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.
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Evangelion Chronicles
by Room3
Chapter 07 – Discovery, Sympathy And Regrets
"What about the rest of my stuff?" the second-child asked as she and Makoto came back down the stairs after he had shown her around the pilot dorm.
"It should be delivered in the next day or two," Makoto informed her as the two of them entered the lounge.
"So, what do you think?" Shinji asked from his position in the kitchen doorway. He had just had a light snack as he'd been feeling hungry on the trip back from New Yokosuka.
"Not too shabby, I suppose," the redhead commented as she took a look around the lounge area. "Not as good as the apartment I had back home, but-"
"Don't be difficult, Asuka," Lieutenant Hyuga said, interrupting her. "I know exactly what your living conditions at the Third Branch were like." She made a face at him.
"Makoto, where's Ayanami?" Ikari asked. "I thought she'd be home by now."
"Dr. Akagi wanted her for something," the pilot rep. replied. "She should be back soon." He turned to the German. "Any questions?"
"Nothing this narr can't answer," Soryu answered, flicking her thumb at Shinji.
"I don't think I want to know what that means," Makoto sighed, heading for the door. "I'll see you guys for the synch-test tomorrow."
"Bye, Makoto," Ikari called as the bespectacled lieutenant closed the door behind himself. Hearing a noise, the boy looked over and saw that the redhead had collapsed into one of the chairs facing the television. "Did you really live alone in Germany?"
"Huh? Oh, not really. I just wanted to wind him up a little," Asuka told him. "The Third Branch is nowhere near as extensive as this place." She looked over at him. "This Ayanami's the first-child, right? The pilot of Unit 00?"
"Yeah. But I should warn you, she's not exactly sociable."
'What the heck does he mean by that?!' she wondered. Before the German could say anything, the door opened and a blue-haired, red eyed girl in a school uniform walked in.
"Evening, Ayanami," the third-child said cheerfully.
"Pilot Ikari," the girl responded, her tone void of emotion.
Asuka got to her feet and wandered over to her. "You must be Rei Ayanami."
"That is correct," the first-child replied.
"I'm Asuka Soryu," the redhead said. "Since we're gonna be working together, we might as well be friends."
"What is a 'friend'?" Ayanami asked calmly.
"Wie können Sie das nicht wissen?!" Soryu exclaimed, looking completely stunned.
"I did not understand what you just said, Pilot Soryu," Rei informed her.
Asuka sighed, realising what she'd done. "I said, 'How can you not know that?!' I slipped into German. Sorry about that."
"If I knew what a 'friend' was, I would not have asked you what a 'friend' was," Ayanami informed her calmly.
"I-I consider you a friend, Ayanami," Shinji told the blue-haired girl, feeling a little uncomfortable.
Rei turned to the third-child. "You do?" she asked, her head tilting to one side slightly and blinking.
"Uh-huh," the boy nodded.
"Interesting," the first-child said, taking a moment to consider the boy's words. "However, that does not answer the question that I asked of you, Pilot Soryu," she added, turning her attention back to Asuka. "What is a 'friend'?"
"Let's see..." Soryu muttered thoughtfully. "A friend is someone you like spending time with, who you go out of your way to help. Someone you want to be around."
"I see," the red-eyed girl commented as processed what the German had said. "And does that person also do the same for you?" she asked.
"They should do," Asuka snorted. "If they don't then they're not really your friend."
"Then perhaps Shinji is my only friend at this time," Ayanami stated. "I believe that you and I being friends would be in the best interests of everyone," she said, staring Asuka in the eye. "I have homework I must complete," she added. Before either of the other two pilots could respond, she turned and walked away.
"She always like that?" Asuka asked, turning to look at Ikari.
"Pretty much," the boy replied, shrugging. "You get used to it after a while."
- - -
"Morning, Hikari," Kensuke said as she saw his pig-tailed friend approach the school gates.
"Morning, Kensuke," she responded cheerfully. "What you doing out here?"
"Waiting to catch a glimpse of the new pilot," the bespectacled youth informed her. "She's starting today."
"Another one?" Suzuhara asked, having heard Aida's comments as he approached. His tone showed clearly how much he did not like the idea.
"Hey, Toji," Kensuke replied, greeting his friend.
"Morning," Horaki smiled.
"Morning," Toji responded absently. "So that new pilot Ayanami mentioned is coming here?"
"Yeah," Aida nodded. "I wasn't able to find out her name, but I do know that she is from Germany."
"Just what we need! Another disruption!" Suzuhara muttered.
"There's no guarantee that she'll be in our class," Hikari told him soothingly.
"'Course she will be," he snorted.
"Yeah," the bespectacled youth agreed. "There's no way Nerv would let the pilots be split up."
The girl sighed and turned to Aida. "Anything else you can tell us about her?"
"Sorry, but I wasn't able to get access to her transcripts," he said.
Looking around, Hikari spotted Shinji approaching their position. "There's Shinji now," she said, pointing to him. "Hey, Shinji!" she called out.
Ikari looked over and waved, quickly closing the distance between them. "Morning, guys."
"Ayanami, Ikari," Suzuhara said, trying to keep his tone polite.
"Morning," Kensuke smiled.
"Good morning, Suzuhara, Horaki, Aida," Rei said in greeting, nodding to each one as she spoke.
"Morning, Shinji, Ayanami," the pig-tailed girl said.
Looking away from the third-child, Toji noticed a redheaded girl stood behind the two pilots, looking rather impatient. "Who's this then?" he asked.
"Asuka Soryu," the German replied, introducing herself and stepping forward, "pilot of Evangelion Unit 02."
"Pleased to meet you," Hikari replied. "I'm Hikari Horaki. This is Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida," she added, introducing the two boys. Toji nodded at the girl while Kensuke raised his hand.
"So I guess you live in the pilot dorm. too, huh Soryu?" Aida said.
"Yep. And don't call me Soryu," she told him. "Call me Asuka, okay?" She looked at Shinji and Rei who were stood behind her. "And that goes for you two and all."
"Hey, Asuka, are you a lesbian?" the bespectacled boy enquired.
"Kensuke!?" Hikari exclaimed, shocked by his question. Toji quickly reached up and smacked the back of his head, giving him a deadly glare. Frowning, Asuka walked over to him and punched his arm.
"Ow!" Aida said, rubbing his now sore arm.
"Sorry to disappoint you, you pervert, but I'm not," Soryu told him, her words laced with venom.
"Then why are you wearing that?" Kensuke asked, pointing to the shirt and trouser combination she was wearing. Toji and Hikari looked at her, having previously failed to notice her attire.
"I don't do dresses or skirts, not that it's any of your business!" the second-child snapped at him.
"The principal might not be happy about that," Horaki told her as gently as she could.
"Tough! Why the Hölle do I have to wear a uniform anyway?!" Asuka questioned. "I didn't have to back home."
"It's traditional," Hikari replied.
"So? Why do us girls have to look like that," the redhead continued, pointing to the outfit both Rei and Hikari were dressed in, "while you boys only have to wear a white shirt and black trousers, huh?"
"That is a valid question," Ayanami noted. She had found the design of the school uniform perplexing herself, but had not seen any reason to mention it.
Kensuke looked at his watch. "We better head in," he said.
As the group turned to enter, Soryu latched on to Ikari's arm, saying "C'mere Shinji. You're showing me the way to the office."
'Why me?' the boy wondered and sighed. "This way," he said aloud, leading the way.
- - -
"Hey, Shinji," Asuka whispered loudly, trying to attract the attention of the boy sat next to her. Not hearing her, he carried on typing at his computer. "Shinji!" she called again, louder this time.
Ikari stopped what he was doing and looked over at her. "Yes, Asuka?"
"How come you aren't listening to the teacher?" Soryu enquired, keeping her voice low to avoid being heard by Professor Koyasu.
"What's the point?" the third-child replied, not bothering to lower his voice. "The only thing he ever talks about is what happened before Second Impact, and none of it will be on our exams. Look around," he told her, waving his hands about, "no-one's listening to him."
The German had to agree with him about that. Heck, even the stuffy first-child wasn't paying any attention and was staring out of the window beside her. "So it's safe to say his lessons are always like this?"
"All except the ones interrupted by Angels attacks," Shinji said.
"So what do you do all day?"
"This and that," the boy shrugged.
"I've been meaning to ask, how come Toji's so cold to you?" the redhead asked after a few moments silence.
Ikari looked over at the snoozing boy in question before saying "His little sister was injured when Unit 01 went berserk during my first battle."
"He blames you for what happened?"
"Yeah," Shinji sighed, looking down at the keyboard on his desk, "but not as much as I blame myself. It's not as bad as it was. At one point he wouldn't even let Hikari and Aida talk to me."
"So what changed that?"
"He got caught out in the open during the fourth Angel attack," the boy told her. "Didn't have any choice but to get into the entry-plug."
"What about the 'thought noise'?"
"The what?" the third-child asked, looking at the girl again.
"Having someone else in the plug with the pilot causes interference in the control system," Asuka explained.
"So that's why it felt a little sluggish," Ikari murmured. "Anyway, once he was in I was ordered to withdraw," he continued, addressing the girl sat to his right. "But I didn't. I wasn't going to run away, especially with him in there. So I charged the Angel."
"And got hurt in the process, huh?" the German remarked.
"Yeah," Shinji nodded. "The left arm got fried pretty badly and there were two holes burnt through the stomach."
"Ouch!" Asuka cringed, imagining how that must have felt. "Bet you got chewed out good for disobeying orders."
"Uh-huh. Katsuragi was not happy, to put it mildly," the boy answered, recalling the woman's words.
"So Toji's been playing nice since then?"
"Well, nicer than he was," Ikari said, shrugging again.
- - -
"Try taking him down another two points, Yuriko," Makoto heard Lieutenant Ibuki say as he entered the harmonics lab. Akagi's assistant in her usual place by one console and there was a female technician sat at the other.
"Yes, ma'am," the woman sat at the second console replied.
'Gotta remember her name's Yuriko,' Hyuga told himself as he walked over to Maya's position, eyes glued to the images of the three pilots on the window in to the test chamber. "How they doing?" he asked quietly as he came a stop behind the petite brunette.
Ibuki looked over her shoulder at him and smiled. "Pretty good," she told him, looking back at her console. "Rei's actually managed to increase by about half a percent."
"That is good," Makoto responded. "It's been what, two, two and half months since it changed?"
"About that," Maya shrugged.
"What about the other two?"
"Shinji's gained another three points," the seated lieutenant informed him. "He's up to fifty-three point eight one now." She looked over her shoulder at him again, jerking her head for him to come closer. When he did, she whispered "Dr. Akagi thinks he's getting close to his maximum, which would be somewhere around the sixty percent mark. Personally, I think he's gonna go further than that."
"You think he's gonna beat Rei?" the bespectacled technician asked quietly, leaning over her console.
"I think he's gonna beat Asuka," Maya told him softly, "and she's at seventy-four point six two percent."
"Whoa," Hyuga murmured, looking up at the image of Shinji. "What do you think his max is then?"
"I'm not sure… But I'd guess somewhere around eighty, eighty-five percent. Maybe even ninety."
"You're kidding me!" Makoto exclaimed softly, looking at the petite brunette. "That high?"
Maya smiled. "The kid's a natural," she said. "It's like he was born to pilot the Eva." She typed a few commands in to her console and sighed. She opened her mouth to say more when the door to the lab opened. Both she and Hyuga looked over at it.
"Hey guys," Shigeru called cheerfully as he walked in.
"What are you doing here?" Hyuga asked, straightening up.
"Hey, I'm on break and needed to stretch my legs a little," the long-haired technician shrugged. "Besides, I've never seen one of these tests, so I thought I'd pop down and watch for a few minutes. You don't mind, do you, Maya?"
"Well, Dr. Akagi probably wouldn't want you in here, but I don't see why not," the doctor's assistant replied thoughtfully.
"Thanks," Aoba responded, wandering further into the chamber. "So, that's the new girl is it?" he asked, looking at the image of Asuka.
"That's her alright," Makoto said. "Asuka Langley Soryu. She can be a bit of a pain."
"But she does have the highest synch ratio," Maya interjected.
"Unit 01's fully repaired now, isn't it?" Shigeru asked. Ibuki nodded. "Three Eva's," he murmured and whistled. "That's sure a lot of firepower."
"It'll be even more in a few months," Ibuki told him. "Unit 03's nearing completion in the States."
"Four Eva's?! I wouldn't think we'd need that many," Hyuga commented.
"As long as the Angels keep attacking one by one, we won't," Aoba replied, shrugging. "But who says that won't change."
"You know, those 'Jet-Alone' robots might come in handy after all," the bespectacled technician said thoughtfully. "I hear the Beta Unit almost ready to test."
"Maybe," Shigeru responded, "but I don't think I trust a system that doesn't have a pilot. What happens in the control signal's cut off. Remember, those things have nuclear generators on board. Can you imagine the damage if one of their cores were breached."
"Speaking of pilots," she added, suddenly remembering something, "Dr. Akagi wants them to have a medical."
"When?" the pilot rep. asked.
"Tomorrow morning, in the infirmary," the seated lieutenant answered. "Dr. Brahms has been assigned as their personal physician."
"Who?" Shigeru inquired.
"Dr. Aaron Brahms, he arrived the same day as Unit 02," Maya explained. A beeping attracted her attention to her console. "Bring them back up, Yuriko," Maya ordered, looking over at the woman sat at the second console.
"Yes, ma'am," came the response.
Ibuki opened a comm. link to the test-plugs. "Okay guys, you can get out now, we're all done for today." She closed the link and looked at Yuriko. "Transfer the results to Dr. Akagi's office," she said, "I'll analyse them there."
"Well, I better be heading back," Shigeru announced, heading for the door. "See you guys later."
"I suppose I should tell them about the medical," Makoto said. "I think I'll catch them before they leave," he added to himself, heading out of the harmonics lab and towards the pilot changing rooms.
- - -
"A Medical?! But I just had one a couple of months ago," Asuka complained, slumping against the corridor wall behind her. The pilot rep. had caught the three children as they'd exited the changing rooms.
"Sorry, Asuka," Makoto apologised, "but it's Dr. Akagi's orders." The redhead snorted in disgust, folding her arms across her chest.
"When?" Shinji asked. He was looking forward to it even less than Asuka was.
"Tomorrow morning," the pilot rep. replied. "I'm to escort the three of you to the infirmary, at nine, where the new doctor will see you one at a time."
"A new doctor?" Ikari questioned, his brow wrinkling.
"Yeah. His name's Brahms; he arrived the same day as Asuka. He's been assigned to look after you guys," Hyuga explained.
"Our own doctor is the least they can do for us," Soryu muttered. "Fine! We'll be ready," she said glumly.
- - -
The professor rocked back and forth on his feet as he awaited the arrival of his friend, hands in his pockets. He pulled his right hand out and looked at his watch. He frowned. 'He's late,' Kouzou thought. 'That's not like him.' He looked around him, taking in the calming atmosphere of the park.
"My apologies for being late," Keele's voice said from behind him. "A couple of points needed revising before I signed."
"No need to worry, old friend," Fuyutski told him, turning round and looking at the visored figure in the wheelchair. "I don't get out as much as I'd like. I'm spending far too much time underground these days."
"That's to be expected," Lorentz replied as they shook hands, "considering the current situation." He inhaled deeply. "But I must admit I probably don't get out as much as I should either."
"How are you feeling?" the commander of Nerv enquired.
"As well as can be expected," Keele responded. "Some days are better than others. How's the new pilot settling in?"
"From what Lieutenant Hyuga tells me, quite well," Kouzou informed him.
"And the Eva's?"
"If there was a problem with any of them I would've told you," the professor answered. "You worry too much, old friend."
"And you don't worry nearly enough," Lorentz countered.
"Perhaps," Fuyutski shrugged. "I'm thirsty. Would you like some coffee?"
"That would agreeable," the head of Seele replied. The professor smiled and began to walk slowly towards the coffee shop at the northern edge of the park. Keele used the joystick on the arm of the chair to make it follow him.
- - -
Cringing at the noise assaulting his ear, the third-child made his way up the stairs to the second floor of the gym attached to the pilot dormitory. Looking around, he spotted the German pilot attacking a punching bag.
"ASUKA!" the boy called loudly. No response. "ASUKA!" he called again, shouting as loudly as he could. The second-child looked over at him, wiping the sweat off her brow with the back of her wrist. "CAN YOU TURN IT DOWN A LITTLE?!" he yelled.
"WHAT?!" Soryu called back, although Shinji could barely hear her over the music she had playing.
"CAN YOU TURN IT DOWN A LITTLE?!" he repeated, louder and making his throat feel sore.
"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Asuka shouted. "JUST LET ME TURN THE MUSIC DOWN A BIT!" She moved over to the music player and reduced the volume. "Now, what were you saying?" she asked, looking over at the boy.
Ikari sighed. "I was asking you to turn it down; it was hurting my ears and giving me a headache."
"Sorry," the girl replied, shrugging.
The Japanese boy tipped his head to one side slightly and wiggled his finger in his ear. "Do you always have it up that loud?" he asked.
"Not always," the girl replied innocently. "Just most of the time!" she added, smirking.
"Why'd you need it up so loud?" Ikari enquired.
"I don't have to," the redhead answered. "I just do." She bent over and picked up the water bottle sitting on the floor beside her towel. She took a swig before saying "It just helps me relax."
"You find that noise relaxing?" Shinji asked, looking completely surprised.
"Sure! Nothing beats a bit of rock. You should try it."
"No thanks. I like my eardrums the way they are."
"You're loss," the girl shrugged, smiling. She put the bottle back down and turned her attention back to the punching bag. "You don't know what you're missing," she told him, resuming her workout.
Sighing and shaking his head, the boy turned to leave. "Just remember you're not the only one using the gym, and we don't all share you're taste in music," he said, pausing on the stairs. "If you want it that loud, get some headphones."
"Whatever!"
- - -
"Doctor Akagi!" Aaron called as he saw the blonde woman walking ahead of him. She stopped and turned around. He hadn't known her very long, so he couldn't be sure, but she seemed upset by him.
"Yes, doctor?" she asked stiffly after he'd closed the distance between them.
"Can I speak with you for a moment?" he asked politely.
"Is it important?" she enquired, arching her left eyebrow.
"Yes. It's about one of the pilots," Brahms answered.
"Which one?"
"The new one, Asuka Soryu."
"What about her?" the blonde sighed. 'What has she been up to now?!' she wondered, silently cursing the Marduk Institute for selecting her as the second-child.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to remove her from the combat roster," Aaron informed her.
"Oh?" Ritsuko asked, her eyebrow arching once again.
"She has a slightly enflamed appendix. I believe it would be better for all concerned if it is removed now, before it can progress," he explained, handing the papers he was carrying under his arm.
"Is she in any pain?" Akagi asked as she leafed through the report.
"I believe so, but she refuses to admit to it."
'Sounds like her,' the Ritsuko thought. "How soon can you perform the operation?" she enquired, passing the file back to him.
"Tomorrow, if you want me to," Aaron told her. "I presume the infirmary has all the relevant equipment."
"It does," the second in command of Nerv assured him. "Please begin the preparations and I'll have Miss Soryu brought in this afternoon."
"Thank you, doctor."
"Is that all?" Dr. Akagi asked. He nodded. "Good day," she said, walking off.
Smiling to himself, Aaron turned and began to head back to the infirmary, lost in his own thoughts. A few minutes later, he bumped into someone. "Oh, sorry," he apologised.
"Be more careful in future," a female voice told him coldly.
The doctor blinked, recognising the voice. He looked up at the lavender-haired woman before him. "Misato?!" he gasped.
"Brahms," the captain responded, her tone vacant of all emotion, looking down at the paperwork she was carrying.
"I didn't know you were working here," Aaron told her. "It's been a while."
"Whatever."
He sighed. "I see you haven't changed."
"Did you expect me to?" she asked, looking him straight in the eye.
"To be honest, I didn't think I'd ever see you again," Brahms answered, shrugging.
"That was my intention," Katsuragi informed him, looking away from him.
"I see," he replied, holding back the anger he felt at her comment. "I won't keep you then," he added, stepping to one side. She nodded to him and resumed walking. Watching her go he thought sadly 'What happened to you, Misato?'
- - -
"I gotta ask, Shinji," the second-child said after he'd finished giving her a quick run down of the previous days events. She was sat up in the bed she'd occupied for the last few days, with him sat on the stool beside it. "Why the Hölle are you so nervous? Every time you've come to see me you look ready to jump out of your skin."
"I-I…" the boy stammered, before sighing and hanging his head. "I just don't like hospitals, that's all," he admitted. "I'm not too crazy about doctors or nurses either."
"How come?" Asuka asked gently, genuinely curious.
"I-I don't know," Ikari replied, looking at her with an incredibly forlorn expression on his face. "I just do."
"And you still come to see me everyday, despite hating this place," the redhead commented. "Why?"
"Well, you did say you wanted us to be friends."
"Yeah, I did, didn't I?" the German realised, smiling. The simplicity of his answer tickled her and she began chuckling. It only lasted a moment before she bent over, clutching her stomach and hissing. "Don't make me laugh, please!" she gasped, her tone almost begging.
"Are you okay?" Shinji asked, concern distorting his face.
She looked up at him, forcing her breathing to return to normal, and noticed he was standing over her. She leant back, her head resting against the wall behind her bed. "I will be," she told him tiredly.
"I'd better go," the third-child said, "we've got a synch-test shortly."
"On a Sunday?!" Asuka asked, looking at him in surprise. "Don't we ever get a day off?!" The boy gave a half-hearted, lopsided smile and shrugged. He looked like he was just about to say something when a high-pitched siren made them both jump. "What the Hölle is that?"
"Angel alarm," Shinji said, making for the door. "I'll see you later!" he called as he disappeared behind the closing door.
"Wunderbar!" Soryu muttered to herself, disgusted. "My first Angel battle and I'm stuck in here!"
- - -
"Units 00 and 01, ready for launch," Shigeru announced as Fuyutski took his seat. Thankfully the alert sirens had been silenced in the command centre, a fact for which the grey-haired professor was extremely grateful.
"Target status?" Katsuragi requested, her eyes glued to the main display.
"Entering sector nine now," Lieutenant Hyuga replied, checking the data on his console. "The city's automated defences are having no effect."
"Do we have a visual?" Kouzou asked.
"Yes, sir," Makoto answered.
"On screen," Fuyutski ordered. Hyuga entered the relevant commands and the tactical image on the main screen was replaced by the feed from one of the many cameras dotted throughout the city above. The Angel appeared to be a golden-yellow sphere with a small blue tube with narrow white bands extruding from the bottom of it.
"Has the Angel made any aggressive moves?" the professor inquired as he stared at the image on the large screen.
"Negative, sir," Makoto informed him. "It's just slowly making its way through the city."
"Proceed captain," Fuyutski said, effectively delegating command of the operation to the lavender-haired woman.
"Route the Eva's through gate seven and launch them," she ordered. "Have them take up position just outside sector nine, in the Angel's projected course."
- - -
"Unit 01 will take the point, with Unit 00 acting as back-up," Misato's voice informed the pilots over the comm. system a few minutes later as the Angel slowly drifted towards the Eva's positions. Shinji reaffirmed the grip he had on the pallet rifle, swallowing nervously, an action he knew he'd regret later – LCL did not react well with his stomach. He inched Unit 01's head forward slightly so he could look around the building he was using as cover.
"Target is now within firing range," the pilot rep.'s voice said.
The boy nodded to himself, steeling himself, and stepped out from behind the building, pallet rifle raised. The Eva just stood stationary for a few moments, waiting for the Angel to react to its presence. When it didn't, the pilot raised the mechanoid's AT Field. The Angel stopped. It hovered above the city streets, as if waiting.
"Unit 01, fire at will," Katsuragi's voice told him.
'Here goes,' the third-child thought, and pulled the trigger. The bullets flew towards the Angel, and ricocheted off the golden shell. The purple robot lowered the weapon in its hands and stared at its enemy. The tube on the bottom slid up the smooth surface of the sphere, stopping when the end was facing directly at him. 'Oh shit!' Shinji thought, darting back behind the building he had previously used for cover.
- - -
Rei watched the action passively from her location a short distance away. The actions of Unit 01 seemed confusing to her. Why had Pilot Ikari retreated when the protuberance had directed itself towards him? The other Evangelion was currently kneeling behind the building it had moved behind, almost as if it were hiding in fear. Curious, the pale girl was about to ask her fellow pilot what he was doing when a long black object smashed through the upper levels of the building Unit 01 was knelt behind. She blinked thoughtfully as the shattered remnants of the building's windows rained down on Unit 01.
"Unit 00, move out," the voice of Captain Katsuragi ordered over the communication system. "Distract the Angel."
"Yes, ma'am," Ayanami replied, stepping out from behind the building she had been using for cover. Expanding her AT Field, she drew her Eva's progressive knife and calmly began advancing on the orb-shaped body of the Angel.
- - -
Shinji watched in shock as the orange Eva began to walk towards the Angel. What was Ayanami thinking?! He looked out from behind his cover and gasped. The tube was moving in her direction. Without thinking, the boy moved out into the clear and opened fire. Once more the bullets bounced off the golden sphere.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Unit 00 back away from the Angel. Relief flooded Ikari's mind. Realising the Angel would be locking on to him, he lowered the rifle and began to run through the deserted streets, hoping to prevent it from getting a fix. Behind him he heard the sounds of impact and knew the Angel was firing whatever weapon it possessed at him. Without looking back, he speed up his movements, darting erratically around the skyscrapers, doubling back on himself and changing direction mid-stride.
Stopping the Eva behind a multi-storey car-park, Shinji held the pallet rifle close and tried to slow his breathing. His heart was beating hard in his chest, more from the fear he felt than from physical exertion.
Behind him he heard the sound of breaking glass. Sneaking a peak between two levels of his hideout, he saw the orange mechanoid copying his actions, apparently moving at random between the buildings. His breath caught in his throat as he spotted a pattern in the other Eva's movements.
Before he could act, Unit 00 ran between two buildings. The Angel seemed to have anticipated the pilot's intention and fired at her. The third-child watched in horror as the large black dart launched from the tube struck the prototype, passing through its right forearm and imbedding itself in its upper chest. Rei screamed in agony over the comm. system.
Rage boiled inside the boy. Without any concern for his own wellbeing, he leapt out from his cover and fired at the Angel. The bullets merely rebounded off it, but in his frenzy Shinji didn't notice. Nor did he notice when the tube began to move, or when it pointed directly at him. He could her voices calling in the background, but paid them no heed.
"SHINJI!" a voice screamed at him, making him cringe at the noise. His senses returning to him, he gasped as he spotted the ringed tube pointing directly at him. A black dot appeared in it, growing larger. "MOVE!" the voice yelled at him and the realisation of what the blackness was dawned on him. Time seemed to slow down as he willed his Eva to move aside. The robot slowly, painfully slowly, inched to the side as the dart seemed to speed towards him. Ikari closed his eyes and cringed in anticipation of the pain he was about to feel. There was a smashing sound and time began to flow normally once more.
An impact knocked the wind out of him. Opening his eyes, he quickly realised he had not been hit. Panting in shock, he looked at the shattered remnants of pallet rifle he still held in his hands.
"Unit 01, withdraw immediately!" Katsuragi's voice ordered him.
"Help Unit 00 return to base," Fuyutski's voice added. Scrambling to his feet, Shinji ran between the buildings, concern for the first-child making him reckless. Fortunately, the Angel seemed to have decided he posed no further threat and did not react to his movement.
- - -
"The Angel appears to respond to perceived threats within a certain proximity to it," Doctor Akagi said as she stood next to the large video screen in the briefing room the command staff currently occupied. For the last half hour she had been analysing the Angel and its capabilities. "The JSSDF is currently attempting to determine the minimum safe distance."
"How much good will that do us?" Makoto asked, frowning. "We've already seen that the pallet rifles are ineffective against it. And I doubt Shinji'll be able to close enough to use the progressive knife."
"That is true," Ritsuko agreed. "The shell that surrounds the main body of the Angel is impervious to the normal ordinance the Eva's use." She pressed a button on the remote in her hand and the image beside her changed, showing an analysis of the target. "However, I believe I can suggest a course of action." Another button press and the image zoomed in on the tube-like protuberance. "This cylindrical section is roughly fifteen metres long and has a diameter of two point five metres."
"How does that help us?" Katsuragi questioned thoughtfully.
"The darts the Angel fires are two metres in diameter and approximately thirty metres long," the doctor explained. "Meaning-"
"Meaning the tube must penetrate the Angel's armour," Misato interrupted.
"Exactly," Ritsuko replied.
"So if the darts can use it to get out…" Kouzou started.
"Then we can use it as a means of gaining access to the inner body of the Angel, beyond the shell," the blonde woman finished for him.
"Excuse me, doctor, but how?" Shigeru asked.
"The sniper rifle?" Maya suggested, uncertain.
"Correct," Akagi responded. "Although still experimental, the sniper rifle we are currently developing for the Eva's would be able to provide the accuracy needed, while at the same time allow the pilot to remain a safe distance from the target." The doctor pointed the remote at the screen behind her once more.
"Sensor data on the inside of the Angel is hard to come by," she continued as the image showed a CG cross-section of the Angel, "but it does indicate that the core is situated in the centre of the sphere. The tube is always facing in a straight line out from the centre." She turned the screen off. "The visuals of the battle earlier show that the Angel only repositions the tube before firing. Until another potential threat is identified, it remains immobile."
"So we set up the sniper rifle with a direct line of sight on the tube outside the Angel's firing solution," Katsuragi commented. "Are you certain the bullet will penetrate the Angel's core?"
"A normal shell might not, but we do have a highly experimental round that's based on the same technology the progressive knives utilise," Lieutenant Ibuki informed her. "That should."
"Unfortunately we only have the one round at present," the doctor added. "It will be several weeks before another can be manufactured."
The lavender-haired captain looked at Fuyutski. "Sir?"
"There is no other course of action available to us at this time," the professor said thoughtfully. "Once the JSSDF have determined the range of the Angel's weapon, we'll send Shinji up with the sniper rifle. Doctor Akagi, please see to it that the rifle and shell are ready. Dismissed."
- - -
For about the twentieth time since being informed of the plan, the same words ran through Shinji's head. 'I can do this. I can do this.' Again and again that same sentence repeated itself, like a subconscious mantra. He looked at the image of the sniper rifles on the entry-plug's screen. The shell was already loaded. The targeting array was ready and waiting. All he had to do now was wait to be given the order to fire.
"The Angel is now within range of the rifle," Hyuga's voice told him over the comm. link. The boy took a deep breath to calm his nerves and emptied his mind of all thoughts of failure. He wouldn't miss. It was as simple as that.
"Activate the targeting array," Katsuragi ordered. A viewfinder slid down over his eyes. Two sets of red crosshairs began moving around each other as the system adapted to him. The image zoomed in on the target area several times, a pause between each as the crosshairs fine-tuned the rifle's aim. The crosshairs stopped moving and locked in place, turning green.
"Target acquired," Ikari said, trying to sound as calm and composed as he could, although he was sure that if he lifted a hand it would be shaking violently.
"Deactivate remote safety," the Director of Operations instructed.
"Deactivation confirmed," an unknown voice responded. The only change the pilot could notice was that the fine green rim around the viewfinder had become red in colour.
"Unit 01, fire," Misato commanded. Shinji took a deep breath, held it for a moment before releasing it and clearing his mind. He focused on the image of where they wanted the bullet to go. Blinking several times, he waited until his vision cleared again. Once it was, he gently squeezed the trigger on the control yoke in his right hand.
There was a loud booming sound and the Eva lurched from the recoil, snapping Shinji's head back against the rear of the seat. Hissing as his head hit, his eyes closed themselves. Rubbing the back of his head, he looked down at his lap. Certain his vision wasn't affected, he looked up as loud thud filled his ears.
The Angel's body rolled slightly from the impact caused by it falling to the city street. As it moved, it turned slightly so Ikari could see the viscous red liquid flowing from the end of the tube. Releasing the breath he hadn't known he was holding, he slumped down in the control seat.
"Angel status?" he heard Misato ask as he sighed.
"All energy reading have ceased," Makoto informed her, sounding as relieved as the third-child felt. "It's dead."
"Unit 01, return to base," Katsuragi instructed.
To be continued…
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Author Notes –
My thanks for all of you how continue to read this story. And once again, I'm sorry for how long it takes me to get each chapter out. You know, sometimes this thing I've created makes me wanna rip all my hair out!
In response to Spider Virus, I'd like to say that I always found NGE Misato's personality to be somewhat of a contradiction. She says she swore vengeance on the Angels for her father's death, but other than working as the Director of Operations, she did little to further that goal. She always seemed far too relaxed about the situation and cared more for the pilots than her own vengeance (which I admit is perfectly understandable). EC Misato is far more driven in her desire for revenge and will do anything she has to in order to see it happen.
Oh, and to Verbl Kint 187 I'd like to say a big thanks for the extremely kind words. But what the heck is the EFO? And as for Shinji offering Rei his hand to shake, that is a result of his upbringing at the boarding school he attended, which had several Westerners on it's teaching staff during his tenure.
Original characters –
Yuriko – Nerv technician
German translations –
narr – fool
Wie können Sie das nicht wissen?! - How can you not know that?!
Hölle – hell
Wunderbar! – Wonderful!