Koros45 doesn't own Getter Robo Armageddon, Mazinkaiser, or Neon Genesis Evangelion
Shin Getter Robo vs. Mazinkaiser vs. Neon Genesis Evangelion – The Impact!
Stage Seven [ The Brave is Mazinger ]
SEELE was cross but that was nothing new. Kaji listened as they berated NERV and chiefly, Gendo.
"The Spear of Longinus was lost?!" One of the members stated with disbelief.
"My goal was to stop the Angel by any means necessary." Gendo explained. "As circumstances dictated, that was the best option."
"Letting a foreign element like these other machines into your fight?! Far too unpredictable." Another member of SEELE spoke.
"I let that element interfere due to another outside factor. The Evangelions were still able to neutralize the Angel and deal with the others." Gendo said with a hard line in his voice.
"Still the accelerated speed of the Angel attacks. . . this was not forseen in the Dead Sea Scrolls." The voice of Lorenz Keel spoke.
"What do you suggest we do about it, Mr. Ikari?" Another member of SEELE asked.
"The thing known as Shin Dragon. Our sources say it may be in Antarctica. Perhaps it is influencing Adam in some way. We will investigate this." Gendo said simply.
"Than it is adjourned. We all know our roles here. Do not test us again, Ikari."
The meeting was more or less over after that, Kaji, Gendo and Fuyutsuki leaving soon after. Gendo was silent the way back and Kaji soon found trying to make conversation with Fuyutsuki was awkward. He thought about being anywhere but stuck in his predicament. At Misato's bedside. Or even in The Tower hearing the news on Shin Dragon from Hayato.
"Just when is SEELE going to make their big move? And just how are they going to move against something as big as Shin Dragon?" Kaji wondered to himself.
/
"Mommy! I'll die with you! As long as you'll still be my mommy!" Asuka pleaded. But it didn't matter. In the end the doll was the thing that died alongside her mother. The memory came back and she woke up with clammy skin. It took a lot to get out of bed, trudging to the bathroom. Her earlier confidence and bravado were pushed to the side as the wound reopened in her head, the memories spilling out once again.
"Why do I have to go through this?! I have no intention of having a child!" Asuka thought as she cleaned herself up from the period. Then she checked the time. 5:00 AM. Too early to do anything important but too late to go back to sleep. She scowled and turned on the hot water again.
/
"He had to live after the Second Impact, doesn't he? In this hell..."
"If he wants to survive, anywhere could be like Heaven. He has a chance to be happy anytime because he's alive."
His mother's voice finished speaking and Shinji awoke. He heard the moving around and opened his eyes, frustrated that the dream had ended. He couldn't even remember it but it was a dream where he was happy. He turned on the lights and looked around the small room that used to be a closet. His cello and suitcase were the only two things that he could really call his own. Shinji sighed as he heard the shower turn on and then a shout in German regarding the temperature. So Asuka was awake.
He rubbed his eyes and sat up. 5:05 AM. With nothing to do. Shinji looked over to the Cello and opened the case, pulling out the instrument and propping it up as he began to play a song from memory. It had been a long time since he'd played the instrument and he was surprised how quickly it all came back to him.
"Shinji. How you've grown." His mother had said in the time on the train.
"Mother. It that really you?" Shinji had asked.
She nodded to him and put her hands on his shoulders. "I don't know how, but you've found me this deep inside of Evangelion Unit 01." Yui said as she sat next to him on the train.
". . . Mother, why did you become part of the Evangelion?" Shinji asked her.
"I-" Yui paused and looked frustrated as she began to think, her brow furrowing the same way Shinji's did.
"I wanted to give a light to the future. To show you and your father the hope that still exists for humanity." She laughed in a sad kind of way as she looked at her son.
"I supposed that's not what you saw that day, was it?" She asked him.
"I didn't recognize EVA Unit 01 at first. But . . . It always felt like you. Like you were watching over me." Shinji answered. "I didn't remember that memory until recently. It was something I might've repressed."
"Shinji, I'm not exactly in control of myself when I'm Unit 01. The 'armor' you see covering Unit 01 is designed as restraints. The berserker system is when I take over Unit 01's body. But the Evangelion is not something that a human soul can hope to surpass. It is an evolution of humanity in a sense. I'm sorry if I've caused you pain like this." His mother said as she gave him a hug. Shinji returned it and started to cry.
"Shinji? . . . "
"Father . . . he used a Dummy Plug to try and get around my control! It just made you angry. One of my best friends almost died because of your rampage and I could do nothing but listen to the whole thing." Shinji explained.
"Gendo did that. . . I see." Yui said, looking sad for a moment.
"Shinji, do you hate your parents?" She asked.
"I don't hate you, mother. And I don't know if I hate father or not. Father and I both miss you. But after you vanished, father became distant. He -" Shinji stopped and started shaking.
"All he sees me as is a pilot for the Evangelion."
"Shinji, I want you to listen to me very carefully." Yui said, suddenly turning serious for a moment.
/
The door to his room swung open and Shinji stopped playing the Cello, the strings vibrating from his last note.
"Hey, I'm surprised you're playing that so early." A wet-haired Asuka said. She was wearing a white T-shirt and black shorts.
" . . . It's been a while." Shinji said, remembering the last time he'd done so and she enjoyed it.
"Well, can I hear you play again?" Asuka asked him. Shinji blinked but nodded.
She sat next to him on the bed as he started up another song, the stupidly early hour of the morning dulling his normal self-conscious fears as he worked.
Asuka was still surprised at the boy's talent with the instrument. From the way he held the Cello and the precise sounds, it was clear he used to play it more than he let on. Benkei's words of a hobby one liked came to mind as Shinji finished the song.
He was startled again as Asuka gave him a light applause. "Not bad. Like I said, you're skilled at this, Shinji."
He blinked. "Well I guess so. I never really thought of it as a strength."
She sighed. "Typical Shinji. But really, that was good. I'm still surprised."
Shinji blinked. "Thanks, Asuka."
She gave him a smirk and the look confused him. Something in his brain switched on and he found that he wanted to match her energy with his own. Whatever that meant. The kiss she'd given him that he'd failed to reciprocate certainly was on his mind suddenly.
"Well better put that away before you wake up Misato. But bring that to the party this weekend. I'm sure that Kouji and Sayaka will get a kick out of it." Asuka encouraged.
"Party?" Shinji asked with a blink. Asuka stopped, reminding herself that she'd been cross seeing Shinji with Rei the last time she'd spoken to Sayaka about the event.
"Yeah. Sayaka wants us to visit the Photon labs for a proper party. I think that she and her dad feel bad about the way dinner ended." Asuka said. "And I know Benkei feels bad about how lunch ended with Rei and I." Asuka said.
"Oh." Shinji blinked. "Yeah, that sounds like it could be fun." He didn't ask about Benkei and Asuka was relieved. No sense in bringing up wonder-girl while she and Shinji were already talking about going to the party.
"Great. Now what's today? More sync tests." Asuka said, making a face. "And on top of that your Evangelion's still not cleared to launch yet. Let's hope that changes – yesterday was really tense."
Asuka looked like she was about to brag about her achievements but stopped, her smile a thin disguise for the events yesterday.
"Asuka, that Angel attacked you. You were so confident after the battle saving Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger, and later being carried back by Mazinkaiser that I dismissed it. But what happened to you? You sounded like you were in a lot of pain." Shinji said, standing up and looking worried.
"I – I won that fight, anyway right?" Asuka said with an uneasy smile, her eyes betraying the expression she wanted to have and Shinji frowned. It was unlike her to deflect things like that.
"Asuka. I also – inside Unit 01, I saw something I haven't talked to anyone about. So I know how that feels, keeping a big secret inside of you." Shinji said, putting the Cello away and standing up as the two stared at each other.
"You don't know this, Shinji. There's no way you can know." Asuka said with finality before stepping back into the hallway.
"Well, if you need to talk to me, I'm right here." Shinji said and Asuka exhaled.
"You already called out for me before, dummy. Remember?" She asked. "It was your voice I heard that woke me up from that Angel's attack." Then she blinked, a prominent blush on her face.
"Huh?" Shinji looked completely confused and Asuka's filter was completely gone this early in the morning.
"Idiot! I can't talk this early in the morning! I'm getting breakfast." She said, turning to walk down the hallway, leaving Shinji Ikari even more confused than earlier.
/
". . . The problem yesterday was Shin Getter just had one pilot." Go said as he turned to Ryoma. "If we had three, I think we would've had a chance disabling that particular Angel by ourselves."
"Even with those mental attacks?" Ryoma said, downing a mug of coffee.
Go nodded. "Yes. My own connection with Shin Getter might have been able to mitigate that. Shin Getter 2's speed was fast enough to re-enter the atmosphere from space in a matter of seconds. And the Drill Attack was able to break though Zeruel's AT field after it was hit with Drill Hurricane. But with just one pilot at the controls, that's not possible."
"And what about the other day? There's no way Shin Getter should've done so little against Zereul." Gai said, crossing his arms with a frown.
"It was still going through minor system repairs, remember? And on top of that you and Kei aren't used to fighting things other than Invaders with it." Benkei said.
"But Dad!- If that was you, Hayato and Ryoma in there, surely you'd be able to beat it." Kei said.
"Don't give me too much credit. Black Getter was there too! I could sortie faster by myself, and I didn't want Tetsuya to go in alone." Ryoma said, pouring another cup of coffee. "And even with Ryoma Nagare, all I did was be a big target for the thing until Shinji was able to deploy." The man said.
"Well so far the EVA kids are handling the Angels pretty well. And let's also remember our newest ally Mazinkaiser is quite the powerhouse as well." Benkei said and Go nodded.
"Even moreso considering yesterday was Kouji's first time controlling that thing. Upgraded attacks of the standard Z, and even it's own advanced Mazinger Blade in the shoulder called the Shoulder Slicer. With New Chogokin armor as well." Go mused. "Kouji described that thing as 'humanity's trump card.' And considering how it went toe to toe with that awakened Unit 01, I wouldn't rule that title out."
"Alright. So from what I understand we now should always deploy Shin Getter with three pilots, right?" Kei asked and the rest of the Getter Team nodded. "Obviously." Kei said with a chuckle.
"And we also only go to Tokyo – 3 if we're allowed to leave again with all of our machines." Ryoma said with a frown. "I really thought that Gendo Ikari would have given us a free pass considering how much we assisted. But after seeing Kaiser go berserk like that, I have to say it was smart of him to lock it up."
"What's that about Kaiser?" Kouji Kabuto asked as he walked downstairs in blue pajamas.
"Oh. Just talking about how well you controlled it yesterday. It's sure quite the beast in action." Ryoma said and Kouji grinned, giving the older man a fist bump.
"Hell yeah! NERV better think twice about underestimating me!" Kouji said and the group laughed.
"Speaking of NERV, Rei says we can have another strategy meeting." Benkei said. "But I think it would be smart to not bring a Getter this time. We don't want Shin Getter locked up if Shin Dragon moves again."
Go nodded. "I'll go then. I want to speak with Ayanami anyway."
Kouji blinked. "Huh?! You got a crush on her or something?"
"No." Go said emotionlessly. "I simply feel she and I may be alike."
"Huh. Well that's new." Kei said. "I'd like to meet her as well then. If she's anything like my big brother, I want to see myself."
Gai sighed. "I don't want to go to NERV though."
Kouji smiled. "Well then we'll keep three Getter Pilots here, Ryoma, Gai, and Benkei. Then you can send Go and Kei to NERV. That way we'll be able to use Mazinkaiser and Shin Getter if anything bad happens."
"Yeah, but none of us are skilled at using Shin Getter 2." Gai said and Kouji sighed.
"I think you'll manage just fine. Just stick with Shin Getter 1 and 3 if it's that big of a deal." Kouji said.
"I think that's a safer idea than leaving the Photon Labs unguarded. Now all the passcodes have been reset and the Photon Barrier is back up. But still – I don't think Dr. Hell's quite done." Ryoma said and Kouji nodded.
"I really appreciate your help, Getter Team. With Tetsuya and Jun gone, Sayaka, Boss, and I feel pretty outnumbered sometimes." Kouji said.
/
Misato woke up to music and then Asuka's voice yelling about something. Given the girl's yelling the other night, it was enough to make Misato worry about her.
Misato sat up and checked her phone. Kaji had texted her from an anonymous number.
"This is K. Meeting with SEELE over. Need to meet you today. Lots of things to say. When are you free?"
The text had been sent at 4 AM. Misato sighed and sat up, washing her hair in the sink and making due with that as she heard the shower running again, Shinji yelling as he slipped in it. Then Asuka yelled 'Idiot' again from the living room.
It took her half an hour to get ready for work, looking professional as Misato slipped on her red jacket and walked out of the door.
"Asuka, are you doing ok?" Misato asked. Asuka turned from the TV, looking tired and fed up with something.
"Misato, I'm doing alright. Just have a lot going on right now."
She looked back to the TV and Misato wasn't going to continue the conversation if it would end with the word 'idiot'.
"What about you, Shinji?" She yelled.
"I'm okay!" Shinji yelled back his voice carrying despite being in the shower.
"Well I'm going to work in twenty minutes. Hurry up and get dressed and I'll give you both a ride there." Misato offered.
The water stopped and Shinji yelled. "Great. I'll get ready."
Asuka sulked for a moment, unable to distract herself from the traumatic events of the other day. Even beating something like Mazinger Z or Great Mazinger felt cheap. After all – they were just puppets at that point. Dr. Hell's little monsters couldn't hope to measure up to Kouji or Tetsuya's skills.
But the worst part was that victory didn't just cure all of her problems from the Angel attack. Asuka dropped the remote, standing to let Pen-Pen walk by and take her place watching the news.
/
Shin Dragon tore through the skies, the elongated and dragonic Getter letting out a howl as it's face tore through the mist.
"Shin Dragon?!" Hayato heard a crewman say as The Tower spotted the gigantic being.
"Easy everyone. Let's just observe where it's going." Hayato said, shutting down any panic with only a firm voice and a glance.
The creature flew high above The Tower mobile fortress, body of snakelike coils winding left and right.
"As we thought. It's heading for Japan." Hayato observed. "Contact the Getter Team at the Photon Labs. And send a message to NERV. Even if this isn't an Angel, it should be seen as everyone's problem. And tell Go that the time is now for Operation Jackrabbit."
The pilot of Shin Getter 2 and current leader of this operation had a smile on his face despite the planetary threat that was Shin Dragon. "Professor Yumi will take this threat seriously. Now the ball's in your court, Gendo Ikari."
/
Misato frowned as Asuka left the latest sync test. The girl's numbers were down again. Not enough to make Unit 02 inoperable, but they were the sign of a potential red flag. She swallowed the earlier disdain she had for Ritsuko the other day and approached the scientist.
"Hey Ritsuko. Do you mind looking at Asuka's latest test results?" Misato asked. The other woman looked to her and it was clear to Misato that Ritsuko was tired.
"Yeah. I'll look in a minute, Misato. I'm having trouble analyzing Unit 01 after Shinji returned. It's like something's inside it interfering with our instruments."
"Thanks Ritsuko." Misato said and the other woman blinked.
"I thought you saw Kaji?" The scientist asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No. Too much time dealing with NERV's guests in the last twenty-four hours. Maybe tonight if he's free." Misato said and Ritsuko exhaled, no doubt a hidden yawn.
"Who has free time anymore? With the world as it is?" She asked.
"Well as a counterpoint, why don't we all have more free time if the world's really so screwed?" Misato asked and Ritsuko smiled.
"Takes me back to our college days, Misato." She said, grabbing the sync test results. She frowned, looking surprised. "But this doesn't make any sense! For a person as driven to succeed as Asuka, her score should be much higher after what she did yesterday."
"Should we focus on Rei again?" Misato asked. "I don't want Asuka's ego to be hurt if we're 'showing favor to wonder-girl'." Misato said in quotes.
"Hm. I think at the moment that's a good idea. If this trend of negative tests continues, we may have to seriously consider another pilot for Unit 02." Ritsuko said bluntly.
Misato nodded. "Damn, cold and hard logic. But you're right. If her test scores stay this low we'll have to get another pilot ready. I just wonder what excuse I can possibly make up that Asuka will buy?"
"The Angel from yesterday did shake her up and perhaps she's hiding the damage as best she can. You could always have her do special training at the Photon Labs while we prepare for a replacement pilot?" Ritsuko added.
"Well let's see how she is in the next test before we write her off just yet." Misato said.
"And what about Unit 01? Can we put it back on standby?" Misato asked.
"That's for Commander Ikari to decide." Ritsuko said and Misato nodded. "Ritsuko, thanks for looking at this with me."
"Not a problem." Ritsuko said and the conversation ended there.
/
Kaji was the last one off the plane as Commander Ikari and Fuyutsuki got in a car that would give them a beeline straight to NERV HQ. As for Kaji, he had other things to do.
He first checked Misato's text and smiled, having memorized her phone number.
The next of which was to sit on a bench and recline, looking at the shadows the sun cast down on Tokyo-3. He waited for the man in question to pass and then sent out the message via flip phone. Kaji immediately removed the battery and threw the phone's husk in a puddle of water before tossing the shell of it in the trash.
Things were progressing at an even faster rate than SEELE predicted. At this point, the outcome of things was anyone's guess.
Kaji looked at his watch and smiled. Misato would be free in about six hours. Until then he had to get a new phone and then tend to some watermelons.
/
Shin Getter Robo hovered over the clouds, Ryoma looking down at the small hovercraft the large Getter was holding.
"Go, are you sure you're fine with just that Beetle ship?" Benkei asked.
Go nodded. "Remember, I can communicate with Shin Getter if things get out of hand. Just make sure we're not that quick to jump the gun as we were with Zeruel this time."
"All right. Oh, and give that Gendo Ikari a kick in the balls if he gives you any trouble." Ryoma said.
Kei closed her eyes and smiled slightly. "I don't think things will resort to that." The woman said as Shin Getter let go of the craft, letting Go and Kei enter Tokyo – 3's airspace.
"Be seeing you then." Gai said as Shin Getter departed away from Tokyo – 3.
/
"Commander Ikari, on deck." Misato said as Gendo stood back in the operator's booth.
"Our objective is unchanged. The eradication of the Angels will continue as planned. We also are now going to monitor the creature known only as Shin Dragon." Gendo said.
"Sir, the Getter Team sent us a message regarding this 'Shin Dragon'. One of the aides on the bridge said and handed Commander Ikari the news.
"Hmm. Then we can expect the Angels to appear at a regular rate now. The timetable has changed. Let the Photon Labs know we have received the message. Miss Katsuragi, your report was extensive but in depth. I want you to work with the Getter Team and Photon Labs to plan for countermeasures if this 'Shin Dragon' attacks Tokyo 03. That is all."
Not a complement for her but not exactly an insult either. Misato responded with a 'sir!' and returned to work.
/
Rei Ayanami looked up as the Beetle craft landed, Go and Kei exiting it to walk towards her. Kei gave her a wave as she ran ahead of Go.
"Hi there!" Kei said, extending a hand in greeting. Rei shook the hand, aware that it was warm, just like Shinji's. The girl's smile was also genuine and her strong but positive appearance was a counterpoint to Go's stoic and tall figure.
"Welcome back to NERV HQ." Rei said and Go caught up.
"Rei Ayanami. We're here to discuss battle tactics. As well as some other things." Go said.
"Other things?" Rei asked and Go nodded.
"But tactics first! Father won't have it another way!" Kei said and led the trio into the interior of NERV while a ground crew towed the Beetle craft inside of the base.
The three made it into a spartan breakroom with abysmal lighting.
"Here is the data I gathered the other day after watching our records of the battle." Rei said, giving Kei a data card. "And I believe that a synchronous attack will be most effective. The last two engagements against the Angels weren't coordinated."
"That's right." Go said. "If we had planned ahead, Shin Getter might've been able to intercept either Angel before things got as bad."
"That said, I don't think that Commander Ikari or Mr. Jin will see eye to eye on anything." Kei said with a sigh.
"Well at the very least we can communicate in the field." Go said. "Yesterday was at least an improvement. Kouji, Asuka, Rei and I had better teamwork than the last few joint encounters."
Kei nodded and pulled out some papers with a lot of numbers written on them.
"These aren't official documents – just my own notes, so they're safer if you were to lose them or if they were stolen." Kei said.
"What are they?" Rei asked.
"The fastest speeds I've been able to clock with Shin Getter 2. It's the fastest thing the Photon Labs has. The fight with Zeruel showed us that a fast response to Angel attacks is important but our approach could've been smoother. If Shin Getter had appeared first, and with the right approach, assistance by Great Mazinger and Black Getter might've been enough to deal with that Angel without involving any Evangelions." Kei said.
"I agree. And our Evangelion launches are decided at specific times by the Commander in charge. There may be cases where we need to launch even if there are no orders. Your Super Robot army is more versatile in that case – most of you can fly to assist us if need be."
Go nodded. "But the EVAs are still the most effective things against the Angels. Neutralizing an AT field isn't something many of our machines can do. With the exception of Mazinkaiser it seems."
"Still the next Angel may be something completely different than we faced in the past – the majority of the Angels have varied since we first faced them." Rei said.
There was silence for a moment and she spoke again.
"You mentioned there was something else to speak to me about?"
/
Shinji sat inside of Unit 01 and did his best to relax.
"Mother. I'm back." he thought, trying to connect the image of her he saw on the train to the purple clad cyborg he was currently linked to.
Even though he knew she was there, it was still difficult to accept. Shinji frowned and looked over to Unit 02, Unit 01's head turning to accommodate him when he gave the thought.
Asuka was testing Unit 02's reflexes, making all sorts of handsigns as Unit 02 replicated them. A thumbs up that quickly became a tumbs down when Shinji looked her way. A rock – on that became Spider-Man's web shooting pose. A peace sign. A middle finger. Another middle finger with the other hand. And then an OK finger sign.
"Hey Shinji." She said, sounding bored as one of the hands turned into a wave.
"What is it, Asuka?" Shinji asked, feeling strange seeing Unit 02 make those handsigns while he heard its voice as Asuka's.
"Wanna have a thumb war with our EVAs?" She asked.
"What? But this is an official test." Shinji pointed out.
"Yeah. A coordination test. So this is the perfect thing to make us concentrate. Put her there!" She challenged, Unit 02 stepping a bit forward to extend it's hand to Unit 01 and Shinji.
"Well I suppose that's true." Shinji said before he did the same, clasping Unit 02's hand and dismissing thoughts that it was a roundabout way of holding hands with Asuka.
The two began a thumbwar, Shinji narrowing his eyes as he concentrated on just Unit 01's hand, manipulating the thumb to avoid Asuka's own and attempting to pin it. Shinji was close as he felt Unit 01's thumb push down Unit 02's own. But that was a mistake as Asuka had planned that, waiting for Shinji's push to move her thumb at the last second, pivoting around Unit 01's to pin it for the game.
"Hah! I got it!" Asuka said, making a fist pump and then pointing at Unit 01 with fingerguns before shifting again to her right arm bent at a ninty degree angle pointing up with her left arm crossing over it..
Shinji sighed. "You're letting the Mazinger pilots rub off on you."
Asuka laughed. "That's probably true. But I really can't find a problem with that."
"Both of you, focus on the next exercise. And be glad Commander Ikari's not on deck or that would have been bad form." Misato said.
"That's right. I don't want to have to explain to the Commander how Unit 02 destroyed Unit 01 with a Specium Ray." Ritsuko added with a wink.
"Blah blah blah." Asuka mouthed through the speaker just so Shinji could hear, yet still followed the order.
Shinji frowned and leaned back as far as he could. "Mother." He thought again, wondering what she'd think of him using the thing her soul was bonded to for something as meaningless as a thumb war.
/
Asuka huffed and stretched in the cockpit, tapping her toe, glad that Unit 02 didn't follow that specific action. If Misato was going to be micromanaging today, that meant it would be very boring until the next Angel attack. It was frustrating being connected to something as huge as an Evangelion but unable to do anything with it. At least she had the victory against Shinji, but it felt so small. The hole in her heart was still there, a headless doll appearing from time to time in her mind.
"Dammit." She murmured, closing her eyes and taking a breath as she focused on her connection to the EVA.
Then she remembered the morning. The hot water on her back. And the surprise and fondness she had for the song on the Cello she'd heard Shinji play. The combination of feelings was strong. And it brought another feeling to bear as Asuka manipulated the EVA's systems. She realized that she could feel – breathing?
"The Evangelion is alive?" Asuka thought as she took another breath, doing her best to keep relaxing, keeping the doll at bay.
She remembered the walk back home the other day, sitting in Mazinkaiser's palm as the colossal super robot's steps boomed.
/
"Hey Kabuto, is that thing walking on it's own? Or are you telling it to do that?" She asked him.
"Heh! Mazinkaiser doesn't need me to use the pedals for everything! I just start walking forward to NERV HQ and it finds a way to get there!"
"So you don't manipulate it's fingers or legs?" Asuka asked, feeling a bit unsafe if he wasn't literally in charge of the robot's open palm.
"Nope. That's all Mazinkaiser. At most I control the arms, body and declare the attacks. Like I said, there are pedals for the legs, but that's only if I'm in a big hurry, or need to be careful where Kaiser is stepping. It's the same control system as Mazinger Z more or less." Kouji said.
"So it's about trust then?" Asuka asked.
"I guess so. Like – the Pilder is supposed to be a Mazinger's brain, right? So we send the signals for it to follow but it does the rest itself." Kouji said.
"Do you see Mazinkaiser as a puppet to control?" Asuka asked, wanting an answer to her current problem.
"Hell no! Mazinkaiser's the one who does most of the work! I'm just the guy pulling levers and calling out attack names!" Kouji laughed.
"Tetsuya referred to Great Mazinger as a hero – not himself. Kind of like that?" Asuka asked him.
"Well yeah, I guess. It makes it easier to work with a robot if you see them as something larger than life rather than just some kind of second skin. That's what I think anyway. Otherwise I'd have a really big ego!" Kouji said.
Asuka laughed. "Well you still have a big head, but I don't want to imagine what you'd be like with an even bigger one!"
/
She glanced at Unit 01 and wondered how Shinji felt. She still hadn't asked him about what it felt being LCL goop. Her frustrations with him talking to Rei seemed so petty now that she felt her past trauma so fresh. He was here for her if she just reach out for him. If her tremendous pride would allow that to happen. Asuka felt funny for some reason at that and it caught her off guard.
Then she paused again. It was just like with the breathing before. It wasn't her laughing.
"Is it my Evangelion?" She wondered as she thought about how nice it would be to just start running out of the base as fast as Unit 02's legs could take her, just for the sheer thrill of it all.
Asuka stood up as straight as she could and Unit 02 did the same, snapping to attention as she looked straight ahead. "Right now I'm isolated in the this test, in this thing that I'm expected to operate like myself. But – what if it's more than just that. What if it's really alive after all?" She asked herself.
/
"You're a clone?" Rei asked and Go nodded.
"I see. But that aside we don't have anything in common." She said.
"No. But tell me – do you ever remember the memories of your host?" He asked her.
"Not that I can recall." Rei said and looked at Go. "Who were you cloned from?" Ayanami asked him.
"Michiru Saotome." Go said, pulling a picture of a younger Getter team from a pocket in a green army vest he wore. It was part of a full body ensemble to look more professional. The red spandex was a little unsettling in a military facility after all.
The picture showed a young woman in the center of the image, surrounded by her father, Professor Saotome, and the old Getter Team of Hayato, Ryoma, and Musashi Tomoe.
"That girl?" Rei asked, sounding a bit surprised. "But why are you a male?"
Go blinked. "I don't know. My guess would be that father made me after he saw how well Ryoma synchronized with Getter Robo. Perhaps father made my body similar to that of Ryoma's so I could interface with Shin Getter and Shin Dragon easier." Go reasoned.
"Made a certain way to fit a certain role. You are like me then." Rei said.
"Rei, I'm concerned. The other day you said that you were expendable. Why is that?" Go asked.
"Because I can be replaced by another Rei Ayanami. Therefore this Rei Ayanami can put herself in situations that the Second and Third Child cannot."
"That's sick." Kei said, shaking her head. "I don't understand that logic. You're still your own person."
Rei shook her head. "The next Rei will have the same role. I see no problem with this."
"But! The Rei Ayanami that exists right now – if she were to die than the next Rei wouldn't be the same one!" Kei said and Rei closed her eyes.
"I don't see why it is a problem for you."
Kei stood up and looked to Go. "Because he's my brother. And even if he got replaced by another version of Go Ichimonji, it wouldn't be the same. The you that exists right now matters, Rei."
Go put a hand on Kei's arm and she stopped. He looked to Rei.
"The first memory I really remember having is not my own. It is Michiru's. But no matter how much I focus and try to recall, I can never really see any more of that woman's memories. She shares my DNA. But we aren't the same person." Go explained.
"That's different from me though. If I die, another Rei Ayanami will be there." Rei stated.
"A different Rei Ayanami. The current you will cease to exist. You may think that doesn't matter, but what about Shinji and Asuka? Do you think they would want that?" Go asked her.
"The other pilots will still work with me in that situation."
"But they won't be working with the same Rei!" Kei said with a concerned tone.
Rei Ayanami felt like her head hit a wall again. The third time now if she was counting. There was a feeling building up inside of her that was a sister to frustration but she didn't have a word for it. Asuka had the same reaction thought her's had been more of anger than Kei and Go's worry.
"I understand what you are saying about my own individuality. But – I can still be replaced. These memories might not be seen by the next Rei, but they will still exist. In you. In Unit 00. In Commander Ikari. In the other Children. The next Rei will find who she is through those memories."
Kei sighed and looked to Go. "Rei, it was nice to see you. I'm going to go for a walk." She said before turning and walking away.
Once she was gone, Rei looked up to Go. "I'm sorry. Did I upset her?"
Go smiled for a moment. "She's just worried about you and can't figure out what to do. Even if you're alright with dying, I still don't want you to die. You're the only person that I know who also is a clone." Go said.
"I would not be against fighting to preserve my own life. I just don't see my own individuality as important compared to the goals of NERV and Commander Ikari." Rei stated.
"And what happens when there is no more NERV? When Gendo Ikari is no longer in charge of you?" Go asked.
Rei was surprised by the questions. "Then I – I will find another path. Though I don't know what it would be." Rei reasoned.
"What would you like to do?" Go asked and Rei felt herself hit the brick wall again. The same things Asuka and Benkei asked her about, food and colors, and now a career.
"What would I . . . like to do?" Rei asked, this time looking down to the circular table she and Go were sitting at. Rei noticed how close her hand was to Go's own and wondered if he was at all comfortable around her. Not many people were. Even the classmates that found her attractive had kept their distance.
"I don't know exactly. But what about you?" Rei asked Go.
Go smiled. "I don't know myself I don't care. I just want to live in a world where there's no need for fighting. I'd do anything after that – farming, architecture, whatever people need to keep living on."
"You can imagine a world like that?" Rei asked him and Go closed his eyes.
"Conflict will always exist, but I'd like to hope a world with no fighting still can. Otherwise, what are any of us really fighting for?"
/
"Dr. Hell! How is your part of the plan coming along?" Professor Saotome asked as the other man appeared on Shin Dragon's closest monitor.
"My forces are ready. And the ruins excavated have bared quite the fruit! Some uncovered knowledge from a lost civilization. And a new legion of mechanical beasts! They'll be sure to keep the Photon Labs busy!"
Professor Saotome laughed. "Good! Then we'll bury Mazinkaiser inside of the Photon Labs. That embarrassment to science shall be it's tomb!"
"And what of you? Is Shin Dragon ready for your next plan?" Dr. Hell asked.
"Almost! I am waiting on one more variable and then we'll be ready!" The professor said.
"Dr. Hell. In this situation, are you prepared for what comes after the Invaders are victorious?" Cohen asked him, the bulky dark skinned man with blonde lion like hair and beard asked him.
"I'm counting on it! As Hell is my name, I am prepared to face Hell itself if that's what it takes to realize my unending ambition of world conquest!" The man yelled back.
"Hee hee hee! Then we are all agreed!" Dr. Stinger added.
"Baron Ashura and Count Brocken also share my dream. We will be prepared for the next phase in your plan. But until then we will make sure Kouji Kabuto and this new 'Mazinkaiser' are thoroughly analyzed. It was a mistake for me to assume a larger mechanical beast would be enough to complete the task at hand."
"Doctors." Baron Ashura said, standing up and bowing to Dr. Hell in view of the screen. "I have a plan to make sure Kouji Kabuto never bothers us again! If we can't destroy this Mazinkaiser, we'll just kill the pilot! And if that fails we'll destroy the Photon Labs themselves!"
Dr. Hell put a hand to his beard. "Stand, Baron."
"Yes!" Baron Ashura complied, the split faces of man and woman snapping to attention.
"The ancient Mycean weapons and technology this Island possesses, combined with my genius will crush our foes and pave a way for Shin Dragon to give me dominion of the world!" Dr. Hell exclaimed.
The others nodded and Professor Saotome grinned. "Then it is agreed! Our alliance is forged at this moment! This time the next Angel attack will be met by a swarm of Invaders!"