. Good day, Suzuhara," she said and walked off, leaving the boy standing in the middle of the street, lost in thought.
Maya picked up the phone as it rang, unsure of whether she welcomed the interruption or not. "Doctor Akagi's office," she said absently.
"Hello, Maya," a soft voice replied.
"Ritsuko," Ibuki responded, a smile playing across her face, her attention completely focused on the conversation.
"Busy?" Akagi asked.
"With you gone, of course I am," the petite brunette said, sounding more testy than she'd intended.
"Sorry about that. But the professor did want me to represent us here."
"I'm not blaming you," Ibuki assured her superior, trying to sound soothing. "I just haven't stopped all day."
"And that's kind of why I'm calling."
"Oh?" the lieutenant asked, a sinking feeling in her stomach.
"The test's been delayed. So I'm stuck here a bit longer."
Maya sighed. "I'll manage, somehow."
"I know you will."
"Would you like me to tell the professor?" Ibuki asked, knowing the doctor would not enjoy such a task.
"That'd be great, thanks, Maya," Akagi replied, her smile clearly audible in her voice. There was a short and comfortable pause. "So what are you up to at the moment?"
"Just reviewing the results of Shinji's run through on the progressive knife simulation," Maya told her casually.
"How'd he do?"
"Not bad really," the lieutenant responded. "But after what happened during the last battle, I'd expected as much," she added. "You are going to be back for the Magi's diagnostic aren't you?"
"Don't worry. I will."
"Good," the brunette sighed, sounding relieved. "I'd hate to have to try and run that by myself."
"You'd do fine, Maya. You're better than you think."
"If you say so."
"I do," Ritsuko assured her. "Tell you what, why don't I buy you dinner on Saturday? As a thank you for all the hard work you're putting in."
"I won't say no if you're buying, you know that," Maya replied. "But couldn't you see if you could get me a raise?" she joked.
"Believe me, Maya, I've tried," the doctor replied, her tone serious. "But the budget is stretched tight as it is."
"Ah well, can't blame a girl for trying," the lieutenant shrugged.
"I've gotta go. I'll see you when I get back."
"Bye Ritsu," the doctor's assistant responded. The line went dead and she put the phone down, smiling to herself and happier than she had been all day.
The professor couldn't help but feel claustrophobic as he sat in the pitch black chamber surrounded by the dozen monoliths. Each one was a holographic link to a member of the Seele council and bore only a number. The members of the Instrumentality Committee he could identify by the sound of their voices. He knew the names of all the members of the council of course, but not who was represented by which number. He could find out if he wanted to, he supposed.
"Two Angels successfully defeated," the male voice from monolith 05 intoned. His voice was so devoid of accent that he could have come from anywhere on the planet.
"With more to come," the voice of 03 countered. This was one Fuyutski knew – Viktor Hasan. "We cannot afford to become complacent."
"True," a female voice with a deep-south American accent said from 06. It belonged to Louise Daniels.
"And the Instrumentality Project?" Keel's voice asked, emanating from monolith 01.
"Proceeding on schedule," the professor assured the council.
"See that is stays that way," the French voice of Jacque Bouquet instructed from 04. "The Angels are no excuse for falling behind."
"Of course," Kouzou responded. As if he had any intention of allowing the project to fall behind! They all knew what the project meant to him personally.
"I heard you had a disciplinary problem during the battle," an Australian voice commented, coming from the monolith numbered 08.
"Yes. The pilot disregarded an order to withdraw," Fuyutski related. "He has been reprimanded."
"Good we can't allow the pilots to act as they please," the accentless voice of 05 said.
"At least the Angel was defeated," Louise pointed out.
"Has Unit 01 been repaired yet?" a feminine voice asked from 12.
"Not yet," Kouzou answered. "Dr. Akagi decided to replace rather than to attempt to repair the Eva's left arm."
"That doesn't sound that difficult," the voice of Megumi Takamura responded from number 11.
"Normally it isn't," the professor agreed. "However there seems to be some sort of fault. At this time we are unsure whether the problem lies within the hard-, soft- or wetware."
"How long 'til Unit 01 is fully functional?" the voice of 07 asked. Although not heavy, the male voice did carry a hint of an Irish accent.
"Within one week," the commander of Nerv informed the council. "And Unit 00 is now ready for combat," he added.
"Good," a woman's voice intoned from 02. To the professor her voice always sounded Hispanic, possibly from South America.
"Speaking of the Eva's, we've received a complaint from Unit 02's chief engineer," the German accented voice of monolith 09 stated.
"Yes," Jacque said, sounding almost pleased. "He was quite upset with the request he received last week."
"However," Lorentz added, "having reviewed recent events we have agreed with it and have informed him that the request stands."
"Thank you," the professor said. He was about to say something more when the sound of a ringing phone interrupted him. He answered it, upset at the disruption. "I'm in conference," he said sharply. There was a pause as he listened to the person on the other end of the line. "I understand."
He put the handset down and stared at for a moment before looking up at Keele's monolith which sat directly before him. "Another Angel has been detected. If you'll excuse me?"
"Very well," Lorentz told him. Without another word, the image of Kouzou Fuyutski vanished from the chamber.
"Report!" Captain Katsuragi commanded as she entered the command centre. The professor had just arrived and had been about to ask for the situation report when the lavender-haired woman had marched in.
"Angel detected in sector nine," Makoto informed her.
"Why didn't the Mount Fuji observation centre warn us?" she asked, stopping behind the three technicians.
"They never saw it," Hyuga replied. "Damned thing just appeared out of nowhere."
"Do we have a visual?" the captain asked, ignoring the bespectacled lieutenant's profanity.
"Affirmative," the pilot rep answered, checking the data streaming into his console from the external sensors.
"On screen," Misato ordered, looking up at the main display unit. It flashed white for an instant, before the image of the city above appeared. The streets were deserted and the buildings were covered in what appeared to be giant plant growths, the majority of which appeared to be vines.
"So, that's the fifth Angel. Interesting," Kouzou murmured to himself. "What's the status of the evacuation?" he asked aloud.
Maya quickly checked with the Magi. "All civilians are within the emergency bunkers."
"Eva status?" Katsuragi requested.
"Evangelion Unit 00 is ready and awaiting the pilot," Shigeru reported.
"Pilot status?" the captain asked.
"Rei is in the entry-plug and the plug is being moved into position now," Lieutenant Ibuki said, checking the data on her console.
"As soon as the pilot is in place, move the Eva to the fourth catapult and route it through the gate seven," the director of operations ordered. Aoba entered the relevant commands into his console and watched the orange robot's progress.
"Any change in the Angel's status?" the professor enquired.
"No, sir," Hyuga answered. "It's just sitting there. I don't think it's capable of moving," he added.
"Is it's AT Field active?" the commander asked, a frown creasing his brow.
"Negative," the bespectacled technician replied.
"Unit 00 is ready for launch," the long-haired lieutenant announced.
"Launch the Eva," Katsuragi ordered. "Have the pilot take up position at least thirty metres from the Angel and await further instructions." Shigeru entered the command that would fire the catapult while Maya relayed the captain's commands to Rei. "Have you identified the core yet?" she asked, taking up a position directly behind Makoto.
"Yes, captain," he told her.
"Where?"
He called up a tactical view of sector nine on his screen and pointed to the centre of the area that had become covered in greenery. "It's part of the central mass, approximately eighty-one point seven two metres from the outer edge," he informed her.
"Lieutenant Ibuki, I want you to have Shinji stand by in Unit 01's entry-plug," Kouzou instructed.
"Sir?" the petite brunette queried, looking up at him, her expression making her confusion clear.
"No sense taking any chances," he replied casually. Maya looked over at Makoto, who shrugged. Realising she was unlikely to get any kind of explanation, she did as he instructed.
"Open a comm. channel to Unit 00," Misato ordered. A small window appeared on the main screen showing Ayanami's face. "Pilot, raise your AT Field and advance slowly toward the central mass. Don't make any sudden movements. Do you understand?"
"Yes, captain," the blue-haired girl replied softly. She tightened her grip on the control yokes and began moving the orange robot forward as slowly as she could while setting the motion detectors to their highest sensitivity. As she weaved her way through the foliage, she looked about, keeping a close eye on the vine like structures that laced the buildings surrounding her. They appeared to be immobile, just as all plants were, but girl was unwilling to take risks. Something bothered her about the situation, but she couldn't be sure what.
Gingerly she moved Unit 00 round a corner and stopped dead as the central mass came into view. Looking it over, she spotted the core. It was surrounded by orange and yellow petals, as if it were the central part of a flower.
"Core sighted," she said, staring intently at it. "I am about to begin attack sequence."
"Use caution," Captain Katsuragi advised. "We still don't know what its defensive capabilities are."
"Understood," the first-child replied. Slowly she inched the Eva clear of the building and advanced on the central mass. When she was a short distance from it she stopped and evaluated her options.
Just as she was about to attack, the motion detectors screamed at her and she felt something wrap around her waist and drag her backwards.
"Unit 00 is under attack!" Aoba yelled above the sound of the sirens that had begun screaming in the command centre.
"How?" Katsuragi enquired.
"It's the vines!" Makoto reported. "The Angel's using the vines!"
The Eva's hands grabbed the vines encircling its waist and tried to release itself. As it did, vines wrapped themselves around its arms and pulled them away. As the pilot struggled to free the robot more vines attached themselves to Unit 00's legs and Rei found herself in midair.
Desperation began to set in as she felt something itself wrap around her neck. Groaning sounds filled the entry-plug as Rei felt her limbs being pulled; it felt as if they were being torn from her body.
"Eva status," Misato demanded.
"The superstructure is holding, but I don't know for how long," Shigeru answered. His fingers flew across the keyboard in front of him, trying to figure out some way, any way, to help Rei.
"Can the Eva free itself?" Katsuragi inquired.
"Negative," Hyuga informed her. "Whatever those things are, they're not really plants. Their tensile strength is too high, there's no way Rei can break their hold."
The lavender-haired woman folded her arms and gazed at the floor, silently weighing up her options. She looked back up at the main screen, watching as Unit 00 flailed about in its attempts to free itself. "Launch Unit 01," the captain ordered.
"But, captain, Unit 01's still damaged. It's not ready for combat," Maya protested.
"There is no other option. Do it!" Katsuragi instructed.
"Yes, ma'am," the three technicians replied flatly. They didn't like the idea, but she was right. Using Unit 01 was their only choice.
"What do you want me to do?" Shinji asked as the purple Eva was moved onto the launch catapult.
"Once you're topside, make your way to Unit 00's position and use your progressive knife to free it," the captain explained over the comm. system. "Don't draw the knife until you're ready to use it."
"Understood," Shinji replied and the link was severed. A small video window appeared to his left "Huh?"
"Don't worry about getting hurt," Maya whispered to him. "If anything happens, I'll cut your synch-ratio from here."
"Thanks," the boy whispered back.
"Unit 01 is in position," he heard Shigeru announce.
"Good luck," Ibuki murmured to him and closed the link.
A moment later, the boy felt himself being crushed into the control seat by the G-forces of the launch. A few moments later he juddered to a stop. He looked around to get his bearings and began to move forwards, a small map to his right showing him his position relative to Unit 00's. 'Hold on Ayanami,' he thought to himself. 'Help's on its way.'
Re's eyes were closed as she focused her attention on trying to free herself. Breathing was not easy, due to the vine constricting the Eva's throat. A beeping sound caught her attention and she opened her eyes. Unit 01 stood in front of her. A video window appeared on her screen to her left.
"Are you okay?" Shinji asked, his tone and features making his concern very apparent. Lacking the breath to speak clearly, the first-child nodded. "Hang on, I'll get you free."
She watched as Unit 01 lifted its hand to its right shoulder wing and drew its progressive knife. The blade began to glow and the purple mechaniod stepped forward. It sung the vibrating weapon and sliced the vines holding Unit 00's left leg. Then it severed the one wrapped around the orange robot's waist.
As Shinji drew its arm back for another swing, vines wrapped themselves around the purple robot's wrist. In the video window, Rei saw Shinji look back at the restrained wrist, grunting in annoyance. Yelling, the third-child was able to swing the arm forwards and not only slice the vine around Unit 00's neck but also all but one of them that held the prototype's right arm, snapping the vine that attempted to restrain him. The one vine that was left was the one that was wrapped around the Rei's Eva's wrist.
Before the boy could do any more, vines shot forward and began to encircle Unit 01's limbs. Realising he could do more, he yelled "REI! CATCH!" and threw the weapon. The orange robot was able to twist its right hand and caught the knife. With a flick of its wrist, it severed the vine restraining it, completely freeing the right arm. Without pausing, Rei quickly sliced through the rest of the vines that held her. The orange Eva dropped to the ground and made its way over to Shinji.
"Forget me!" he told her over the comm. link. "Get the Angel!" Rei hesitated for a moment, finding herself uncertain. However, the boy's words were logical. Once she had defeated the Angel, she could release him with no danger of being captured once more.
"Behind you!" Ikari shouted. Ayanami leapt aside, narrowly avoiding a vine. She berated herself for loosing her focus on the battle field and moved quickly towards the central mass of the Angel, drawing her own progressive knife in the process. As she neared the core, she had to make use of both knives, leaping and dancing as she slashed at the vines that tried to ensnare her.
Feeling a tug from behind, Rei realised that her umbilical cable had been encircled. She quickly jettisoned it and continued. Within moments she was stood before the central mass. Without hesitating, she plunged both blades into the core. Sparks flew and there was the sound of metal being grated. Then the red glow of the core faded and the central mass of the Angel sagged. She heard the third-child grunt over the video link and assumed that it had been caused by his Evangelion falling to the floor. She removed both knives from the now broken red orb and, replacing hers within its housing, made her way over to Unit 01.
Having only one arm made it difficult for Shinji to free his Eva from the vines that entangled it, but eventually he managed. Making the robot stand upright, he was the orange form of Unit 00 heading towards him, Unit 01's progressive knife in its right hand.
"Are you okay, Rei?" the boy asked, remembering that the link between the two robots was still active.
"I am unharmed," she replied, a very small amount of relief evident in her tone - to Shinji, at least. "Thank you for your assistance," she said as her Eva held out his knife.
"No problem," he smiled and took the weapon, replacing it in his right shoulder wing.
To be continued…
Author Notes –
Another chapter finished and the story goes on. First off I'd like to thank everyone who's reviewed thus far. Sorry about not doing it earlier.
In response to Cyber-Undead's query about Miki, all I'll say is wait and see. Her role will become apparent over time.
Enough of my ramblings. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think and tell me about any mistakes I've made and missed so I can fix them.