Screeching brakes announced the train's arrival – shaking Misato from her nap. She gave herself a stretch and retrieved her single suitcase.
Even with the train almost entirely empty she still tripped and fumbled on her frenzied way out.
"Finally fresh air!" Her skin flared as the nippy cold crashed into her.
Quickly scanning the empty train station she found no sign of her escort. Just to check she retrieved the letter from her suitcases smaller pocket and skimmed over all the business talk.
"… Your designated agent will be present at 11:00 to escort you…" Misato glanced at the stations clock reading 10:54.
Smirking she bolted over to the outside benches –trying to soak up the sun. For a few a silent moments she enjoyed the gentle wind and the sun blanketing her with its rays.
Until a rogue cloud blocked it out.
Her annoyance was punctuated by the caw of a nearby crow. It wasn't till the second caw did her eyebrows twitch. Looking over at the bird she noticed it looking straight at her; only a few feet away posturing itself. Before she could kick it away the station's clock rung out – startling the bird to fly away.
From the station foyer a man emerged and quickly made his way over to her. He was dressed with a gentle blue greatcoat and what looked like grey military slacks underneath.
"Misato Katsuragi, yes?"
"Yeah that's me – I'm guessing you're meant to be my agent?" Misato flicked her hair at the older man – guessing him to be in his early thirties.
"I will be escorting you to DYAD headquarters – follow me to the car" He turned without waiting on her.
"Hmph" She frowned at her dismissal but quickly followed with him with her suitcase.
A look a surprise did cross her face when they arrived at the car – it was a blue Renault that seemed to have jumped straight out of the 60s. She probably could see her reflection in the metal if the shine coming off it wasn't blinding her.
"Put your suitcase in the backseat and get in"
Misato quickly obliged. The insides were plush with dark leather and a standout retro styled dashboard. Although all the dust in the car, especially on her seat, took away from the awe. She brushed off her seat and strapped in.
"Nice car; pre-eruption right?"
"Yes"
Misato rolled her eyes at his answer and gave – staring out the side window instead. The town might have been modest in size but all the white paint and metal walls gave some illusion of the future. She did notice the distinct low lying architecture that seemed to trying its best to hug the ground. Some trees even seemed taller than the buildings.
Her reverie was interrupted by a phones ringing.
"Yes?" The agent broke his neutral expression for the first time into an annoyed face.
"…Yes I do have her with me… I see" Misato leaned turned an ear to the conversation
"Your induction has been accelerated – have your government ID ready and listen to me closely when we arrive" He put down the phone and shifted into a higher gear.
"Hey what's hap - wah!" The car swerved round the corner like a sports car causing her to almost smash her head into the side window. What she assumed to be a beat-up engine sounded like a fighter jet trapped underneath the car hood.
"Your ID" He reminded her
Before the next turn came she hooked on to the door handle and braced as car burned round the corner.
Seeing the long straight ahead she scrambled to the back of the car and fished out her identity papers – knocking into the agent along the way making him growl.
Another turn threw her face first into a car door.
"CAN'T YOU CONTROL THIS DAMN CAR!" She clutched her nose, hoping it wasn't broken or bleeding. To prevent further any other facial damage she opted to stay in the back with her seatbelt firmly on.
Soon the forest gave way to a huge open area where hangers and buildings dotted the horizon. She assumed they were going to stop at the checkpoint gate but instead the gate opened pre-emptively allowing them to speed past.
The car came to a stop outside a one of the bland looking buildings.
"Leave your luggage here" He walked off towards the building, having Misato fumble her way out of the car and catch up.
On the inside of the small building the main feature was an elevator and some adjoining stairs.
They stepped into the elevator and once again Misato almost tripped over and the sudden acceleration. A few seconds later they arrived on the basement level with her gripping on the support rail for dear life.
The agent weaved in and out of the corridors with any passing staff giving him a wide berth.
"So are you going to tell me what is going on or not?" She said
"You'll get your answers soon - just make sure you don't lose that government ID" He responded
After the long walk they arrived at a room filled with several computers.
Any expectations that DYAD was the light of a bright future were demolished – or at least dampened in Misato's mind. Half the computers looked older than her and what looked like science equipment was covered in mechanical gauges.
"Where's the doctor?" He turned to a nearby DYAD member.
"She should back any second – she was manually setting the gas system" The scientist didn't turn away from his computer.
On que a pneumatic hiss sounded from a heavy looking door from one side of the room revealing what Misato assumed was the doctor.
She had blood red eyes. Her skin was about as pale as moonlight formed and a face with not even hint of expression – not a single crease on her forehead, cheeks or chin.
"Your continued presence will be necessary captain" The doctor closed the pneumatic door and stepped up to Misato.
"Read this – it should answer some basic questions" She pulled out a small pamphlet from her pocket. On it was the simple logo of the DYAD, a triangle made from large dots, and information for new employees.
"I am Doctor Rei Ayanami head of research and development in DYAD – please follow me" Her voice was quiet but surprisingly not as monotone as she expected.
Doctor Ayanami's pace was much slower than the captains' – allowing Misato to read through the DYAD leaflet.
After the short walk the doctor lead her into a small artificially lit clinical room with a chair in the middle like a dentist's office.
The doctor motioned her in but she herself hung back – whispering something to the captain. He left – leaving only the doctor and her.
"Strange room for an interview" Misato eyed the chair and various medical implements.
"Should you accept the offer you will be working under my supervision" She sat down behind a desk in the corner of the room. Misato sat opposite.
"I am here to overlook the completion of these forms and the following procedure" She took out two sheets and slid them towards her.
"Once these are signed you will be unable to exit the contract until the minimum amount of working hours is completed"
Misato rubbed her arm as she glanced across all the medical implements surrounding her – eventually settling on the doctors red eyes.
"Shouldn't you be asking me questions or …" She trailed off.
"All the information that was required of your person has already been gathered through government records and the preliminary medical examination – your consent is still needed"
"So far it hasn't been clear as to what I'll be doing if I join"
"Your job within DYAD falls under the ANGEL branch – you will be testing technology that only individuals with specific genes can utilise"
"So I would be a test subject" Misato stared down at the contract.
"As your secondary duty you will be required to test military equipment – your primary duty is too sensitive to disclose to non-DYAD personnel"
"That's exactly what you said on the letter" She grumbled under her breath.
Silence fell over the room and to Katsuragi's discomfort the doctor kept her see-through stare locked onto her. She attempted reading the wall of text on the contract, talking about her technically being military personnel.
She found herself fiddling with the pen in her hand. It helped her ignore the disinfectant smell that filled the room.
If only to escape the staring she signed both sheets and slid them across.
"Your employment details will be sent to your DYAD provided accommodation"
"Captain Rokubungi is waiting outside to give you the tour – he is also going to be your direct overseer during your time here" The doctor walked out with the contract leaving Misato stuck again with the grumpy man.
"Come you'll be starting early" He walked off waiting for her to catch up again.
"Hey, could you at least tell me what the big rush is now that I'm employed and all!"
He stayed quiet for a few moments before answering
"There's been a scheduling error"
"All this because of an error in planning" Her voice said that she didn't buy for a second
"You'll be surprised" He didn't stop a smirk coming to his face.
It disappeared as he handed her a metal suitcase that he was carrying.
"This is your uniform, get changed quickly – you won't be needing that ID anymore either." She noticed that they were in front of the male and female changing rooms.
She went in and opened up the case. Surprise came over her as she took the whole suit out. It was a dark blue synthetic fibre with white metallic plates around the torso. On the back there was what looked like an articulated metallic spine running above where her actual spine would be. Wires and tubes could be just about felt underneath the thick material that ran across the entire suit. To the left of the spine there was a zipper that ran half way down the back to allow a person to slip in feet first.
Misato put on the suit shivering slightly as she felt metal pads inside the suit press against her body. Zipping the suit was a hassle but it lay comfortably on her; disregarding the cold pads in the suit it was surprisingly warm and comfortable.
"What's the point of all this junk anyway, I feel like I got a child strapped to my chest" She stepped outside, still adjusting the top heavy torso plates. All the material and metal covered up any bodily figure she had to show off.
"You'll appreciate it after you get in" He walked away from her again.
"What? What I'm I 'getting' in to?"
"Wait and see" He gave her another smirk
Another call rumbled on the phone.
"Yes?" A gloved hand picked it up.
Artificial light streamed onto the wooden furniture.
The speaker settled back down onto the machine.
"The UN has given us total command" he sat down into the leather chair.
"You don't seem very anxious Ikari"
"Are you?" He asked the elderly man.
"Not anymore – we have another pilot"
"So we're going with my plan then?" Ikari tented his hands in front of his face.
"Not quite; we'll be deploying the second ANGEL unit"
"I fail to see how this is better Fuyutsuki" He could feel the stare Ikari was giving him behind those orange tinted glasses.
"I want to see the new capabilities of the unit; Doctor Ayanami showed me some impressive test results" Fuyutsuki leaned back into his chair
"I doubt they'll appreciate such recklessness" He replied
"I suppose not but there's little they can do – I've put the other ANGEL on standby just to be safe" He got up from his desk.
"Come now Ikari I thought you said you weren't anxious" He smiled at his colleague.
Ikari hmphed at him and followed him out the office.
Misato immediately noticed the metal behemoth nestled into the wall.
"What is that" She blurted out.
"This is the first thing you'll be testing" His smirk hadn't died down since the changing rooms.
The giant of a machine was housed within a room that could fit a commercial airliner and then some. It was painted a similar blue to her suit but only on certain parts leaving the majority of it to be exposed dark grey steel.
Although human like it lacked a neck, instead the flat rhombus looking head was nestled between the shoulders leaving only some of it to be poking out. Its arms were asymmetrical, the left was a three pronged claw while the right was regular human hand right down to the knuckles and fingertips; the arms were connected differently too making the left arm look bulkier than the right.
The torso looked slightly like an exposed humans ribcage but angular with shallow grooves on each 'rib'. Waist down it was most similar to a human but its feet were lacking any toes and were split in half with the lower foot looking like it was mounted on the world's biggest hinges – extending outwards further than a regular foot should have.
Before she could ask a question behind her a door slid open revealing a girl on crutches with a similar suit to her own. She stopped for a moment to glance at Misato before turning to the captain.
"I was informed by the commander to get my assignment directly from you, Captain" She leaned on one crutch as she gave a quick salute.
The captain narrowed his eyes at her sudden appearance in the hanger.
Misato looked at the young girl that seemed a similar age to herself - around sixteen years old. Unlike her own suit the girl's was white and lacked any colour or decals.
"I want you on standby in Peleg and deploy when I give the order" The girl saluted again and with impressive speed despite her condition rushed through a door nearby the original entrance.
Rokobungi saw the question on Misato's lips.
"That was pilot Risuko Akagi – you'll be working alongside her later on" Misato was about to ask another question but was interrupted.
"Get in the robot using that red ladder – a technician will help at the top"
"You're putting that girl in tests even though she's injured?!"Misato snapped back at him.
"She's here in case there are complications with you – as long as you do well and cooperate she won't have to move a muscle"
"That sounds like blackmail!"
"Seriously just get in the robot; you'll get some answers after we sort this situation out"
"I don't even know what the situation is!" Her shouting fell on deaf ears as Rokobungi was already walking away from her.
Misato clenched her jaw until her teeth hurt; she remembered the bit on the contract that put her under military law as long as she was employed. Relenting, she jogged over to the long ladder that reached up to a catwalk nearby the robot. High enough that any fall would be lethal.
A little winded after the climb – she spotted the technician waiting for her. The pilot seat was located in the sternum of the machine. There was hole in the sternum that stretched for a few meters into the centre of the machines chest where the pilot would be.
Misato stared down the hole like it was the abyss.
"You better get to it kid, I'll shout you the instructions when you're in" The technician leant over her taking a peak down the tunnel as well.
Rokobungi walked into the command deck stopping to salute the two commanders at the top of the room.
"You have command, captain, we have confirmation that the demon has made it to shore, and it will be here in fifteen minutes" Sub-commander Ikari spoke on Kozo's behalf.
Rokobungi turned made his way down to the lower level. The entire room was split into three 'steps' like an amphitheatre. The top held the commander's plinth while the rest was where the other personnel sat.
"Is the pilot ready?"
"Ready" A lieutenant from one of the consoles calls out.
"Doctor" He gestures towards her.
Ayanami adjusts the microphone in front of her and speaks into it.
"Pilot Katsuragi please respond if you can hear me"
"I err… I can hear you." A crackly voice comes through the speaker.
"You are currently in ANGEL unit zero-two also known as Japthah – when the activation procedure starts the temperature within the cockpit will plummet to approximately negative five degrees Celsius, your pilot suit will keep you warm enough to prevent hypothermia " She pauses awaiting a response from the pilot.
"So cold?" Misato says
"It is required for the ANGEL unit to function – please stay calm as the procedure is about to begin" She nods towards one of the bridge crew.
An alarm begins to sound throughout the hanger as the catwalks in the room began being pulled up towards the ceiling. The ANGEL's chest seems to contract slightly, closing off the sternum tunnel. The clamps that held the metallic giant in place let go – the sudden weight on the legs cause the machine to shorten slightly.
Opposite the giant robot the hanger lights up revealing a truly enormous elevator with several huge gears and hydraulic pipes. Light from the outside hit the massive platform as the seal above it began to slide away causing an annoying grating sound as metal rubbed against metal.
"Wasn't that issue fixed?" Fuyutsuki shot a glance at Ikari.
Ikari didn't respond; keeping his eyebrows tightly knitted.
Misato was sure she was going to turn into an ice cube. However insulated her suit felt, it did little against the freezer she was stuck in. The cockpit was tiny, only enough space for her and whatever machinery was crammed into the space around the seat. The seat itself was barely a seat – it was flat and angled allowing the pilot to lean back but kept them in a squat like starting position. Since the entrance port was in front of her shins she had to snake up the seat head first.
A large single prong the size of her pinkie was mounted on a flexible plug just below where her neck was meant to be on the seat. It clicked into her suits socket when she pressed her back into it just like the technician said. She also had to plug in small bundle of wire to the side of her waist – which thankfully remained out of the way.
The technician told her to not worry about any other plugs like the one tucked away to the left of her head with a thin line of surgical tubing attached to it.
She was glad that there were no more free sockets left in her suit.
Doctor Ayanami's voice sounded again through the cockpits speaker.
"The ANGEL is right now is unresponsive, we will unlock the spinal cable which will allow you control – do not panic if you feel like you are being electrocuted, it is normal and will pass after a few seconds, there will be no permanent or temporary damage done to your body."
Misato didn't get a chance to respond as a jolt from the plug caused the muscle in her body to contract for a second.
After the initial shock Misato could feel a tingling sensation radiate outward from her spine across her entire body before subsiding. What once was an empty metal panel in front of her lit up with a live feed of the hanger around her
"Attempt to walk to the elevator on the other side of the hanger, please try not to cause damage to any DYAD property while inside or outside"
"Ok..ay" Misato gripped onto the control sticks on the sides of her chair.
The unit tentatively lifted its arms. It waggled its fingers and shifted on its waist. Then it took a single quick and heavy step that shook the entire complex. It took another one – this time it looked less like it was tripping. Misato eventually stumbled into the elevator straightening out the ANGEL to its full height.
Gears and pistons moved the elevator with surprising speed. The ANGEL emerged from the facility, towering over the other buildings Misato saw on the surface. From her height the surrounding forest that looked so dense from the car drive now looked like a patchy lawn. Near the horizon she could see the town she arrived in; its low laying buildings barely peaking over the forest canopy.
Curiously the entire surrounding area was covered in what looked like paths. From the town to the military complex to several large clearings, they were all connected up with paths like a road network. These roads were tens of meters in width; sizeable enough for the ANGEL to walk across them.
"Try not to tear up the forest or damage the town" The captain said.
"Ok what now?" Misato responded
"Destroy the target; you should see it on the horizon now"
"Wait what target?"
"Think of this as a combat test; this shouldn't be too hard if you don't panic"
"Combat test? I don't even know how to move!"
"Keep calm, I'll guide you through this, find the red radio tower and move towards it" The captain kept his voice level.
Misato reluctantly began her stumble towards the tower that was in one of the clearings in the road network. She had noticed that the ANGEL's head turned to wherever she wanted to look – although the lack of neck in the machine prevented any great movement.
"On the horizon in front of you, can you see that?"
She couldn't make out much of the bipedal figure on the horizon but saw how fast it was moving.
"Yeah?"
"Let it come to you"
A/N: This is my first fanfic so try to leave give me some criticism if you can - hopefully I haven't botched the pacing too badly. Now although this fic is pretty much an inversion of the plot I'm not planning on just some beat by beat retelling of Evangelion. Having all these characters flipped around and humanities relationship with Adam changed will affect the outcome of the story as well as the message I'm hoping to deliver. Next update will probably be next month.