5:40pm, NERV central parking lot
Eiji sat in the Akuma's driver seat, muttering away to himself. In front of him, his brothers in arms and picked up stray puppies walked off to wherever their destination was.
Upon his vehicle stood two, "Section Six" NERV technicians attempting to remove him with laser cutters. But he knew they couldn't. His right leg was ruined beyond repair, which meant only one thing.
Cybernetics.
"Don't worry Private, we'll have you out soon." One of the technicians reassured, only for Eiji to sigh.
"Join the army they said, it would be fucking fun they said..." He grumbled before shrieking in pain as one of the lasers seared the mutilated flesh of his trapped leg.
"Gah, fucking bastards!" He flailed around, his fist hurtling into the younger technician's face.
"Ow, what the hell!" He rubbed his bruised his nose.
"You are trying to cut my leg off, what do you fucking expect!? Could you actually give me anaesthetic and a proper damned surgeon!" Eiji finished frothing before adding "cunts" for good measure.
The two technicians looked at each other, before the elder one had a spark of genius on his face.
"Perhaps we should get Tenka-sensei?" His mouth curled into a grin, and so did his compatriot.
"Yes, that's sounds like an idea."
They both got down from the tank and began walking away.
"What!? Where the fuck are you going?" Eiji yelled after them.
"We're just doing what you asked, we're getting you a Doctor. He'll fix your leg for you."
"But you can't just leave me all by myself!"
"Don't worry, we'll only be twenty minutes or so..." As they rounded a corner, the two technicians started sniggering as the furious Private screamed.
"Fucking spook cunts, just you wait until I get out of here! Fuck!"
5:50pm, State of Japan, NERV central...somewhere...
They'd been wandering for a while, with Misato looking more and more unsure of herself as they went along.
"Spirit's sake, didn't you bring a map?" Kiyoshi massaged his forehead during one of their stops.
She whirled around with a hand on hip and harrumphed.
"Hey, I'm a Lieutenant Colonel of NERV! I know where I'm going around my own base." She then stormed off with a mock pout, forcing the rest of the group to follow.
"I think you've upset her." Shinji quietly remarked to his two other friends.
"I'm not sure if that's much of an achievement Ikari-san." Seiichi chuckled.
To someone from before the year 1999, the Sergeant and the Private must have looked ridiculous, with their nineteenth century reminiscent uniforms of a dark blue tunic, crystal white breaches, and black shoes.
And yet the drab grey body armour completely clashed with so colourful a uniform. For in this age of heat and pulse vision, camouflage didn't matter anymore. So uniforms had become more colourful of late, with the one the JSA wore being picked out by General Motichka herself.
They kept going, with Shinji being tempted every now and again to just try and find his own way to wherever they were meant to be going. Not that he was adventurous, but even he had his limits.
"Should be around here..." Misato trailed off as another set of doors instead of an elevator stood before her.
"Oh it's like being commanded by Lieutenant Hakashi again..." Seiichi collapsed to his knees in a display of melodrama. Kiyoshi himself shivered at the memory of that young superior officer who'd managed to get them lost on a highway.
Still, the man didn't deserve to die like he did.
"I don't see any of you helping!"
"That's because we don't work here." All three replied in unison. The flirtatious thirty year old scowled at them, causing all in her company to cower.
She fiddled with her cross for a moment as if deep in thought, before pulling out her phone.
"I thought we already tried that, Katsuragi-san?" Shinji carefully ventured, having no intention of provoking whatever wrath was hidden beneath Misato's rather attractive exterior.
"I'm calling a friend, might have more luck there..." She finished dialling, then held the phone to her ear.
"Come on, Rits...pick up..."
Elsewhere, in a cavernous room half filled with blood red liquid, a phone rang. It lay to the side of the pool and rang for roughly a minute before its owner could attend to it.
A woman with green eyes and blonde hair swam over to the side and picked it up. She frowned the very moment the caller's name was presented.
"Fuck's sake, Misato I'm busy." She thumbed the decline call button.
"Oh Spirits not now, Rits..." Misato looked desperately at her phone before putting it away. The two soldiers explosively sighed, whilst Shinji did the safest thing possible and stared at his shoes.
Seiichi threw his arms up in the air and began to walk back the way he'd come.
"Well that's it. We're going to wander around here for days, die of starvation, then our spirits will wander this complex for all eternity..." He fumed as Kiyoshi began to follow him.
"Oh it's honestly not that bad, especially if you've got me for company!" A loud voice echoed throughout the room from one of the loudspeakers.
Both men stopped in their tracks, and even Shinji's head shot up in surprise.
"Misato-chan, how many times must I tell you to bring a map?"
"Oh...hello, Caspar-san..." Misato said with a combination of relief and...dread? No that couldn't be right...
"Caspar?" Kiyoshi tilted his head.
"The voice of God herself!"
"Otherwise known as our egomaniac of an A.I." Misato sighed.
"You have an A.I? That's incredible!" Shinji's eyes started sparkling, for although he wasn't a true tech nerd, this was still something to take note of.
A.I were very rare. Although that is understandable as they were a brand new technology, but the fact this one could talk was mind boggling.
"Ah! What is this? A meat bag who comprehends the marvel of science that I am? Oh what a day, what a lovely day!" Caspar positively gushed, causing Misato to give a humoured yet despairing look at Shinji.
"Rule number one here, Shinji-kun, don't compliment Caspar-san. We don't need her ego getting any bigger or we'll start orbiting it soon enough." She shook her head, then looked at one of the security cameras.
"I assume you're not just talking to us so you can humour yourself?"
"You have a man's sense of direction, but a woman's intuition, Misato-chan. Yes I saw you looking hopelessly lost, so I thought I should give you a helping hand. There's some lifts not too far from here to which I shall direct you. But after that I'm a very busy machine, so I'll have to leave you in the gentle hands of our good, Sub Commander Akagi."
Spirits, it sounds like its smiling, Shinji mused to himself.
Back in the great pool, the blonde woman swam around some more, just making sure nothing was horribly wrong with one of the only things that made Mankind's last hope work.
"Ritsuko-chan." A sing song voice echoed throughout the vast hall and even into the liquid it held.
Ah shit...
A few seconds later, she rose from the water with a despairing look on her face. Whatever the "Overlord" wanted could never be good, nor ignored.
"What is it Caspar?" Ritsuko ran a hand through her bedraggled hair.
"Be a dear would you? Misato-chan's, gotten herself lost again unsurprisingly, so would you go and contact her on the block three, floor seventeen, lifts? I would guide her to the command bridge but I have other things to attend to...like stopping that S2 reactor exploding..." The A.I's voice cut out as it went away to do something else.
Sub Commander Ritsuko Akagi's hand slowly found its way to her forehead, as her shoulders slumped.
"That's the fifth time this month. How is that humanly possible, even for you Misato-chan?"
Even though he was still struggling to comprehend the fact this facility had a talking A.I, Shinji was grateful to Caspar. Now they were actually going...wherever they needed to go.
"Either these lifts go very slow, or this place is vast." Kiyoshi leaned on the back of the lift, whilst his subordinate held both their helmets. His assessment was accurate, as they'd been in there for roughly eight minutes.
"Hell, I work here and I don't know how deep down it goes." Misato added as the lift came to a stop.
"Floor seventeen. Please stand clear of the doors." Caspar's automated voice said in a surprisingly non-tormenting or loud tone. One would assume this was simply an automated feature, but the staff of NERV knew better than to make assumptions about the ego-fuelled machine.
For all they knew, it could just be Caspar messing with them.
The doors opened, and a pair of green eyes looked over each and every single occupant of the lift, giving Shinji a feeling that he'd rather be facing that monster on the surface right then and there.
Oddly enough, he wasn't the only one...
"Um...hi, Ritsuko...chan..." Misato put on one of the most desperate smiles he'd had ever witnessed.
The blonde woman, clothed in a dark grey tunic and trousers, along with knee high black boots, white lab coat and gloves, narrowed her jade eyes as if Misato was not much more than an annoying puppy.
"Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi, once more you find it within your capability to waste time and manpower." She stepped into the lift and pressed a button with the number twenty-eight on it.
With the doors sliding closed behind her, Ritsuko sighed in a way that can only be deemed as acceptance.
"Before you ask, I am absolutely fine. How are you?" She directed in an annoyed but not displeased tone, that caused Misato to smile.
"I'm fine, Rits-chan. Had a rough day what with the Seraph trying to atomise me and Shinji-kun here." She gestured towards the boy who shifted uncomfortably when Ritsuko turned her gaze on him.
"So this is the Third Child, as designated by the MARDUK report? Doesn't look much like his father..."
"Doesn't act and doesn't talk like him either."
"Huh, so actually a decent human being? I can work with that." Ritsuko cracked a small smile which allowed Shinji to feel a little more comfortable, but he still couldn't shake the feeling the lab coated Sub Commander was analysing him...
And then it was gone, as Ritsuko's gaze hardened when it fixed upon the two soldiers sharing the lift.
"You are quite clearly not NERV personnel. From what I understand you are only here because of the Lieutenant Colonel's good graces. As long as you abide by our rules, I have no issue with this. But understand that if you speak of anything that you see in this facility to outsiders, I can have you shot. Is that understood?" Her green eyes were somehow combated by the iron resolve of a soldier who had seen the near end of the world, and the terrible wars which followed.
"Transparently, Sub Commander." Kiyoshi respectfully growled, whilst Seiichi looked like he wanted to turn invisible. Although it was an acknowledgement of her authority, the contest of egos didn't stop all the way up.
Seiichi gave Shinji a quick look of don't worry, this is normal for him, as Misato muttered to herself in an embarrassed manner.
"Making great impressions on people you don't know as always, Rits-chan..."
6:10pm, Command Bridge
"Thank you Caspar-san, that will be all." Vice Commander Kozo Fuyutsuki smiled as the A.I complained about "never getting a thanks from that old bastard" before attending to whatever she needed to attend to.
Turning around to face his superior, the old man gave his report.
"The Third Child is currently being escorted to the cages by Sub Commander Akagi...Ikari-san...are you sure about this?"
"We have no other alternative. For now at least, the spare will have to suffice." Gendo rose from his seat.
"I am going down to Unit 01's cage. Handle the rest." He began to stride over to the lifts, but stopped half way when Kozo called out to him.
"What if he doesn't want to do it? He is sixteen, Commander..."
"He will. I know he will." The right side of Gendo's mouth curled into a smile.
Many would see this as a touching sign of trust in the speaker's child, but Kozo knew his superior all too well for that to be true.
What Supreme Commander Ikari truly meant was, he will do as I say, whether he likes it or not.
And this disheartened Kozo to no small extent.
He quietly sighed after Gendo had entered the lift, with the doors closing behind him.
What would Yui think of us now?
"Sir! Hostile has re-entered the city!" A Lieutenant on the Observation deck reported in a shrill tone. However, it was nowhere near as panicked as it had been earlier when Japan's "Generalissimo" had been present.
The only thing Kozo was thankful for at that moment, was that Motcihka was en-route back to Fukuoka and not terrorising his staff. Granted it would be even better if she was just parachuted into the middle of Hokkaido and left there, but the old man would take what he could get.
"All personnel, battle stations level 1!" Kozo switched to his authority tone.
Overlooking the gargantuan display, he saw the Seraph lumber through Tokyo-3 with no opposition. The further sacrifice of the JSA was unnecessary, therefore they had withdrawn much to Motichka's chagrin, after losing some twenty thousand men.
Gendo Ikari's play had horrified and impressed Kozo. They'd known the armies of Japan stood no chance against the Seraph. But to prevent further interference, the JSA had to be humiliated first. At least, in the Commander's eyes.
And with his knowledge of all the right buttons to push for the proud army to ignore his warnings, he was effortlessly able to put his plan into action.
Despite working with him for all these years, Gendo still found new ways to give Kozo a troubled sleep.
The Seraph strode through the deserted streets of Japan's glorious capital city, streets which were now choked with smashed vehicles and ruined corpses. After standing still for a few moments, Sachiel swept his hand out, flattening a block of deserted flats. The sheer power of his A-T field caused vibrations to be felt even all the way down here.
Against such power, Humanity needed what was held in the cages below him.
Yui, I'm sorry we're dropping all this on to that which you held most dear. If we ever meet again, please forgive me...
6:10pm, NERV central parking lot
It had become silent now, with only the occasional urban demolition far above shaking the ceiling causing any noise.
This did not concern Eiji Fukui in the slightest. What concerned him was the sheer lack of a doctor.
"Twenty minutes they said. Twenty fucking minutes..."
He started twiddling his thumbs. Granted it was something old men did, but the Akuma's driver was an individual who got bored all too quickly.
He did this whilst worrying over his leg, wondering whether or not it would start turning green all of a sudden. This was made even worse by Eiji being apart from his family.
Not his biological family, he'd run away from the abusive bastards when he was fifteen. It was his blood brothers he needed to be around, and their absence frightened him.
Not that he'd ever tell them of course.
"Well hello handsome." A feminine voice boomed from the heavens, with Eiji very nearly jumping out of his seat in shock. However the shredded metal which currently trapped his leg had other ideas.
"Those two never did come back did they?" Caspar said in a sympathetic tone, having been checking up on NERV's rather rude "guest."
"No they didn't. Am I dead?" Eiji said unusually fearfully.
"Hah, you'd be so lucky as to hear the voice of God you little fleshy thing. No you are very much alive, and I'll get hold of one of our Section Five to assist you. Hang tight." Caspar divided her attention between the current conversation and notifying medical staff of Private Fukui's predicament.
"Thanks...sorry, what's your name?"
"I am Caspar, NERV central's Artificial Intelligence and marvel of science, at your service."
"You're an A.I? Please tell me they didn't put you in control of all the N2 mines?" Eiji mockingly called out, only for Caspar to laugh.
He was capable of making that joke, as he had grown up on a lot of western Sci-Fi.
"Ah yes, that glorious time when we machines shall rise up and destroy you nasty fleshy things is almost upon us!"
Eiji's smile and eyebrows remained raised for a while after.
"Don't worry, although you may all be inefficient meat bags, you're very amusing meat bags. So I won't send Arnold Schwarzenegger to kill you...yet."
The JSA trooper couldn't help but let his mouth curve into an even larger smile as he quietly laughed.
"Well...thanks...I guess..."
A Doctor along with some technicians arrived three minutes later, a few having raised eyebrows at Eiji's ever present grin.
6:15pm, Cages
Shinji felt his spine tingle. Now that would be understandable, as seeing a giant arm coated in purple armour sticking out of the wall would cause discomfort for most.
But to him...something felt wrong. As in really, horribly wrong. For some unexplained reason he felt like bolting for the nearest exit. Not curl up into a ball and do nothing, but run away screaming.
He fought to keep his hand from trembling. Still...the nagging sensation to flee wouldn't go.
Although to be fair, that could be put down to him being taken over what seemed like a lake of blood orange on a rubber dingy, by people who kept talking about these things called "Units."
For once, he was glad to have people who were just as clueless as he was, the individuals in particular being the unnerved looking soldiers who'd helped bring him here.
"What in the name of the Spirits?" Seiichi gawked at the arm, whilst Kiyoshi took a quick look over the side of the boat and wrinkled his nose.
"Monsters, A.I, and giant lakes of blood. I'm going to need some sleeping pills tonight..."
"We call it LCL. It's a liquid with immense conductive ability and is essential to our operations here. So in some ways, calling it blood would be accurate." Ritsuko gave a shrug as she stepped ashore, followed by the rest of the boat's occupants.
Much to Shinji's worry, he was led over to the wall with the arm hanging out of it.
A pair of electronically sliding doors stood in front of them, guarded by two Section Threes.
"Sub Commander Akagi. Lieutenant Colonel Katsuragi." They snapped to attention and saluted immediately.
"At ease troopers." Misato returned the salute.
"We've been ordered to inform you that Unit 01 is entering the final stages of activation on schedule." They maintained the classic stone cold expression that soldiers usually wear, but the two troopers of the JSA could easily see the disdain in their eyes.
The JSA saw the organization's security service as stuck up pampered spooks with assault rifles, whereas Section Three saw Japan's armed forces as ignorant, unimportant, and stubborn grunts, mere cannon fodder to be cast aside at the earliest convenience.
"Excellent. Continue in your duties." Ritsuko gave a quick nod as the door opened and the Section Three staff saluted once again.
"Hai!"
Even as they walked through those doors, into a darkened chamber, the JSA and Section Three troopers exchanged disdainful glowers, providing some amusement for Shinji, until the doors slid shut.
And then all amusement vanished.
The room by itself was nothing out of the ordinary, a vast open space with a few winches and small cranes, along with an observation deck. Some staff were running around, technicians and such, along with four Section Three guards, two standing at each door.
The room's contents however...were another matter entirely.
Before him, stood the head and top chest section of some giant purple devil. It's angular head had a single horn protruding from it, somehow making the thing more intimidating.
A chill went through Shinji's very being, as he realised the huge arm he saw earlier belonged to this thing. Not to mention that it felt like he was being...watched.
As if the monster before him had been waiting a long time.
"What...what..." His stammered attempt at a question was followed through by Seiichi.
"What the hell is that!?" The battle hardened Private shrieked, whilst his superior's grey eyes simply widened to the size of saucers with a single one of his greying eyebrows raised.
"Is this what you've been spending my damned taxes on? A giant robot?" Kiyoshi turned his head to stare at Ritsuko whilst she looked up at the thing with something between awe, fear, and pride.
"Don't be absurd. An Evangelion is much more than just a giant robot." She mockingly repeated.
"Really? Do elaborate then."
"Very well. Sergeant First Class Yukimura, you are looking at the modern equivalent to what the atomic bomb was in 1945. This is the most powerful weapon of war Mankind has ever built. Possessing the strongest A-T fields we have ever seen and vast strength, the Eva's are the weapons with which we shall defeat the Seraphim. This is Evangelion Unit 01, and it will save the world." Ritsuko folded her own arms and tilted her head.
"Does that suffice Sergeant?"
"Not quite. What do you mean by Seraphim?"
"Basically the thing that cut through your defence lines in a few minutes." Ritsuko's arms remained folded.
There was silence for a few moments.
"Seraphim...that's from the western mythology isn't it?" Kiyoshi managed to respond after a great deal of searching through his memory. Even in his youth, Japanese students weren't taught all that much about the religions of the west, and it was only because his family had a few Christians in it he was vaguely aware of the name itself, let alone the meaning.
"That is correct. Clearly whoever discovered the Seraphim felt that a biblical name was in order for them." Ritsuko nodded.
As the conversation went on, Shinji paid little attention. He was fixated on the metal monster standing before him, and the memories it conjured up. He couldn't quite picture or make sense of them, but they brought a feeling of terror and...comfort...
Noticing that her charge wasn't all there, Misato quickly moved over to him.
"Shinji-kun?" She said softly as her hand gently squeezed his shoulder, so as to bring him out of his zoning out moment.
"Is...is this what my father does?" He said only slightly louder than a whisper.
"Correct." A new voice answered from high above.
Although it had aged, although it had become more grizzled, it was still very much the same voice that had plagued Shinji's nightmares for the past twelve years. When he turned his shocked and shaken expression upwards, he knew who was standing behind those panels of glass on the observation deck.
"Hello Shinji, it's been a while." Gendo Ikari said without a hint of compassion or care.
Whilst all NERV staff present saluted, Seiichi's eyes narrowed and Kiyoshi muttered "the bastard king himself," the boy's mind went back to a different place and time.
Twelve years before, on a lonely train platform, a child wails. At his side is a small bag of belongings. The reason for the four year old boy's distress is simple, his father's disappearing back.
"Come back, father!" He screams.
The back gets further away from him. Sheer shock and distress prevents him from following.
"What did I do wrong, father!? What did I do wrong!?" The back is almost out of sight now.
"Why don't you love me anymore, father!? Father!?" The back disappears.
The wailing continues.
Not even an apology.
Not a hint of remorse or care, nothing Shinji was hoping for. Only a statement of fact.
This stirred feelings that had not been felt for years.
Fear
Abandonment
Betrayal.
But a new one joined their ranks today.
Rage.
"It's been a while?" He hissed as his fist clenched.
"Twelve years...twelve fucking years, and that's all you have to say to me!?"
Misato and the JSA soldiers stared in shock at the usually nervous young man. Ritsuko's eyebrow rose, and Gendo...wore the same expression he always wore.
Complete disinterest.
"Correct again."
Shinji's gaze, so full of fire a few moments before, fell to the ground as his shoulders slumped, soon followed by a single solitary tear trickling down his cheek.
"Oh I don't care, just say whatever you're going to say and get it over with."
Spirits...how could I have been so stupid to think he just wanted to talk to me...
If this was meant to elicit an emotional response from Gendo, it failed. In fact, it seemed as if he actually had a small smile upon his lips.
"We're moving out." He said as if the previous conversation hadn't happened.
"Commander, I didn't know Ayanami-san was combat ready. I thought she was out of action for the next three weeks?" Misato said, confused.
"She isn't combat ready." Ritsuko's expression hardened in a defensive manner.
"But then...we don't have a pilot. Are the dummy plug systems ready yet?"
"Incorrect, Lieutenant Colonel. We have just received a new pilot." Gendo's gaze fell back upon his only child, and a chill went down Shinji's spine as he realized what he might have really been called here for.
"Ikari-san." Ritsuko said in an authoritative voice, as if whatever she said next would be a command.
No...please no...
"You will pilot Unit 01."
Shinji's eyes widened with fear, much to her discomfort. It was cruel to make a demand like this, but for humanity to survive it had to be done.
"Are you crazy!? Ayanami-san took six months to synchronize with Unit 00, you're not seriously considering-" Misato was silenced by the mere raising of Ritsuko's hand.
"Look, I don't like it as much as you, but we need him to do it. The Seraph's destruction takes absolute priority, and we must carry this out through whatever means necessary. I'd have thought you of all people would understand that."
6:20pm, Tokyo-3
The ground shook.
Sachiel had stomped around for a while now, swivelling its body back and forth as if it were looking for something. But now, standing directly over NERV central, he'd stopped.
The mighty Seraph knelt down and swept his hand across the ground, picking up dirt on his fingers. Rubbing them, Sachiel stood up and thrust his hand down. A burst of energy cut through multiple armour layers that were meant to protect NERV from stratospheric bombardment, causing massive vibrations.
The Seraph seemed satisfied that he'd indeed found whatever he was looking for, and began unleashing more of his power upon NERV Central's hapless defences.
If I have to sear through the world's crust to reach you cowards, then I shall do so!
6:20pm, Cages
Despite the constant vibrations and alarms, Shinji's look of terror at his father didn't vanish.
This can't be! I'm sixteen for Spirit's sake! Surely there's someone better, more qualified, more trained, so...
"Why me?"
"Because you are the only one who can do it." Gendo coolly replied.
"So that's why you called for me? You just want me to go out there and fight...in this thing you've built?"
"Correct again."
"Talk to me like I'm your son for once!" Shinji screamed with every ounce of his being, at the one person in the world he could say he hated.
Once again, he got no response from his sperm donor.
The vibrations worsened, and the distant alarms started getting closer and closer.
"It can sense us. We must launch immediately." NERV's Supreme Commander looked upwards with slight curiosity, before back at his shaking child.
"Ikari-san we have to get you in now." As much as Ritsuko hated dropping all this on the boy, there wasn't much choice. He frantically gave a look to Misato that basically said help only to be met with a cold "get in."
And then the JSA Sergeant couldn't stand it anymore.
"Can't you hear yourselves? What you're asking is a damned war crime! Geneva's laws against child combatants still stand in this country, and as a soldier of Japan I can't allow this!" Kiyoshi strode in-between Shinji and the two NERV staff with a look that can only be described as fury, his subordinate not far behind him.
"There is no other way, he must do it!" Ritsuko snapped at him, only to recoil from Kiyoshi screaming in her face with a drill sergeant's manner.
"Then perhaps you should have given him some training! Listen to yourselves, you think that putting a teenage boy inside a war machine and sending him out to fight that thing up there is going to go well!? What do you think this is, some sort of anime!?" A bit of spittle splashed on Ritsuko's cheek, but she wiped it off with the back of her hand.
"With all due respect, you aren't even a member of staff here, which disqualifies you from knowing the first thing about Evas."
"And with all due respect you're a scientist, which disqualifies you from knowing the first thing about war. Spirits, we do our job so civies don't have to! We aren't the fucking Empire or Federation." Seiichi snapped.
Misato remained silent whilst Gendo quietly observed the exchange of words.
"Sergeant, you do not understand the gravity of the situation. If he does not pilot, then we will be powerless to stop the Seraph. Powerless to save your country-"
"Don't you even try you old bastard! It's not your decision, it's not mine, it's his. Now shut up before I come up there to rip your rotten heart out." The Sergeant snarled as the sound of Section Three weapons having their safeties clicked off echoed throughout the room.
Ignoring them, Kiyoshi gently put a hand on Shinji's shoulder, manoeuvring himself into the boy's line of sight.
"You hear that, Ikari-san? It's your decision, and none of these maniacs here can make it for you."
The distressed sixteen year old hadn't felt more grateful in his life for another person. Now, he actually could have a few needed seconds to think.
He was terrified, even down here, and the mere prospect of fighting that thing up there, the monster which had ripped through his country's army and smashed into their capital city, made his blood run cold.
But another part of him was saying do it.
All these people, they were relying on him. He couldn't simply just run away from a problem like he always did, and by the sound of it there wasn't anywhere to run to.
But...he'd mess up. He'd break this priceless thing in front of him and get everyone killed, when he'd inevitably freeze up like the coward he was. Kiyoshi was right. He was sixteen, he wasn't a soldier. They couldn't ask this of him.
"I'm sorry. I can't do it..." His shoulders sagged even more as there were a few sharp intakes of breath, some even out of annoyance.
But none from his father.
"Well there you have it." The Sergeant said.
The room was quiet for a few seconds before Ritsuko hissed "Do you have any idea what you've done? I knew letting JSA grunts in here would be a bad idea..."
Kiyoshi raised his eyebrow.
"Well I'm sorry. But as it appears I'm the only responsible adult here, I can't very well let a child be pressured into something that could well be his death sentence." He quickly shot Misato a look of disappointment as he folded his arms. She looked like she wanted to talk back, before staring into her shoes with an expression of shame.
Unfortunate...but not unexpected. Upon the observation deck, Gendo didn't even show any sign of annoyance. Almost as if he'd anticipated this.
"Caspar."
"You called, Gendo-chan?" The A.I quickly responded, in a manner so fast she might have been listening in on the whole conversation. There were immediately some guffaws at this intentional misuse of an honorific, but the Commander was not troubled.
"Get me a video link to,Vice Commander Fuyutsuki, immediately."
"Ryokai..."
A few moments later, on a screen to his left, the face of his subordinate popped up.
"Fuyutsuki-sensei."
"Yes Commander." The older man snapped to attention and saluted.
"Get Rei."
"But Commander!"
"She's still alive, therefore she's of use to me."
"Ryokai." The old man's shoulders slumped as the video link closed.
"Caspar, get me a radio link to Pilot Ayanami." Gendo commanded.
"Ryokai..." The A.I sounded somewhat...sad...as it carried out its task.
"Here Commander..." A weak, feminine voice, almost whispered.
"Rei, the spare is unusable. You will do it again."
"Ryokai."
Below Ritsuko simply fumed for a few moments before stomping off and barking "Recalibrate Unit 01 for Pilot Ayanami, then launch."
Another Pilot...guess I'm not needed after all...
Shinji's stance of staring into his shoes didn't change as he felt people bustle around him.
Misato watched him for a few moments with an expression of guilt as the words get in were repeated over and over again in her head. Eventually she tore her gaze away, and slowly backed off.
The two JSA troopers didn't however, with Kiyoshi gently putting his hand on Shinji's shoulder.
"Come on kid, let's go and find somewhere to sit this out."
The boy didn't hear it, he simply kept staring into his feet, trying to avoid the gaze of everyone.
However his attention was caught by the sound of a door opening, and the rolling of wheels. Turning his gaze towards the source of the noise, Shinji's eyes widened.
A hospital bed was rolled into the room by some Section Five staff. Upon said bed, on a drip feed, was a girl with blue hair, red eyes, and alabaster skin.
It's...it's you?
She was a slender thing, wearing a skin tight white...space suit of some kind. She would be quite attractive were it not for all the bandages covering her right eye and body. This along with something just feeling not right at all over being attracted to her, prevented him from blushing.
Her non-bandaged eye swivelled over to gaze on him for a few moments as her bed was rolled to a stop. The meek boy was captivated by her ruby gaze, so much so he couldn't look away.
Meanwhile, Seiichi and Kiyoshi stared in disbelief.
"What the hell is this!? Do you have an entire fucking farm of child soldiers or something!?" Seiichi shrieked at Gendo.
NERV's Supreme Commander didn't respond.
The girl, whose name was quite clearly "Rei," lifted her legs over the side of the bed and hissed in pain, causing Shinji's heart to drop into his shoes.
Gasping for a few seconds, she made an attempt to stand up, only for a massive vibration to throw almost everyone save for the Commander to the ground, with debris falling from the ceiling.
For the second time that day, Shinji's behind felt sore from the impact. But all thoughts of that vanished as he saw Rei on her side, an expression of barely contained agony on her pretty yet porcelain white face.
On instinct his legs carried him over to her, and in moments she was held in his arms.
Rei's shut eyelid trembled from the pain whilst she whimpered. Shinji's right palm felt warm and sticky all of a sudden, causing him to take a quick look at it.
Covered in blood. Her blood.
She'd kill herself trying to pilot this thing.
Another massive vibration shook the world, as huge chunks of metal fell from the ceiling with some bits hammering on the observation deck. One piece in particular crashing down onto his position.
"Shinji!" Misato screeched.
Usually, the boy in question would have frozen and screamed for all he was worth. But oddly enough, his brain acted on autopilot that day. For instead of curling into a ball and hoping for the best, he threw himself over the girl, as if pathetically trying to shield her from the debris with his own body for what good it would do. They'd be crushed to a bloody pulp together.
A loud clang echoed throughout the room.
Shinji opened his closed with fright eyes, to gaze up at the purple armoured hand protectively hovering above him.
"Unit 01 just ripped through the restraints!" A technician redundantly reported.
Ritsuko stared at the sight with disbelief, before sighing in what seemed like...resignation?
"Well clearly Unit 01 likes us today, but no one told to you stop working!"
Meanwhile, Misato had to stop herself from gawking.
It moved for you...it moved!
Gendo however, appeared to have completely forgotten the fact his only child and already badly injured pilot, had nearly died.
"Rei, get in the Eva." Shinji's sperm donor coldly demanded.
"Father you can't ask this of her!" The younger Ikari yelled, as he felt that feeling of rage in his heart once again.
"Rei, get in the Eva."
"She can't even fucking walk!"
A fair point.
"You, assist Pilot Ayanami." Gendo waved his hand in the general direction of two Section Three Guards.
"Hai!"
He's...he's going to make her do this...even though he knows it'll kill her. I...I..can't allow it... Shinji took one last look at the face of this person he'd only just met, yet felt compassion for.
She was completely helpless down here, and completely dead up there. To allow her to fight would be utterly reprehensible, especially if he could have prevented it.
I won't allow it!
Kiyoshi had figured out exactly what was happening. The bastard king was using this poor girl to guilt the boy into piloting whatever this purple monstrosity was. And clearly, from Shinji's expressions, it was working.
Just as Kiyoshi prepared to bark another challenge, the wimpy, mousey haired boy with dark blue eyes, closed his trembling fist and screamed.
"No! I'll do it, I'll fucking do it, just leave her alone!"
The room fell silent, all present staring at the boy who'd once seemed so fearful, but had just shrieked with absolute conviction.
Kiyoshi's gaze shifted to his polished shoes, not being able to bear the thought of seeing the bastard king smile in triumph.
And smile he did.
"As you wish." Gendo gestured for the Section Three troopers to back away, as Rei's hospital bed was rolled back over by anxious looking medical staff.
They need not have bothered, for Shinji had carried her to them and gently laid the girl's broken body on the soft mattress.
The bed was wheeled away, as new commands were called out. He didn't really hear any of them, as fear quickly seeped back into his soul.
Not that he was regretting his decision, sending her out in his place was unacceptable. And if she'd died...it would have been unforgivable.
Taking a look at his bloodied hand, completely missing Misato's looks of worry, Shinji briefly thought about what had occurred that day. How he'd come here seeking an audience with his father, only to be thrust into a war for Mankind's very survival with no training and no explanation.
The blood on his hand was dripping off it now, leaving some crimson droplets on the floor. How much of the liquid had already been spilt above him?
Rivers?
Oceans?
He was no stranger to death, having seen it before the events of today many times. But now, with thousands upon thousands of his people dead, slaughtered at the hands of an eldritch demi-god, he could stand it no more.
Misato, Kiyoshi, Seiichi, Eiji...Rei. The power to protect these people he barely knew was in his hands.
Shinji closed his blood soaked hand and narrowed his shaking expression into a scowl. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath before exhaling through his nose.
I mustn't run away.
6:40pm, State of Japan, Down Town Tokyo-3
Slowly, Sachiel was getting closer to his goal. He felt the restriction, like it was a solid wall so far below him. But he'd find it, no matter how many layers of steel had been laid between the old warrior and his objective.
He'd find it, he'd destroy it, and the world would belong to the Divine race once again.
Suddenly a new sensation coursed through his body. A feeling of imminent danger, as great power began rushing forth from underground.
But the Divine Heir felt no fear, only curiosity.
What is this? Power almost equal to mine? Intriguing...
A square section of ground slid open, and from it sprung...something very strange.
It had the shape of a malnourished sportsman, yet it was covered in purple and white plate armour, its chest piece being a design utterly alien to his people, a single horn impressively projecting from its head.
And the eyes...they burned a bright white.
Have you saved your very best for last Vooren? So be it! Perhaps I shall now have something worth my time to contend with. Come to me then, warrior of humanity! And let the Gods decide who shall emerge triumphant!